Physiology of the tomato mutant alcobaca

Alcobaca is commonly regarded as an abnormally ripening mutant of the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). Alcobaca fruits were found to be similar to cv. Rutgers fruits in the following characteristics: time between full anthesis and the onset of ripening, response to ethephon, flavor, pH and concentrations of titratable acids, total soluble solids and reducing sugars. The pattern of CO₂ and ethylene climacteric are similar in the two plant types, but the peak levels were lower and occurred later in alcobaca than in ‘Rutgers’. The mutant fruits differed from fruits of normal varieties in their greatly prolonged shelf life, their relatively low activity of polygalacturonase (PG) and polymethylgalacturonase (PMG), and their low level of endogenous ethylene. Fruits of the mutant harvested before the onset of ripening failed to reach normal pigmentation and remained yellow. Fruits harvested at the onset of ripening reached an orange color, while fruits ripened while attached to the plant reached almost normal pigmentation. These results suggest that alcobaca is a slow ripening mutant and does not belong to the category of non-ripening mutants.