What is the difference between climacteric and Non-climacteric fruit?

What is the difference between climacteric and Non-climacteric fruit?
Posted on 09/13/2022 by Durgan
Ripening of Grapes All varieties of grape are non-climateric — they don’t ripen once they’re taken off the vine.

What is the difference between climacteric and non-climacteric fruit?
The reason for this is that there are two different types of fruit: climacteric fruit and non-climacteric fruit. What is the Difference Between Climacteric and Non-Climacteric Fruit? Climacteric fruit will continue to ripen after harvest, while non-climacteric fruit will not continue to ripen after harvest.

Climacteric fruit will ripen after removal from plant.

Pre-climacteric will not ripen after removal from plant.

CLIMACTERIC FRUIT NON-CLIMACTERIC FRUIT
Apple Blackberry
Apricot Citrus
Avocado Cherry
Banana Cranberry
Fig Cucumber
Kiwifruit Eggplant
Mango Grape
Nectarine Olive
Papaya Pepper
Peach Pineapple
Pear Pomegranate
Persimmon Raspberry
Plum Strawberry
Tomato Summer Squash

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I don't know, what do you mean by ripening, but strawberries, cherries and bell peppers definitely do change their fruit color after picking at half ripe state.
Ripening of cucumber? Cucumbers turn yellow if stored for long time,they are best when they are young and tender.
I've heard, that figs don't get ripe if picked early. You have figs in the Climacteric fruit column.

 

I'd be very happy if summer squashes would not ripen after picking. Unfortunately they do.

 

Sulev, I'm not sure what the definition of ripening is; but I suspect that it has to do with increasing sugar content or similar chemical changes. My experience with strawberries, cherries, and bell peppers is that their sweetness does not increase after picking. Acidity may decrease after picking, but that is not the same as increasing sugar content.

 

I have never measured the sugar content of any fruit, so I can't argue if strawberries, that are picked when just pink, get actually sweeter, after turning dark red, or not.
There may be different definitions on what ripening is:
a) maturing of seeds (becoming able to germinate).
b) reaching edibility from too raw to eat state (harmful or disgusting).
c) improving of the outer look (basically obtaining proper color), softness, smell, taste and other properties, that lead towards the the maximum deliciousness.
d) obtaining optimal dimensions, transporting or marketing size.
e) other

The sugar content is just a part of c), and is relevant for just a few of fruits. Many fruits (like eggplant, cucumber, squash etc) are valued for something else than their sugar content.