Vol. 12, Issue 9 (2023)

Author(s):
Swarnika Uniyal, Satish Chand, Ranjan Srivastava, Rajesh Shukla and Ranjeet Singh

Abstract:
The present study was carried at Horticulture Research Centre, Patharchatta of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand during the year 2022. The aim of study was to evaluate the effect of different colour non-woven bags (white non-woven bags, pink non-woven bags, yellow non-woven bags and blue non-woven bags) and different bagging dates (45 days before harvest, 35 days before harvest and 25 days before harvest) on physico-chemical properties of Litchi. Among different colours of bagging material used, pink non-woven bag tied 25 days before harvesting was most effective in improving the physical as well as the chemical properties of Litchi like fruit weight, fruit diameter, fruit length, fruit volume, ascorbic acid, peel colour, pulp weight, TSS, total sugars, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar and sensory parameters. However, higher fruit retention, minimum fruit cracking and pericarp sun-burn was recorded in fruits bagged in white non-woven bags. The benefit cost ratio calculated for all the treatments showed that bagging of fruits 25 days before harvest showed feasibility in Litchi cultivation. Moreover, fruits bagged 25 days prior to harvest gave significant results for all the parameters. On the basis of present study, it is concluded that bagging of Litchi fruits 25 days before normal harvest with pink non-woven bags may be recommended to enhance the physical as well as biochemical properties of Litchi.