BHATNAGAR, RAMESHSuthar, Varsha P.2018-04-122018-04-121998http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810043309Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is an important vegetable crop having industrial and medicinal values. The present investigation was carried out to study the biochemical changes taking place during tomato fruit ripening and storage in winter season of 1996-97 at Anand under Middle Gujarat condition. The tomato fruits of eight different varieties "Pusa ruby (V1), Junagadh ruby (V2), Mahabaleswar (V3), Anand 1 (V4), Angurlata (V5), CO3 (V6), SL 152 (V7) and NDT 120 (V8)" were picked at green mature (M1) and yellow (M2) stages of fruit ripening. The yellow stage fruits were kept to become red ripe (M3) at room temperature. The red ripe fruits were kept at room temperature (R1) and in a refrigerator (R2) for three days (S1) and six days (S2). The fruits of different maturity stages (M1, M2 and M3) and storage condition (R1S1, R1S2, R2S1, and R2S2) were analysed for biochemical parameters viz., moisture, total soluble solids, total soluble sugar, reducing sugar, titrable acidity, ascorbic acid, carotene and lycopene contents. The results showed that among different varieties studied, Angurlata (V5) recorded the highest total soluble sugar, reducing sugar, ascorbic acid and lycopene contents during maturity stages and storage conditions. All biochemical parameters studied, increased with advancement of ripening except titrable acidity and ascorbic acid content. Among both the storage conditions, the fruits stored in refrigerator showed higher titrable acidity, ascorbic acid and carotene content and room temperature stored fruits showed higher lycopene content. The total soluble solids, total soluble sugar, reducing sugar, ascorbic acid and lycopene contents were higher in six days stored fruits, while titrable acidity and carotene contents in three days stored fruits. The fruits of Angurlata (V5) variety stored in refrigerator for three days (V5R2S1) indicated higher total soluble sugar and ascorbic acid content, while fruits of SL 152 (V7) stored in refrigerator for six days (V7R2S2) indicated the highest ascorbic acid content.enBIOCHEMISTRY, AGRICULTUREA STUDYThesis