Altered ripening phenotypes of <i>SlARF2</i> down-regulated lines.

<p>(A) Ripening phenotypes of <i>SlARF2A-RNAi; SlARF2B-RNAi</i> and <i>SlARF2AB-RNAi</i> fruits at mature green (upper panel) and ripe (lower panel) stages. The <i>SlARF2A/SlARF2B-RNAi</i> fruits show spiky phenotype at mature green stage and ripe stage fruits, <i>SlARF2AB-RNAi</i> mutant displays inhibited ripening. (B) Time (number of days) from anthesis to breaker in wild type and two independent <i>SlARF2AB-RNAi</i> lines. (C) Ripening phenotypes of wild-type (WT) and <i>SlARF2AB-RNAi</i> fruits. Transgenic fruits never reach a full red color. Br = breaker stage; Br+3 = 3 days post-breaker stage; Br+5 = 5 days post-breaker stage; Br+7 = 7 days post-breaker stage. (D) Effect of ethylene treatment on wild type (WT) and <i>SlARF2AB-RNAi</i> fruit. Mature green fruits from WT and <i>SlARF2AB-RNAi</i> lines were treated 2 hours and 3 times per day with 10 ppm ethylene or with air for 3 days. After 7 days, both ethylene treated and untreated wild type fruit reached full red while <i>SlARF2AB-RNAi</i> fruits treated or untreated displayed orange sectors on the fruit surface and never get red.