What is crop maturity ?

The basis for selecting the exact moment/stage to pick a crop is maturity. When it comes to quality, the stage at which the crops should be picked is critical. When harvesting is done at the correct stage of maturity, good quality is attained. Fruits harvested before optimum maturity may not ripen properly or develop good flavour, whereas crops harvested late (over mature) have a shorter post-harvest life and are more likely to decay.