The fruit quality of Nashi pears cv. Housui (Pyrus pyrifolia var. culta) have been evaluated after bagging with different paper bags at two bagging dates: 34 and 83 days after full bloom. The bagging did not affect the fruit firmness, the total soluble solids and the average fruit weight. Red bags did not affect the pH of the fruit flesh. However the fruit bagged with double bags of brown color, brown kraft paper and white popcorn paper increased the pH. In order to harvest precociously, the use of small transparent paraffin paper bags 34 days after full bloom or the use of large kraft paper bags of brown color and also by using small transparent paraffin paper bags at 34 days followed by the use of a double large bags at 83 days after full bloom, resulted in better fruit appearance (uniform, shine and smooth skin color with small lenticels). The use of red bags and white popcorn bags, with and without previous bagging with small transparent paraffin paper bags did not result on better fruit appearance.
Pyrus; Nashi pears; bagging; fruit quality
