also lead to a pathogen attack, which can lead to the fruits developing diseases and exhibiting symptoms like necrosis and leaf wilting.

Recent research on ethylene production and perception systems seems to show that this simple classification (fruit ripening that needs ethylene means climacteric vs. fruit ripening that does not need ethylene means non-climacteric) is not completely satisfactory: for example, there are non-climacteric varieties of melon (although almost all of them are climacteric), and grapes (classified as non-climacteric)