Abstract: 【Objective】Fruit bagging is a common method used by growers to improve quality, prevent pest and disease infestations, avoid direct pesticide contamination, enhance edibility, improve appearance, increase commercial value, and enhance market competitiveness of fruit. Although additional labor and costs are incurred, fruit bagging of peaches remains as an important technical measure to ensure quality and commercial production against high temperatures and humidity in summer, frequent pest and disease outbreaks, poor coloration, and low commercial quality in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River region. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different types of fruit bags on the quality indices of Xiahui 10 peaches in order to select suitable bag types and supporting cultivation methods to improve production.【Methods】The analyzed Xiahui 10 peaches were harvested 9-year-old trees. Peaches without bagging were used as a control group. Six types of fruit bags were tested: white single-layer bags, yellow single-layer bags, double-layer bags with yellow outside and black inside, double-layer bags with yellow outside and white inside, removable bags with black outside and white inside (removed before harvesting), and removable bags with black outside and yellow inside (removed before harvesting). Differences in the weight and quality indices of single peaches were compared to screen suitable bag types.【Results】All types of fruit bags significantly increased the single fruit weight index, with the yellow single-layer bags, double-layer bags with yellow outside and white inside, removable bags with black outside and white inside, and removable bags with black outside and yellow inside achieving increases of 14.08%, 15.04%, 13%, and 17.29%, respectively, as compared to the control group. The yellow single-layer bags, double-layer bags with yellow outside and white inside, and removable bags with black outside and white inside significantly improved the firmness of peach skin by 29.93%, 23.1%, and 29.01%, respectively, while the other bags had no significant effect. The brightness value (L) of peaches protected with different bags increased by 11.64% to 57.15% as compared to the control group, with the double-layer bags with yellow outside and black inside and the removable bags with black outside and yellow inside achieving the most significant effects. In addition to this, the red saturation (a), color saturation (C), and red saturation/yellow saturation ratio (a/b) of the peaches were significantly lower than the control group (6.8% vs. 65.14%, 4.16% vs. 21.3%, and 8.79% vs. 77.47%, respectively, p ＜ 0.05), while the yellow saturation (b) and hue angle (h) were significantly higher (6.44% vs. 57.46% and 17.05% vs. 143.19%, respectively, p ＜ 0.05). Furthermore, comparisons of the appearance of the peaches showed that different types of fruit bags lightened the red color, with the non-transparent double-layer bags with yellow outside and black inside achieving a lighter red color than the removable bags. The red appearance of peaches was improved with the use of the white and yellow single-layer bags as compared to the double-layer bags. The double-layer bags also reduced vividness. The white single-layer bags, yellow single-layer bags, removable bags with black outside and white inside, and removable bags with black outside and yellow inside increased the soluble solid content (SSC) by 2.49%, 5.72%, 7.92%, and 5.65%, respectively, while the double-layer bags with yellow outside and black inside and the double-layer bags with yellow outside and white inside decreased the SSC by 7.78% and 14.16%, respectively. In addition, the SSC tended to decrease when double-layer bags were not removed before harvesting. Other than the removable bags with black outside and white inside, the bags significantly lowered the sucrose content of peaches as compared to the control group (7.66% vs. 15.61%, respectively, p ＜ 0.05), especially the double-layer bags with yellow outside and black inside and the double-layer bags with yellow outside and white inside. The glucose content of peaches protected with the yellow single-layer bags, removable bags with black outside and white inside, and removable bags with black outside and yellow inside was significantly higher than the control group, while significantly lower for peaches protected with the double-layer bags with yellow outside and white inside. The fructose content of peaches protected with white single-layer bags and double-layer bags with yellow outside and white inside was significantly lower than the control group, while significantly higher with the removable bags with black outside and white inside. Moreover, the sorbitol content of peaches protected with white single-layer bags, double-layer bags with yellow outside and black inside, and double-layer bags with yellow outside and white inside was lower than the control group, while higher with the yellow single-layer bags and removable bags with black outside and white inside. Other than the double-layer bags with yellow outside and white inside, the malic acid content of bagged peaches was lower than the control group by 13.65% to 31.64%, with the removable bags with black outside and yellow inside achieving the greatest reduction. The citric acid content of peaches protected with white single-layer bags, yellow-black double-layer bags, yellow-white double-layer bags, and black-yellow double-layer removable bags was lower than the control group, while increased with the black-white double-layer removable bags as compared to the control group. The quinic acid content of peaches protected with yellow-white double-layer bags was not significantly different from the control group, but was significantly decreased with the other bags. Overall, the yellow single-layer bags, removable bags with black outside and white inside, and removable bags with black outside and yellow inside improved the peach quality indices.【Conclusion】Bagging can increase the weight, improve appearance, and enhance or maintain firmness, taste, and overall quality of Xiahui 10 peaches. Furthermore, comparisons of the effectiveness of different types of bags revealed superior quality of peaches protected with white single-layer bags, yellow single-layer bags, double-layer bags with yellow outside and white inside, and removable bags with black outside and white inside (removed before harvesting). In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River region in China, for peach cultivars that mature in early to mid-July, appropriate fruit bags can be selected based on production, market demands, and adaptation to local conditions.
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