Effectiveness of Fruit Bagging for the Control of Insect-Pests Complex and its Impact on Quality of Mango Fruits

Abstract

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is famous among all fruits because of its taste, variety and color. However, the quality of mango fruits is mainly deteriorated by insect-pests complex. The study was performed to evaluate bagging effects on insect-pests complex, yield and quality of mango fruits at private mango orchards located in Multan district. A mango cultivar, Anwar Rataul was selected, and the fruits were bagged during 1st week of May (at stone size stage) to 1st week of July 2017 (at maturity stage). The results indicated that the attack of fruit flies and other insect-pests complex were zero in bagged fruits. It was further recorded that the maximum average fruit weight i.e. 203.50 g was noted in those where butter paper bag was wrapped as compared with brown paper bagged fruits having 197.83 g and un-bagged fruits with 159.50 g per fruit. However, brown paper bag resulted in better fruit color development. Similarly, average fruit lengths were greater i.e. 91.33 and 90.18 mm in butter paper and brown paper bagged fruits, respectively as compared to 85.33 mm in un-bagged fruits. Bagged fruits had higher total soluble solids and slightly lower titratable acidity as compared to un-bagged fruits. Further, bagged fruits had no cracks, sunburn, mechanical injury, bird damage, skin blemishes and agrochemical residues. So, it is concluded that fruit bagging on mango cv. Anwar Rataul trees at stone size stage proved to be an effective practice against insect-pests complex and for quality production of fruits for export purposes.