Fruit Bagging in Apple

Introduction

Red coloured apple are preferred in the market as red colour is the central point of attraction to the consumers. At lower hills, colour development in apples is not adequate, and hence majority of the farmers use ethrel (2-Chloroethyl Phosphonic Acid) as pre-harvest foliar spray for colour enhancement of the fruits. Ethrel, although, helps in development of attractive red colour in apple fruits, causes several adverse effects, e.g. it enhances fruit drop, pre-mature leaf-fall. Besides, the harvested fruits are of poor keeping-quality. Further, ethrel treated apples need to be harvested at a stretch to get desirable price in the market.

Moreover, the residues of ethrel, if any, may be injurious to human health. Further, during storage, apples suffer from several diseases and disorders for which various chemicals and pesticides are used, which are also injurious to human health. Hence, efforts have been started world over to find out some non-chemical approaches to reduce the incidence of diseases and disorders in fruits including apple. Fruit bagging has been proved to be very useful practice in studying anthocyanin synthesis pathway in apple and reducing the incidence of insect-pests, sun scorching, fruit splitting in several other fruits. Bags of different colours have given different results in fruits crops.

Considering these points, the Institute has standardized fruit bagging technology for apple. In this technology, apples fruits are bagged on-the-tree with spun-bounded light-yellow, single layered coloured bags individually or group of 2-3 apples about one month before the expected date of harvesting. During this period, all routine cultural practices are carried out. The bags are removed at least 3 days before the expected date of harvesting.

 

Advantages of the technology

 

•  It is a probable alternative to ethrel treatment in lower hills.

•  Bagging improves appearance of apples significantly, which helps in getting good price in the market.

•  Bagging reduces residues of pesticides significantly.

•  Bagging reduces the incidence of insect-pests and diseases, thereby reduces the expenses involved in purchasing insecticides, fungicides and other chemicals.

•  Fruit bagging can be an integral part of organic apple production.

•  Bags are recyclable, can be used for 3-4 successive seasons.

•  Farmers can additionally earn ` 30-35 thousands per ha.

•  Bagging improves eating quality of apples.

•  Bagged apples have higher shelf-life.

•  Bagged fruits are nutritionally better as they contain higher levels of calcium and that is retained during storage also.

•  Incidence of storage disorders is reduced to minimum by bagging.

For further information please contact :

Indian Agricultural Research Institute,
New Delhi,
Delhi 110012