sql - Postgres 9.2 find, compare and replace two values in column -

hi trying run query find 2 values in same column, compare them , set highest value both , bit confused.

i can not work out how prettily have gone ugly approach , still lost.

i have table data in bit this

fruitname   fruitvalue apples        11 pears         10 oranges       2 

i want able query table , values apples , pears. want replace value of apples or pears based on highest value

like this

fruitname   fruitvalue apples        11 pears         11 oranges       2 

the code below gets me highest value

select max (fruitvalue)  fruit  fruitname in ('apple','pear') 

but can work out how turn result variable , assign fruitname.

for example

$variable = select max (fruitvalue) fruit fruitname in ('apple','pear')  update fruittable set fruitvalue = '$variable' fruitname = 'apple'; update fruittable set fruitvalue = '$variable' fruitname = 'pears'; 

no need variable, can use select maximum value directly in update statement.

update fruittable     set fruitvalue = (select max (fruitvalue)                       fruit                       fruitname in ('apple','pear')); fruitname in ('apple', 'pear'); 

this works because sub-select returns 1 row.