On tree fruit bagging influences quality of guava harvested at different maturity stages during summer

Fruit fly infestation adversely affects guava crop especially during summer and resulted in significant economic losses. Bagging techniques can protect fruits from pests and eliminates the use of pesticides, thus improves the quality of fruit. In the present study, different materials (newspaper bags, perforated polyethylene bags, muslin cloth bags and netted cloth bags) were used for on-tree bagging of guava fruit to improve fruit quality. The maturity of the fruit remained at par in bagged and unbagged fruits except newspaper bags where it was delayed significantly. Bagged fruit had shown less damage from fruit fly, other pests and diseases in comparison to controls where hardly any fruit was without pest attack. Polyethylene bags reduced the damage by fruit fly to maximum extent followed by newspaper and muslin cloth bags. Economic analysis indicated that all bagging techniques were cost effective. However, fruit covered with perforated polyethylene bags exhibited maximum BCR (benefit cost ratio) with better fruit quality. Moreover, newspaper bagged fruit exhibited the lowest weight loss (2.72%), maximum fruit firmness (84.1N) and highest pH (4.35) during storage. Un-bagged fruits had the highest value for weight loss (5.46%), while least value for fruit firmness (50.3 N). Highest values for reducing sugars (3.45%), non-reducing sugars (3.03%) and total sugars (7.34%) were observed in fruit covered with perforated polyethylene bags. Amongst various bagging treatments the perforated polyethylene was found to be the best regarding sensory evaluation. In case of harvest maturity, yellow ripe stage performed better in the organoleptic characteristics at the time of ripening but had the shortest storage life in comparison to green mature and green yellow stages, therefore suitable only for local market.