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Mulberry cultivation and utilization in India

R. K. Datta
Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Central Silk Board,
Srirampura, Mysore 570 008, India.

AREA WITH MULBERRY IN INDIA

Mulberry foliage is the only food for the silkworm (Bombyx mori) and is grown under varied climatic conditions ranging from temperate to tropical. Mulberry leaf is a major economic component in sericulture since the quality and quantity of leaf produced per unit area have a direct bearing on cocoon harvest. In India, most states have taken up sericulture as an important agro-industry with excellent results. The total area of mulberry in the country is around 282 244 ha. The details of the area under mulberry cultivation in different states in India is shown Table 1 and also in the map.

TABLE 1

Area under mulberry in different states

State

Area (ha)

Andhra Pradesh

38 084

Assam

2 813

Jammu & Kashmir

4 717

Karnataka

166 000

Kerala

1 164

Madhya Pradesh

2 043

Manipur

*25 975

Tamil Nadu

9 491

Uttar Pradesh

5 665

West Bengal

21 358

Other

4 934


SPECIES AND VARIETIES UNDER CULTIVATION

There are about 68 species of the genus Morus. The majority of these species occur in Asia, especially in China (24 species) and Japan (19). Continental America is also rich in its Morus species. The genus is poorly represented in Africa, Europe and the Near East, and it is not present in Australia.

In India, there are many species of Morus, of which Morus alba, M. indica. M. serrata and M. laevigata grow wild in the Himalayas. Several varieties have been introduced belonging to M. multicaulis, M. nigra, M. sinensis and M. philippinensis. Most of the Indian varieties of mulberry belong to M. indica.

In China there are 15 species, of which four species, Morus alba, M. multicaulis, M. atropurpurea and M. mizuho are cultivated for sericulture. In the former Soviet Union M. multicaulis, M. alba, M. tartarica and M. nigra are present.

Though mulberry cultivation is practised in various climates, the major area is in the tropical zone covering Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states, with about 90 percent. In the sub-tropical zone, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh and the northeastern states have major areas under mulberry cultivation. The details of the mulberry varieties under cultivation in different states of India is given in Table 2.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Mulberry is a fast growing deciduous woody perennial plant. It has a deep root system. The leaves are simple, alternate, stipulate, petiolate, entire or lobed. The number of lobes varies from one to five. Plants are generally dioecious. Inflorescence is catkin with pendent or drooping peduncle bearing unisexual flowers. Inflorescence is always auxiliary. Male catkins are usually longer than the female catkins. Male flowers are loosely arranged and after shedding the pollen, the inflorescence dries and falls off. These are four persistent parianth lobes and four stamens implexed in bud. Female inflorescence is usually short and the flowers are very compactly arranged. There are four persistent parianth lobes. The ovary is one-celled and the stigma is bifid. The chief pollinating agent in mulberry is wind. Mulberry fruit is a sorosis, mainly violet black in colour.

Most of the species of the genus Morus and cultivated varieties are diploid, with 28 chromosomes. However, triploids (2n=(3x)=42) are also extensively cultivated for their adaptability, vigorous growth and quality of leaves.

TABLE 2

Mulberry varieties in India

Variety

Region

Developed at

Origin

Kanva-2

South India Irrigated

CSRTI, Mysore

Selection from natural variability

S-36

South India Irrigated

CSRTI, Mysore

Developed through EMS treatment of Berhampore Local

S-54

South India Irrigated

CSRTI, Mysore

Developed through EMS treatment of Berhampore Local

Victoria-1

South India Irrigated

CSRTI, Mysore

Hybrid from S30 x Berc 776

DD

South India Irrigated

KSSRDI, Thalaghattapura

Clonal selection

S-13

South India Rainfed

CSRTI, Mysore

Selection from polycross (mixed pollen) progeny

S-34

South India Rainfed

CSRTI, Mysore

Selection from polycross (mixed pollen) progeny

MR-2

South India Rainfed

CSRTI, Mysore

Selection from open pollinated hybrids.

S-1

Eastern and NE India Irrigated

CSRTI, Berhampore

Introduction from (Mandalaya) Myanmar

S-7999

Eastern and NE India Irrigated

CSRTI, Berhampore

Selection from open pollinated hybrids

S-1635

Eastern and NE India Irrigated

CSRTI, Berhampore

Triploid selection

S-146

N. India and Hills of J and K Irrigated

CSRTI, Berhampore

Selection from open pollinated hybrids

Tr-10

Hills of Eastern India

CSRTI, Berhampore

Triploid of Ber. S1

BC-259

Hills of Eastern India

CSRTI, Berhampore

Back crossing of hybrid of Matigare local x Kosen with Kosen twice

Goshoerami

Temperate

CSRTI, Pampore

Introduction from Japan.

Chak Majra

Subtemperate

RSRS, Jammu

Selection from natural variability

China White

Temperate

CSRTI, Pampore

Clonal selection


Climatic requirements

Mulberry thrives under various climatic conditions ranging from temperate to tropical located north of the equator between 28° N and 55°N latitude. The ideal range of temperature is from 24 to 28°C. Mulberry grows well in places with an annual rainfall ranging from 600 to 2 500 mm. In areas with low rainfall, growth is limited through moisture stress, resulting in low yields. On average, mulberry requires 340m3/ha of water every ten days in case of loamy soils and 15 days in clayey soils. Atmospheric humidity in the range of 65-80 percent is ideal for mulberry growth. Sunshine is one of the important factors controlling growth and leaf quality. In the tropics, mulberry grows with a sunshine range of nine to 13 hours a day. Mulberry can be cultivated from sea level up to an elevation of 1 000 m.

Soil condition

Mulberry flourishes well in soils that are flat, deep, fertile, well drained, loamy to clayey, and porous with good moisture holding capacity. The ideal range of soil pH is 6.2 to 6.8, the optimum being 6.5 to 6.8. Soil amendments may be used to correct the soil to obtain the required pH. The quantity of gypsum or lime to be applied in different cases to bring the pH to 6.8 are given below:

GYMPSUN:

pH range

Gypsum/ha

7.4 to 7.8

2.0 tonnes

7.9 to 8.4

5.0 tonnes

8.5 to 9.0

9.0 tonnes

9.1 and above

14.0 tonnes

LIME:

pH range

Lime/ha


Plain

Hilly areas

Soil type

5.5 to 6.5

1.25 tonnes

2.5 tonnes

Sandy


2.50 tonnes

5.0 tonnes

Sandy loamy


5.0 tonnes

7.5 tonnes

Loamy


7.5 tonnes

8.75 tonnes

Clay loamy


Method of application. The powdered gypsum/lime is mixed well with garden of soil and irrigated to stagnation for 48-72 hours. Later the water is leached out by drainage and dried (suitable for ploughing and intercultivation operations).

MULBERRY CULTIVATION IN SOUTH INDIA UNDER RAINFED CONDITIONS

Suitable mulberry varieties

Kanva-2, S-13 and S-34 varieties are recommended for rainfed (rainfall: 500-800 mm) regions of South India (Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu).

Kanva-2. Belongs to Morus indica. Diploid. Widely cultivated in Southern India. Selection from natural population of Mysore local variety. Inflorescence and sorosis: female, profuse flowering, many soroses. Production characteristics: medium leaf maturity, yields about 30 to 35 tonnes/ha/year under irrigated conditions. Leaf moisture content 70 percent, protein content 21 percent and sugar content 11.5 percent. High rooting ability (80 percent) and wide adaptability. Resistant to leaf spot. Moderately resistant to leaf rust and powdery mildew.

S-13. Belongs to M. indica. Selection from open pollinated hybrids of Kanva-2. Recommended for rainfed areas of South India during 1990. Inflorescence: male, profuse flowering. Production characteristics: yields 8-12 tonnes/ha/year under rainfed conditions, depending on rainfall. Moisture content 70.6 percent protein content 24.3 percent and sugar content 13.8 percent. Resistant to leaf spot and powdery mildew, moderately resistant to leaf rust and tukra infestation.

S-34. Belongs to M. indica Diploid. Selection from progeny of S30 x Berc 776. Recommended during 1990 for rainfed areas with black cotton soils of South India. Inflorescence and sorosis: male, profuse flowering, occasionally few soroses. Production characteristics: under rainfed conditions, yields about 15 tonnes/ha/year. Moisture content 70 percent, crude protein content 23.7 percent. Soluble sugar content 13.2 percent. Resistant to powdery mildew and leaf rust. Moderately resistant to leaf spot and susceptible to tukra infestation.

Establishment of mulberry

Land Preparation. Land for mulberry cultivation is ploughed deep with a heavy mould board plough up to a depth of 30-35 cm. Thereafter the land is repeatedly ploughed two or three times with a country plough to bring the soil to a fine tilth. The land should be properly levelled. A basal dose of welldecomposed farmyard manure (FYM) or compost is applied at the rate of 10 tonnes/ha and thoroughly incorporated into the soil.

Spacing. The spacing commonly followed for a rainfed garden is 90 x 90 cm Pits of 35 x 35 cm are prepared. About 1 kg FYM/pit should be added.

Stakes and planting. Branches of 8-10 months old and about 50 mm in diameter should be used for the preparation of stakes of 22-25 cm length with five to six healthy buds. Three stakes are planted per pit in a triangular form with a spacing of 15 cm, leaving only one bud exposed above soil surface. If planting is done with saplings, then one sapling is sufficient perpit. Planting should be done during June/July after the onset of the monsoon.

Intercultivation: During the first year, intercultivation should be done manually. Once mulberry plants are established, bullock ploughing is carried out.

Fertilization: 50N:25P:25K (kg/ha/year) in two doses. First dose: suphala (15:15:15) 167 kg, after 2 months of planting. Second dose: urea 55 kg or cam (100 kg) or ammonium sulfonate (125 kg), at end of September or early October before cessation of monsoon rains.

Pruning and leaf harvest. The first crop should be harvested six months after plantation when the mulberry is well established. Two more crops are harvested during the first year by the leaf picking method. Mulberry should be pruned after one year at the onset of the next monsoon. Pruning is done by sharp sickle or pruning saw at a height of 25-30 cm from the ground.

Green manuring and mulching. Green manure crops can be grown as an intercrop with mulberry during the monsoon only. Green manure crops (cowpea, horse gram, dhaincha) should be incorporated into soil by ploughing before the flowering starts and well before the rains cease. Subsequently, plots may be mulched with any dry material or plants that will not cause needs.

Maintenance under rainfed conditions (second year onwards)

Recommended inputs (per ha per year) for gardens maintained under rainfed conditions at a spacing of 90 cm x 90 cm:

Crops such as horse gram, cowpea, sun hemp and dhaincha should be incorporated into the soil by ploughing before flowering and cessation of the monsoon.

Leaf harvest. Individual leaf harvesting should be carried out. The expected yield (tonnes/ha/year) for different varieties is: Kanva-2, 10-12; S-13, 14-15; S-34, 14-15.

CULTIVATION IN SOUTH INDIA UNDER IRRIGATED CONDITION

Suitable mulberry varieties

Kanva-2, S-36, S-54, DD, MR-2 (especially in Tamil Nadu) and Victoria-1 varieties are recommended for irrigated conditions.

Kanva-2. Belongs to M. indica. Diploid. Widely cultivated in southern India after it was recommended for cultivation in 1969 by CSRTI (Mysore). Selection from natural population of Mysore local variety. Inflorescence and sorosis: Female, profuse flowering, many soroses. Production characteristics: Medium leaf maturity, yields 30-35 tonnes/ha/year under irrigated conditions. Leaf moisture content 70 percent, protein content 21 percent and sugar content 11.5 percent. Resistant to leaf spot. Moderately resistant to leaf rust and powdery mildew. High rooting ability (80 percent) and wide adaptability.

S-36. Belongs to M. indica. Developed at CSRTI and recommended during 1984. Evolved from Berhampore local by chemical mutagenesis. Cultivated in southern India. Moderate rooting ability. Production characteristics: yields 38-45 tonnes/ha/year under assured irrigated conditions of South India. Moisture content 76 percent, CP 22 percent and carbohydrate content 28 percent. Tolerant to leaf spot and powdery mildew. Moderately susceptible to leaf rust and to tukra infestation. Most suited to young age silkworm rearing. Sapling plantation recommended because of moderate rooting ability.

S-54. Belongs to M. indica. Developed at CSRTI and recommended during 1984. Selected from Berhampore local by chemical mutagenesis (EMS). Recommended for assured irrigated conditions of South India. Production characteristics: yields about 45 tonnes/ha/year under assured irrigated conditions. Highly responsive to agronomical input. Moisture content of leaf 70.5 percent, CP 23.9 percent and sugar content 13.8 percent. Moderately resistant to powdery mildew and leaf rust and resistant to leaf spot. Loses moisture very quickly. Good rooting ability.

DD. Selected from natural population of Dehra Dun variety and recommended by Karnataka State Sericultural Research and Development Institute, Thalaghattapura. Recommended for southern India. Morphology: erect, thin branches, coarse leaves, greenish grey bark. Lower branches spreading, leaves unlobed, big size, ovate shape. Yields 35-40 tonnes/ha/year under assured irrigation conditions.

MR-2. Belongs to M. sinensis. Diploid. Selection from open pollinated hybrid population. Developed at CSRTI and recommended for propagation in Tamil Nadu. Mainly cultivated in Tamil Nadu under both irrigated conditions in the plains and rainfed conditions in hilly regions. Production characteristics: yields 30-35 tonnes/ha/year under irrigated conditions of Tamil Nadu. Moisture content 68 percent, protein content 23.2 percent, sugar content 13.2 percent (Fig. 7). Resistant to powdery mildew disease. Suitable for hilly areas.

Victoria-1 (V-1). Belongs to M. indica. Recently developed from a cross of S-30 and Berc 776 at CSRTI. Recommended during 1996 for assured irrigated conditions. Flower: male, profuse flowering, occasionally few soroses. Production characteristics: yields about 70 tonnes/ha/year under assured irrigated conditions. Very high sprouting. Moisture content 78.9 percent and 72.5 percent in young and matured leaves respectively, protein content 24.6 percent and total sugar content 16.98 percent. Moderately resistant to leaf rust and tukra infestation and resistant to leaf spot. Quick sprouting ability and very high rooting ability (> 94 percent) high photosynthetic rate and higher water use efficiency are additional advantages. Moreover, leaves are suitable for both young and grown bivoltine silkworm rearing.

Establishment of mulberry

Selection of site. Mulberry flourishes well in soils that are flat, deep, fertile, well drained, loamy to clayey, and porous with a good moisture holding capacity. The ideal range of soil pH is 6.2 to 6.8. Mulberry can be grown in saline, alkaline and acidic soils after suitably amending the soils.

Preparation of land. Land for mulberry cultivation is ploughed deep with heavy mould board plough up to a depth of 30-35 cm. Thereafter the land is repeatedly ploughed tw or three times with a country plough to bring the soil to a fine tilth. The land should be properly levelled. A basal dose of welldecomposed FYM or compost is applied at the rate of 20 tonnes/ha and thoroughly incorporated into the soil.

Planting. Plantations can be raised by using both cuttings and saplings. The varieties ideally suited for irrigated conditions are Kanva-2, S-36 and V-1. Branches of 6-9 months old and about 15 ml in diameter should be used for the preparation of cuttings of 15-18 cm in length with three to four healthy buds for raising in the nursery or for planting directly in the field.

Spacing. Plant spacing of 90 x 90 cm is ideal for mulberry. Two cuttings per pit to be used for direct planting. When using saplings, only one sapling/pit is necessary. A paired row plantation with spacing of (90 + 150) cm x 60 cm, is recommended.

Inter-cultivation. Two months after planting, weeding is carried out. A second weeding is done after another two to three months. Thereafter, intercultivation should be carried out after every shoot or leaf harvest.

Irrigation. The plantation should be taken up during the onset of the monsoon to take advantage of the rain. If the rain is not sufficient, the land should be irrigated at regular intervals of 8-14 days depending on the type of soil. About one and a half to two acre inches of water is required/irrigation.

Fertilization. The total dose of fertilizer to be applied in the first year is 100 N: 50 P: 50 K/kg/ha/year. This is applied in two doses. The first dose is applied when the plantation is about two months old at the rate of 50 N: 50 P: 50 K/kg/ha. The second dose is applied after leaf harvesting at the rate of 50 kg N/ha.

Pruning. After six months of plantating, mulberry attains a height of 1.5 to 1.75 m and is ready for harvest. The first harvestíng is by bottom pruning. The second leaf harvesting is 12 weeks from the first leaf harvest and the third harvest 12 weeks from the second harvest by shoot harvest. From the second year onwards, harvesting is done at an interval of 70 days by the shoot harvest method.

Maintenance under irrigation (second year onwards)

Spacing. 90 x 90 cm or (90 + 150) cm x 60 cm

Recommended inputs:

Leaf harvest. Leaves are harvested either by individual leaf harvest or shoot harvesting. The latter is more economical and used for the shoot method of silkworm rearing. The expected yield (tonnes/ha/year) of varieties is Kanva-2, 32-35; S-36, 38-45; and Victoria-1, 60-70.

CULTIVATION IN HILLY AREAS

Suitable varieties

S-1, S-7999, S-1635, S-146, Tr-10 and BC-259 varieties are recommended for the hilly regions of north and northeastern India.

Establishment of mulberry

Land preparation. If the land has a gentle slope, it can be levelled by minor land shaping and providing suitable type of bunds across the slope. If the slope is greater, contour bunding terrace planting or contour line planting can be adopted. In more sloping areas, platforms for individual plants on contour lines are more suitable since this involves less soil cutting.

Spacing. Spacing for tree planting depends on soil topography, the extent of land available for cultivation and training method. For gentle slopes, 3´ x 3´, 5’ x 5’ may be adopted. In sloping more land 10’ x 10’ can be adopted. Pits are to be prepared for plantation. In deep textured loose soils, 45 x 45 cm and in hard shallow soils 60 x 60 x 60 cm pits are to be prepared. For each pit, 5 kg (one iron pan) of FYM or compost must be applied.

Planting. Saplings of five months age with five to six roots are suitable for planting during the regular onset of the monsoon. One sapling per pit should be planted. The saplings should be supported with a stick to ensure straight growth.

Maintenance. After one month, all the buds except the top five to six should be removed carefully without damaging the bark. Weeds around the plant should be removed and regular pot watering given. After three months of plantings second weeding should be done and 25 g of suphala/plant should be applied in a trench and should be covered with soil. A second dose of fertilizer (25 g urea/plant) should be applied before cessation of the monsoon. Plants must be protected from grazing.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HILLY AREAS (TROPICAL HIGH LAND)

Spacing. 90 x 90 cm.

Recommended inputs:

Since the recommendations are general, quantities of fertilizers and amendments may be applied on the basis of soil test reports.

INPUTS FOR CULTIVATION IN TEMPERATE AND SUB-TEMPERATE REGIONS

The varieties Goshoerami and China white are suitable for temperate. Chak majra and S-146 for sub-temperate regions. For Kashmir, 20 tonnes/ha/year of FYM should be applied under irrigated conditions (bush or dwarf tree) after the annual pruning in July-August, and 300:150:150 of NPK in two equal doses in April-May and in June-July.

The expected leaf yield of these varieties is: Goshoerami and China White 15-20 tonnes/ha/year and for Chak Majra 20-22 tonnes/ha/year.

MIXED FARMING

Mulberry can be successfully grown as an intercrop (medium mixed tree) between rows of tea/coffee as shade plants. Besides providing shade, a substantial quantity of leaves can be obtained for silkworm rearing and for feeding cattle and goats. Furthermore, the pruned shoots are a good source of firewood.

Mulberry can also be grown as an intercrop for cultivation in coconut plantations. A survey has shown that mulberry is intercropped with coconut in the areas of Channapatna, Ramanagaram, Kanakapura and Bangalore in the state of Karnataka.

INSECTICIDE/PESTICIDE/FUNGICIDE AND OTHER INPUTS

The following products should be applied per ha/year, if needed, at the recommended doses:

ANIMAL FEEDING PRACTICES AND OTHER TRADITIONAL USES

Mulberry is known in India as "Kalpa Vruksha" as all the parts of the plant have many uses. It is essential to sericulture as the foliage constitutes the sole feed of the mulberry silkworm. Mulberry is a fast-growing tree which, for the convenience of sericulture practices, is maintained as a bush. It produces very large amounts of renewable biomass in the form of branches, shoots, leaves and fruit. If mulberry is used for silkworm rearing it is possible to obtain 30-35 tonnes/ha of leaf every year. By growing mulberry, a farmer obtains fodder, fuel and fertilizer. With regard to fodder for animals, farmers in India feed their cows and goats with leftover branches and leaves from silkworm rearing. Many farmers feed their animals with surplus foliage but always mix it with straw. Farmers also use the mulberry branches for fuel after pruning. Leftover twigs are allowed to dry in the garden itself. Residues of rearing are also converted to valuable FYM for mulberry gardena by putting them in a pit for four to five months prior to use. As mulberry is mainly propagated by cuttings in the tropics and sub-tropics, a certain quantity of pruned branches can be used for the preparation of cuttings and the remainder as fuel. One hectare of mulberry garden yields about 12.1 tonnes of mulberry sticks. The energy generated/ha (50 percent moisture loss) is 27 830 Kcal (@ 4 600 calories/kg of mulberry wood). Mulberry could be exploited as an "energy crop" in cultivable, wasteland, low-lying areas, canal bunds, by roadsides and at fringe areas of the forest, etc. under various afforestation, watershed development and soil conservation programmes.

The uses of the various species of the genus Morus are enumerated below:

M. laevigata

The trees of this species produce sweet fruits that are used in juice and jam making in central India. In northeast India the wood is utilized as firewood; in house building and furniture making; for making stocks, spokes, poles, shafts of carriages and casts. The wood is suitable for plywood making and panelling, carving and making of toys and tea chests. It is also used for making tennis rackets. The straight log of the tree is used as a support in house-building work.

M. serrata

The wood is used for furniture making and carving, toy making, sports goods, agricultural implements and cheap types of rifles and guns.

M. alba

This species is cultivated in the hilly and plain areas of India (Himalayan region) for silkworm rearing. It is also used as a tree in roads and in social forestry. The fruit are made into juice, liquor and stews. The wood is used in the sports goods industry. It is also used for house building; agricultural implements; furniture; for making spokes, poles, shafts and bent parts of carriages and carts. The stem bark is used for making paper.

M. indica

The cultivated forms that are utilized in silkworm rearing belong to M. indica. There are a few profuse fruiting varieties occurring in Maharastra and Meghalaya that can be utilized as the female parent in breeding programmes. The fruit is used for jam, jelly and juice making in Maharashtra. The pruned branches are used as fuel.

Medicinal uses

The various parts of the mulberry plant find use in Ayurvedic preparations. The leaves have diaphoretic and emollient effects and are used for making a decoction that can be used as a gargle that throat inflammation. The fruits are used to treat sore throat, depression, high fever and are both a coolant and laxative. The root extract has hypoglycaemic properties. The root bark is used as an anthelmintic, purgative and vermifuge. Mulberry root juice is administered to patients with high blood pressure. The Chinese use the leaf tips from young leaves to boil with tea to control blood pressure. The milky latex is used as a plaster for sores and for the preparation of dermal creams.

FRUITING HABIT

In South India, fruits are observed in two seasons a year: during October-November and during March-May. However, whenever mulberry is pruned or defoliate flowering takes place together with sprouting of auxiliary buds followed by fruit formation. This feature of mulberry is utilized in mulberry breeding programmes. The immature fruits are green in colour but change to purplish to violet black. In certain species such as M. alba the fruits are white to pinkish and very sweet. In M. laevigata the fruits are very long, sometimes measuring up to 18 cm.

LEAF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

This differs according to variety and maturity. However, on the basis of the analysis carried out at CSRTI (Mysore), the chemical composition of the leaf is as follows:

Component

Range

Moisture

65 - 78 percent

Protein

19 - 25 percent

Minerals

10 - 15 percent

Reducing sugars

1.2 - 1.9

Sugars

10 - 15 percent


MAIN PESTS AND DISEASES OF MULBERRY

Key pests of mulberry

Maconellicoccus hirsutus (mealy bug) - causing tukra in mulberry
Diaphania pulverulentalis - Leaf roller
Spilarctia obliqua - Bihar hairy caterpillar (sporadic pest)

Minor pests of mulberry

Thrips, jassids, scale insects, shorthorned grasshopper.

Tolerance of varieties to pests

The tukra incidence in rainfed areas was found to be maximum in the S-34 variety followed by MR-2, Berc 776, MS-7 and S-13 (Srinivas et al., 1996). The spread of tukra in the V-1 variety is less compared to other varieties such as Local, K-2, S-13, S-34, S-36, suggesting that the V-1 variety is relatively tolerant to tukra (Anony. 1998; Sujatha, 1997). Screening of germplasm maintained at CSRTI indicated the variety TOGHWASE - Acc. No. 257 was found to be tolerant to pest attack (unpublished data).

Main diseases of mulberry

Foliar. Leaf spot, leaf rust, powdery mildew, leaf blight and bacterial blight
Soilborne. Root rot and root knot
Nursery diseases. Stem canker, cutting rot, collar rot and dieback

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Choudhury, P.C., 1976. Chemical composition and quality of mulberry leaves, p.154-165. Text book of tropical sericulture.

CSRTI, 1996. Sericulture: New technologies, Mysore.

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Ravindran, S., Ananda Rao, A., Girish Naik, V., Tikader, A., Mukherjee, P. & Thangavelu, K. 1997. Distribution and variation in mulberry germplasm. Indian J. Plant Genet. Res. 10(2): 233-242.

Ravindran, S., Tikader, A., Girish Naik, V., Ananda Rao, A. & Mukherjee, P. 1988. Distribution of mulberry species in India and its utilisation. Poster paper presented in National Dialogue.

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Sarkar, A., Jalaja S. Kumar & Datta, R.K. 1996. Gradual improvement of mulberry varieties under irrigated condition in South India and the optimal programme for varietal selection in the tropics. Sericologia (in press).

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