BAGGING OF MANGO (MANGIFERA-INDICA CV KEITT) FRUIT INFLUENCES FRUIT-QUALITY AND MINERAL-COMPOSITION

The effect of bagging of. mango (Mangifera indica) fruit was evaluated in order to improve fruit quality of late maturing cultivars. In 1993 /1994, fruit of the 'Keitt' cultivar were bagged with white paper bags at approximately 100 days before harvest on two separate orchards in the same growing district. In 1994/1995, 'Keitt' fruit from another gr owing district were bagged at 131, 105, 82, 56 and 31 days before harv est. Fruit were harvested when mature and the fruit quality assessed f ollowing ripening at 22 degrees C. Anthracnose and stem end rot (SER), caused by Colletotrichum and Dothoriella spp., respectively, were red uced by bagging in both years. In 1994/1995, SER severity continued to decline with increasing bagging duration, but there was no further co nsistent reduction in anthracnose severity with bagging durations long er than 56 days. All bagging treatments increased the percentage of th e skin area with yellow colour at the eating soft stage. The percentag e of the skin with red colour, and its intensity, decreased with incre asing duration of bagging. Fruit calcium concentrations were reduced b y bagging for 56 days or less in the 1994/1995 trial, but not by longe r bagging rimes (82-131 days). Percent dry matter (% DM) was higher, a nd days to ripen shorter, in bagged fruit from one orchard during 1993 /1994. Fruit mass. flesh colour, total soluble solids, acidity and eat ing quality were generally not affected by bagging. These results indi cate that bagging can improve fruit quality through reduction in disea se, and this benefit outweighs the negative effects of bagging on skin colour in the 'Keitt' cultivar. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.