Abstract
An attempt was made to observe the effect of pre-harvest bagging with spun-bound fabric bags on color and quality of Delicious apple. Bagging was done about a month before harvesting and removed 3-day before harvesting. Bagged and non-bagged fruits were stored at 2℃ ± 1℃ and 90%-95% RH. Observations were recorded on color and fruit quality attributes such as total phenolics, AOX activity, fruit Ca contents, LOX activity, SSC and ascorbic acid contents at harvest and during storage. Our studies have revealed that bagged fruits have better color development (Hunter “a” = 52) than non-bagged fruits at harvest (Hunter “a” = 38), which declined slightly during storage. Similarly, at harvest, bagged fruits contained high amounts of Ca (5.38 mg/100g) and total phenolics (9.3 mg GAE/100gpulp) exhibited higher AOX activity (12.6 μmoles Trolox g-1), and had better SSC and ascorbic acid contents than non-bagged fruits, and there was a decline in all recorded parameters during storage. Bagged fruits exhibited lower LOX activity (1.38 μmoles min-1 g-1 FW) at harvest than non-bagged fruits (2.14 μmoles min-1 g-1 FW), indicating that non-bagged fruits were more senescent than bagged fruits. Further, LOX activity increased during storage both in bagged and non-bagged apples but increase in LOX activity was slower in bagged apples than in non-bagged apples.
Highlights
Apple is considered as one of the most important fruit crops of the world
Effects on Fruit Color Results of the study have revealed that fruit bagging has significantly influenced the color development in apples
Bagged apples with light-yellow bags resulted in the development of attractive red color over non-bagged apples (Figure 1)
Summary
Apple is considered as one of the most important fruit crops of the world. In India, it is the 5th most important fruit crop, which is grown primarily in hilly states like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttrakhand, northern-eastern states and to some extent in hilly regions of south India. Ethrel helps in the development of attractive red color in apple fruits but it causes several adverse effects. It enhances fruit drop, pre-mature leaf-fall, besides, the harvested fruits are of poor keeping-quality, and such apples need to be harvested at a stretch to get desirable price in the market [1]. Apples suffer badly from several post harvest diseases and disorders during storage and transportation, for which several chemicals and fungicides are used. These chemicals and fungicides may cause severe health problems to consumers. Attempts have been made to observe the effects of colored spun-bounded fabric bags on color and quality of Delicious apple, which is most abundantly grown in India
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