Pre-harvest bunch bagging as an eco-safe intervention for premium quality litchi production: insights from a multi-location study in India

Introduction Pre-harvest fruit bagging is recognized as an eco-safe strategy to improve fruit quality and reduce biotic and abiotic stresses in high-value horticultural crops. However, its effectiveness in litchi ( Litchi chinensis Sonn.) across diverse agro-climatic regions remains insufficiently documented. This study evaluated the impact of bagging materials and application timing on fruit damage, yield, and quality in litchi under multi-location conditions in India. Methods Field experiments were conducted across nine major litchi-growing regions over four consecutive seasons (2020–2023). Seven treatments were tested in a factorial randomized block design, including white and pink non-woven polypropylene bags applied at 15, 25, and 30 days after fruit set (DAFS), along with an unbagged control. Data on fruit cracking, sunburn, borer infestation, yield, fruit weight, total soluble solids (TSS), anthocyanin content, and acidity were recorded. Statistical analyses included ANOVA, hierarchical clustering, and principal component analysis (PCA). Results Bagging significantly reduced fruit cracking, sunburn, and borer infestation, with significant location × treatment interactions (P ≤ 0.05). Compared with the control, cracking and sunburn were reduced to ≤4–6% and ≤5–8%, respectively, while borer infestation remained below 3% in most locations. Yield increased by 10–35%, particularly when bagging was applied at 25–30 DAFS. Bagged fruits showed higher fruit weight, TSS, and anthocyanin content while maintaining desirable acidity. Discussion Pre-harvest bagging is a robust and location-resilient practice that enhances litchi yield and marketable quality across diverse environments, supporting its adoption as a sustainable production strategy.