Effect of Pre-Harvest Bagging on Fruit Quality of Litchi (Litchi Chinensis Sonn) CV. Rose Scented

An experiment on pre-harvest bagging of litchi fruits was conducted at Department of Horticulture Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar. Litchi fruits cv. Rose Scented were bagged by perforated transparent polyethylene bag, green polyethylene bag, white polyethylene bag, yellow polyethylene bag, black polyethylene bag, blue polyethylene bag, butter paper bag and brown paper bag, whereas, non-bagged fruit was used as control. Fruits were bagged two months prior to harvest. Bagged and non-bagged (control) fruits were harvested at commercial maturity. After harvest, postharvest quality characteristics were determined such as, fruit Retention, fruit cracking, pericarp sun-burn, weight and size of whole fruit, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, sugar content and sensory evaluation. Results showed that brown paper bag and butter paper bag were found effective in increasing days to maturity, fruit retention, reducing fruit cracking, pericarp sun-burn as well as showed maximum fruit weight and size. Minimum acidity (0.51%) while TSS (19.5o B), ascorbic acid (21.56 mg/100gm), reducing sugar (11.31%) and total sugar (13.13%) were found maximum in fruits bagged in green polyethylene bag. Hence, brown and butter paper bags and green polyethylene bag were found effecive in improving fruit colour and maintaining fruit quality at harvest.