Biochemical changes during ripening of the mango fruit.

Changes in 0x0 acids, free amino acids and some related enzymes were studied during the respiratory
climacteric of the mango fruit, Mungiferu indica. Maximum concentration of a-oxoglutarate and
pyruvate was reached earlier than the climacteric peak. Oxaloacetate was not found to accumulate as the
fruit ripened. Aspartate and glutamate increased for about three days after harvest and their concentration
decreased as the climacteric maximum was reached. r-Aminobutyrate showed an increase during the same
period. Activities of malic enzyme (L-malate; NADP oxidoreductase decarboxylating : 1.1 .1.41) and Laspartate-(
oxoglutarate aminotransferase (2.6.1.1) followed the respiratory pattern of the fruit while Lglutamate
l-carboxylase (4.1.1.15) showed a gradual increase in activity. An attempt is made to explain
these changes with reference to the climacteric behaviour of the fruit.