Abstract
Bagging regulates the fruit microenvironment and improves the quality and market value of fruits. It is a safe and ecofriendly technique to protect fruits from insect/pest infestation and multiple biotic and abiotic stresses. In the current study, the influence of fruit bagging was evaluated on the development and quality of loquat fruits. Fruits from a healthy loquat orchard (Cv. Zaozhong No.6), located in Fujian, China, were enveloped in paper (T1), aluminum (T2), and aluminum–polyethylene bags (T3), while unbagged fruits were maintained as control (T0). In general, fruit bagging improved fruit quality in terms of fruit physiological and biochemical attributes and protected fruits from physical damage. In particular, aluminum–polyethylene bagging enhanced fruit weight, length, and width by 1.37-, 1.18-, and 1.13-fold, respectively. Loquat fruits bagged with paper bags exhibited the maximum soluble sugar and lowest titratable acid content. Fruits treated with paper and aluminum–ethylene bags showed twofold higher sugar–acid ratio as compared to control. Aluminum–polyethylene bagging caused 66.67%, 55.56%, and 33.33% reductions in skin burn, fruit rotting, and black spot of loquat. The fruits bagged in aluminum and aluminum–polyethylene did not show insect or bird damage, while unbagged fruits had 14.70% and 17.65% insect and bird damage, respectively. Overall, the results suggest that paper, aluminum, and aluminum–polyethylene bagging improved fruit health by 75%, 131%, and 144%, respectively, as compared to control. To delineate bagging type-dependent effects, principal component analysis was performed. Paper bagging was positively correlated with fruit firmness, rotting, soluble sugars, sugar–acid ratio, and proline content. Aluminum bagging was highly associated with improvements in titratable acids, cystine, and methionine. Aluminum–polyethylene bags were correlated with fruit weight, size, peel thickness, edible rate, and certain amino acids.
Highlights
In the case unbagged loquat fruits showed 14.70% and 17.65% insect and bird damage, respectively, of arginine and proline, fruits treated with aluminum–polyethylene exhibited maximum contents (15.18 and 17.14 mg·100 g−1, respectively) (Figure 6O,P)
This study suggests that fruit bagging can be used to protect fruits from insect/pest infestation and increase the nutritional quality of loquats, two important factors contributing to economic profit and consumer health, respectively
Since fruit bagging with paper, aluminum, and aluminum–polyethylene bags differentially regulate distinct aspects of fruit quality, specific bagging materials may help to achieve the specific objectives of fruit production
Summary
Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) is an evergreen fruit tree originated from the People’s Republic of China [1,2]. It belongs to the family Rosaceae, subfamily Maloideae. It is a very beautiful orange-colored fruit with a mild sweet and sour taste [4] It is most widely grown in Japan, Korea, India, Pakistan, and the south–central region of China. Considering the the importance importanceofofthe thebagging baggingtechnique techniquewith withrespect respecttotofruit fruitquality, quality, the the impact of different baggingmaterials materials on the loquat waswas studied It was impact of different bagging the fruit fruitquality qualityofof loquat studied. Unbagged fruits in terms of fruit physical, physiological, and biochemical attributes
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