Fruit development begins with fruit set and ends with maturity. While this stage can last anywhere from 1 to 7 months depending on species, many factors contribute to the success or failure of this stage and therefore determine the outcome of the season. Fruit set is a transition phase of the ovary from the flower to the developing fruit, and takes place a few days after the floral opening. The ovary begins its development after pollination and fertilization or, in its absence, through parthenocarpy.
