Climacteric (botany)

In plants is the menopause is a process that is initiated by the two -to three- fold increase in the respiration ( oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide output ). In fruits carried biochemical changes, such as the degradation of Zellwandpektinen and the hydrolysis of starch. This has a seneszierende ( preliminary aging ) effect on the fruit. Case, the gaseous plant hormone ethylene acts autokatalysierend. So ethene is added, thereby the own cell internal Ethensynthese is stimulated. The gas is then made ​​and is a stimulating effect on other fruits, thus putting the Seneszenzwirkungen again.

Nachreife

Whether fruit can ripen after harvest depends on the one hand, the harvesting time from the other hand on her breathing behavior, ie the oxygen uptake and release of carbon dioxide. Fruits, their Kohlenstoffdioxidabgabe rises after the beginning of the ripening process and therefore have a menopause are accordingly called climacteric fruits: They ripen after harvest on, while crops in which this is not the case, called nichtklimakterische fruit.

In order to ripen after harvest continues even climacteric fruit must have reached a certain minimum maturity, ie when a certain stage of Kohlenstoffdioxidabgabe, which is referred to as picking maturity or harvest window. During the subsequent storage of these fruits evolve to maturity for consumption.

The ripening is, among other highly dependent on the autocatalytic phytohormone ethylene ( ethene chemically correct ). Therefore, inter alia, Bananas should not be stored together with tomatoes. The particularly high ethylene released by the tomato can ripen the banana faster. The same applies to the storage of fruits and vegetables in a space, since this substance on most vegetables has a corrupting influence. The small difference in density between ethene ( 1.2611 kg / m³ ) and air ( 1.293 kg / m³ at 0 ° C and 1013.25 hPa) has in practice not affect the storage of nichtklimakterischem fruits and vegetables. Therefore, it is almost irrelevant whether nichtklimakterische fruits and vegetables are stored below fruit or not, as bearing fruit with dessert fruit.