brief stage of fruit development is the
multiplication of cells in the ovary wall,
which in the tomato is virtually complete at
the moment of fertilization (you can see the
fully formed but tiny fruit at the base of the
flower as soon as it opens).
Most of the noticeable growth during fruit
development takes place during the third
stage, the expansion of the storage cells. This
growth can be remarkable. Melons at their
most active put on better than 5 cubic
inches/80 cc a day. Most of this expansion is
due to the accumulation of water-based sap in
the cell vacuoles. Mature fruit storage cells
are among the largest in the plant kingdom, in
watermelons approaching a millimeter in
diameter. During this growth stage, sugar is
stored in the cell vacuole as is or in more
compact granules of starch. Defensive
compounds, among them poisonous alkaloids
and astringent tannins, accumulate in the cell
vacuoles to deter infection or predation, and
barry
(Barry)
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