Editor's Note: Fruit bagging is an effective technique that significantly reduces fruit cracking and mechanical damage, enhances fruit color, and greatly improves the commercial quality of the produce. It also helps prevent pests and diseases, reducing the need for pesticides and minimizing residue levels. To assist farmers in mastering this valuable technology, we have invited experts to explain the bagging techniques for peaches, kiwifruits, citrus, pears, and grapes. In this issue, we focus on the bagging methods for kiwifruit and peaches.
The key steps in kiwi fruit bagging include selecting appropriate bags, thinning fruits, managing fruit set, spraying, securing the fruits, protecting them, and finally removing the bags. Choosing the right paper bag is crucial. The ideal bag is a single-layer beige wax wood pulp bag, measuring 15-18 cm in length and 11-13 cm in width. It should have a central opening, a wire on one side, and a 2-4 cm cut at the lower corner to ensure good ventilation and water resistance. The material must be strong enough to withstand environmental conditions while allowing air circulation.
Fruit thinning is an essential step to maintain healthy fruiting branches. On dormant short shoots, leave 3-4 fruits per branch, and remove any excess. For long shoots, remove weakly producing fruits at the base of the mother twigs, leaving 2-3 fruits. Avoid overloading the middle part of the mother branch. Sparse result branches can carry 3-4 fruits, while weak or damaged trees should have fewer or no fruits. Remove deformed, pest-infested, or malnourished fruits first, prioritizing the inner and weaker branches. Young orchards should balance fruit load based on tree vigor, with each mother branch carrying 2-3 result branches, each bearing 2-3 fruits.
Before bagging, it’s important to spray the entire orchard with a broad-spectrum insecticide and fungicide. Options include 20% mancozeb at 2500 times dilution, 18% chlorpyrifos at 2000 times, or 2000 times diluted thiophanate-methyl or multi-bacterial solutions. These help control pests like beetles, aphids, and mites, as well as diseases such as soft rot and gray mold. Avoid using highly toxic or long-residue pesticides and limit the use of growth regulators.
The best time to bag kiwifruit is around the end of June, approximately 40 days after flowering. Ensure the bags are applied after spraying, and choose a day with mild sunlight. Ideal times are between 8 AM to 12 PM and 3 PM to 7 PM.
To bag the fruit, open the bag with one hand, place the young fruit inside from the bottom up, then fold the top of the bag along the slit and secure it with the wire provided. For single fruits, tie the bag directly to the fruiting branch. For clustered fruits, tie the bag to the pedicel. Make sure the bottom of the bag is not completely sealed; if it is, cut a 2-4 cm opening at the bottom. Always handle the bags gently, and secure any hanging or standing branches to prevent wind damage.
After bagging, proper care of the orchard is essential. Apply top dressing and foliar fertilizers, and ensure adequate irrigation and drainage. Continue summer pruning to develop sufficient vegetative growth and protect the leaf canopy. Strengthen integrated pest management practices, and promptly stabilize the trellis system, tying branches as needed to prevent wind damage.
When harvesting, remove the bags 3-5 days before picking. For fruits tied to the fruiting branch, support the bottom of the bag, loosen the wire, and rotate the bag to remove it along with the fruit. For those tied to the stem, gently pull the bottom of the bag and rotate it off. Handle the harvested fruits carefully, then grade them for market.
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