Changes in Fruit Quality of Tomato 'Dotaerang' Cultivar during Maturation and Postharvest Ripening

Quality of tomato ‘Dotaerang’ fruits was evaluated at various ripening stages on the vine and after harvest to establish the optimal harvest index. Fruit maturity was determined by fruit color grouped as six stages of mature green, break, turning, pink, light red, and red. Glucose and fructose contents were higher in gel part with seeds than in the flesh of tomato fruit. The contents were 10-14 mg‧g^-^1 FW and 14-19 mg‧g^-^1 FW, respectively. The highest soluble sugars were observed at red stage on the vine followed by those in posthavest ripening fruits harvested at pink to light red stages. The organic acids declined during ripening but showed no difference statistically between fruits at red stage on the vine and those ripened after harvest. Ascorbic acid increased progressed stages, especially turning to pink stages, which reached 300 g‧g^-^1FW in fruit at red statge on the vine. Also, carotenoids and lycopene contents increased during fruit ripening on the vine and after harvest. The contents were higher in postharvest ripening fruits of turning to light red at harvest than the other stages fruits on the vine and ripened after harvest. According to the fruit quality factors including taste, color, ascorbic acid, firmness, and weight loss, pink to light red stages on the vine is recommended for commercial harvest stage of tomato fruit.