Preharvest bagging of pear fruit (Pyrus communis L. 'Doyenne du Comice') with micro-perforated polyethylene bags c. 30 days after full bloom did not affect fruit size and weight, density, maturity, and flesh content of N, P, K, Ca, and Mg. Bagged fruit had a greener and lighter skin colour than non-bagged fruit, whereas the development of blush on the sunny side was not different between treatments. Bagged fruit had less cuticle deposition, whereas the wax content of the cuticle was not different between treatments. Fruit skin permeance to water (P' H2O ) and fruit weight loss were not different between treatments. Permeance to CO 2 (P'co 2 ) and O 2 (P'co 2 ) were lower for bagged than for H02008; non-bagged fruit. Accordingly, internal partial pressure of O 2 (p i o2 ) was lower and internal partial pressure of CO 2 (p i co2 ) was higher for bagged than for non-bagged fruit. However, these differences in fruit internal atmosphere between treatments were not large enough to result in significant differences in rates of skin background colour change and respiration during shelf life after 8 weeks in cold storage. With prolonged cold storage the differences between treatments in fruit skin background colour were reduced (bagged fruit de-greened more than non-bagged fruit) while the differences in firmness were increased (bagged fruit had more substantial softening than non-bagged fruit). Fruit bagging did not affect the incidence of senescent scald, senescent breakdown, and diseases after 6 months in cold storage followed by 7 days of shelf life.

Preharvest bagging of pear fruit (Pyrus communis L. 'Doyenne du Comice') with microperforated polyethylene bags c. 30 days after full bloom increased the percentage of fruit accepted for export from 27.2 to 63.2%. This was achieved by reducing bird damage (from 28.4% for non-bagged to nil for bagged fruit) and skin blemish (with fruit rejected for export being reduced from 49.3% for non-bagged to 33.4% for bagged fruit). Bags also reduced the level of tracery russet. Preharvest bagging reduced the damaged area of the skin at harvest from 3.15 to 1.49 cm 2 /fruit for blemishes (preharvest friction damage) and from 1.17 to 0.51 cm 2 /fruit for friction discoloration (FD; postharvest friction damage). When trees were sprayed with pesticides 3 days before harvesting, bagging H02007;

'Doyenne du Cornice' pear (Pyrus communis L.) trees were selected from commercial nurseries 1 and 2 years after budding, and graded for size and number of side branches. At planting in an orchard trees of each of three grades received three pruning management treatments. For 2 years trees were assessed for shoot vigour and complexity, spur development, floral precocity, and tree form. Tree growth and precocity were influenced by both initial tree quality and early tree management. Planting out a 2-year large branched (Grade 1) nursery tree resulted in the largest and most precocious tree. One-year unbranched (Grade 3) maiden rods remained the smallest and least fruitful trees after 2 years. Tree management by bending the leader horizontally in the first season increased H97-2 Received 13 January 1997; accepted 9 April 1997 the number of moderately weak side shoots and floral precocity. Orchard performance of 'Doyenne du Cornice' may be enhanced by planting large branched trees or applying a non-invigorating leader bending management that encourages early cropping of young trees.