Abstract: This study aimed at clarifying the effect of pre􀀁harvest fruit cluster bagging on post harvest fruit storability. Adhesive􀀁bonded fabric bags were used to cover Feizixiao litchi fruit. The effects were observed under room temperature, without any chemical treatment and paper box packa ging. Higher water content and lower pH value in the pericarp were observed in bagged fruit with reduced fruit decay rate. Fruit bagging was shown to increase protein content and decrease peroxidase ( POD) act ivity in the pericarp. Thicker waxy layer was seen on the exocarp of bagged fruit and larger cells appeared in the spongy tissue of mesocarp. These changes seemed to prevent the pericarp from losing water and subsequent decay, to delay browning process and thus prolong the storage life.

Key words: Litchi chinensis Sonn., Bagging, Fruit, Microscopic structures, Peroxidase, Polyphenol oxidase, Storability