The concentrations of translocating sugars (sucrose + sorbitol) in the fruit ranged 51.9–61.0 mg g−1 DW during the fruit growing period, increasing significantly at colour break (126.6 mg g−1 DW) and at full ripeness (197.7 mg g−1 DW) (P ≤ 0.05) ( Fig. 2B) paralleling the increasing glucose + fructose concentration ( Fig. 2A). In roots, however, translocating sugar concentrations dropped drastically at early fruit growth stage (704 BBCH), from 51.5 to 18.9 mg g−1 DW (P ≤ 0.05), decreasing slightly but significantly afterwards until full fruit size (10.7 mg g−1 DW), and remaining almost constant until colour break (11.6 mg g−1 DW), increasing slightly and significantly afterwards (16.6 mg g−1 DW) during fruit ripening ( Fig. 2B).