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Cytology and Histology

Anatomical Changes Associated With the Development of Gold Fleck and Fruit Pox Symptoms on Tomato Fruit. R. Ilker, Postgraduate Research Plant Physiologist, Department of Vegetable Crops, University of California, Davis, CA 95616; A. A. Kader(2), and L. L. Morris(3). (2)(3)Assistant Research Plant Physiologist, and Professor of Vegetable Crops, respectively, Department of Vegetable Crops, University of California, Davis, CA 95616. Phytopathology 67:1227-1231. Accepted for publication 7 April 1977. Copyright © 1977 The American Phytopathological Society, 3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121. All rights reserved.. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-67-1227.

Anatomical changes associated with three developmental stages of gold fleck-pox syndrome, a physiological fruit disorder of some tomato cultivars, are described. In green fruits, where dark green flecks are visible, the subepidermis and/or the outermost cortex are transformed into a typical spongy mesophyll tissue containing many chloroplasts. When the fruits ripen to the pink stage, the flecks change from dark green to golden yellow; this is accompanied by disintegration of the chloroplasts and secretion of cell wall material into the cell cavities and the intercellular spaces. At the red-ripe stage, external symptoms remain either as gold-colored flecks or develop into necrotic lesions (poxlike symptoms). Proliferation of the cells immediately surrounding these lesions, rupture of the epidermis, and protrusion of underlying cells are observed at this stage.