This study had as objective the evaluation of fruit bagging effect on the damage incidence caused by insect pests, apple scab, russeting and sunburn on apple fruits, and the practicity of different bagging bags used in organic apple orchard. The study was carried out at Fischer Fraiburgo Agrícola Ltda, in Fraiburgo, SC. It was used a completely randomized block design. The treatments were applied as follows: a) no bagging fruits (control); b) bagging fruits, followed by the unbagging at 15 and 7 days before harvest, and on the harvest day. It was bagged per treatment, 150 'Royal Gala' fruits and 300 'Suprema' fruits, using white paraffinic paper bags or transparent polypropylene microperfurated bags. It was observed that bagging reduced the insect-pest attack in relation to the unbagged fruits. However, apple scab developed on bagged and unbagged fruits. Usually, anticipating the unbagging there was less "russeting" fruit. Bagging is easier with the polypropylene bags, the fruits are less damaged by rain and hail, and the bags are cheaper than the paper ones, however, it facilitated sunburn, mainly, when the bag is too adhered to the epidermis of these fruits.
Malus domestica; organic production; phytossanitary
