Abstract

Fruit ripening is a sequence of complex and coordinated biochemical processes. The ripening mechanisms in fruit such as tomato have been extensively studied whereas little is known about "soft" fruit such as raspberry. These fruit undergo dramatic changes in firmness particularly during the latter stages of ripening which are assumed to be as a result of cell wall degradation and/or modification.
Experimental Two SCRI raspberry genotypes, Glen Prosen and Glen Clova were studied. These have been subjectively classified as firm and soft fruit when ripe. Alcohol insoluble cell wall preparations were made from the fruit at the green, yellow and red (ripe) stages. The wall preparations were analysed for non-cellulosic polysaccharides (NCPs), pectin (as uronic acid) and pectin methyl ester. Spectroscopic analyses were done using Fourier- transform Infrared (FT-IR) and Solid-state Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectrometers.