The aim of thisstudy was to relate pectin solubilisation and modification duringfruit growth to genotypic differences in ripening-related soften-ing. By comparing the polysaccharides extracted from cell walls offruitlet, expanding, mature, and ripe fruit with the activities of BGaland BGaland AFase and galactan and arabinan epitope abundance, we monitored the temporal and spatial distribution of the polysaccharidesand their changes during development in the cell wall.