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Name: Ross J.
Status: Student
Age: 15
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2002
Question:
What exactly makes fruit rot?


Replies:
The goal of a fruit is to spread its seed, so it needs to rot in order to get the seeds out of the fruit. There are actually hormones, especially ethylene oxide that promote fruit ripening. If you want to get a piece of fruit to ripen, put it in a bag with an apple which generates a lot of ethylene oxide.

vanhoeck

Mostly mold.... and some bacteria...they have to eat too...:)

Peter Faletra Ph.D.
Assistant Director
Science Education
Office of Science
Department of Energy

bacteria and fungi

J. Elliott

Dear Ross:

In addition to the other excellent answers to your inquiry offered already, I'd like to add a couple more contributors to this not-so-straightforward process. The fruit itself produces enzymes, such as amylases & proteases, which also assist in the tissue breakdown associated with rotting. In fact, the ethylene oxide mentioned by vanhoeck actually promotes the activity of some of these enzymes. Once this process is initiated by the fruit itself, it is much easier for the bacteria & fungi to colonize themselves.

This might sound more complicated than you expected, but that probably reflects the fact that it is a crucial property for enabling the plant to "spread its seed", as also noted by vanhoeck. Thanks for the good question,

Jeff Buzby, Ph.D.
Children's Hosp. of Orange Cnty.
NEWTON AAS
Div. of Educational Programs
Argonne National Laboratory


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