• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.131-134
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• 2002

Mulberry being the only food of silkworm, Bombyx mori L., is of great economic importance to the silk industry, The success in cocoon production mainly depends on the supply of quality leaves in sufficient quantity. In mulberry, where the economic product is leaf, the uptake of nitrogen from soil is very heavy and high responses to application of nutrients have been reported. Nitrogen supports vegetative growth particularly the leaf biomass. Variation in nitrogen harvest index and other physiological and yield contributing traits were estimated in five mulberry genotypes. Considerable variation was observed for nitrogen harvest index, protein yield per plant and harvest index. The correlation studies indicated the protein yield per plant was significantly correlated with leaf yield, nitrogen content in leaf, nitrogen harvest index and harvest index. The broad sense heritability estimates revealed that harvest index showed highest heritability (88.07%) followed by nitrogen content (82.52%), protein yield (70.28%) and nitrogen harvest index (66.52%).

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.143-147
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• 2002

Studies on the interrelationship between biological yield and harvest index, and their association with shoot rearing were carried out in 9 promising mulberry genotypes, which indicated significant variations among genotypes. Biological yield had close association with leaf yield components indicating that they are inter-related for higher productivity in mulberry, Biological yield revealed highly significant positive correlation with important leaf yield components. However height of the longest branch showed negative correlation with biological yield. Genotypes with higher biological yield associated with low ratio of stem weight to leaf weight and high Harvest index on dry weight basis are to be selected for shoot rearing. Biological yield recorded on fresh weight basis had less impact on the present study in comparison to dry weight basis.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.15-22
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• 2006

An experiment was conducted to study the efficiency of cyanobacterial biofertilizer (CBB) with chemical (NPK) fertilizer on quantitative and qualitative characters of mulberry variety Kanva-2. Their influences on silkworm growth and cocoon characters were also studied. Ten different CBB and NPK fertilizer treatments were given to 5000 plants of established mulberry garden. Treatments were of four types viz., (i) T1 to T7: single and combination dose of CBB+50% NPK (ii) T8: combination dose of CBB + 25%NPK, (iii) T9: CBB only and (iv) T10: control-l00% NPK. Soil pH decreased and nutrients status increased in CBB (T1- T9) treated plots. Average of ten crops data on quantitative traits revealed that T7 (CBB [N. muscorum (1.0 g), A. variahilis (1.0) and S. millei (1.0 g)] + 50% NPK) was very effective in improving growth parameters. Leaf yield was also found high in treatment T7 (32.12 tons/ha/yr.) followed by T10 (31.17 tons/ha/yr.) and T8 (27.67 tons/ha/yr.). Leaf quality characters were found high in T7 and low in T9. Most of the quality traits in T7 are on par with control no. The results revealed that reduction in the dose of chemical fertilizers in T7 did not affect the leaf yield and leaf quality traits of mulberry. This clearly indicates that the efficiency of CBB (T7) provides nitrogen, increases essential nutrients available in soil, maintain soil pH and supply growth substances required for the improvement of leaf yield and leaf quality of mulberry. Bioassay study also revealed no significant difference in silkworm growth and cocoon characters between treatments T7 and T10. Economics calculated revealed that T7 is highly economical and beneficial over T10 by gaining an amount of Rs. 660/-/acre/crop. Thus, treatment T7 containing N. muscorum (1.0 g), A. variahilis (1.0 g) and S. millei (1.0 g) + 50% NPK fertilizers can be recommended to sericulturists mainly to reduce the use of NPK fertilizers, by saving 50% of its cost and to improve soil fertility conditions, which in turn improves leaf yield and quality of mulberry.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.87-92
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• 2007

Twenty - four elite mulberry germplasm each of indigenous and exotics were studied for their leaf yield and compared with commercial check ($V_1$ and Kosen). Accession MI-0416 and ME-0169 out yielded the check accession in leaf yield/plant. The other few mulberry germplasm were also performed at par with the checks. For quality test and bioassay were conducted with the leaves of selected mulberry germplasm. Among the selected twelve mulberry accessions used for bioassay, MI-0376 and ME-033 performed better than check ($V_1$, Kosen). Other mulberry accessions i.e., MI-0310 and MI-0437 are on par with the check as far as the bioassay is concerned. MI-0376 and ME-0033 out yielded in rearing parameters and qualified for 11 and 10 rearing and related traits. Other mulberry accessions i.e., MI-0310 and MI-0437 were also qualified for eight rearing traits along with check ($V_1$). The mulberry accessions tested after selection from the preliminary characterization seems to be better and equally good in rearing and leaf yield compared to check ($V_1$, Kosen), which provides scope for selection and further evaluation. The selected mulberry accession may be included in crop improvement programme.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2004

Due to recent scientific innovations in mulberry cultivation, leaf yield has been increased manifold. However, with successive leaf harvest, a quantum drop in leaf yield and quality has been noted. This inturn has affected the silkworm rearing and farmers suffered by the frequent crop failures. This is mainly due to nutrient deficiencies in mulberry leaf. Moreover, no complete information is available about hunger signs of nutritional disorders, analytical diagnosis and critical levels of nutrients required. The present paper, thus, may serve as an important nutrient guide for identification of hunger signs, leaf nutrients status under deficiency and critical levels of the elements namely N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn requirements for higher leaf yield and quality. The leaf nutrient status provided may help chemist for correcting the soil status. Besides, an integration of mulberry intercropping with legumes and applications of neem and castor oil cakes, VA-mycorrhizal inoculation, biofertilizer and vermicompost are suggested as integrated nutrient management for sustainable sericulture industry. Based on the information described in this paper, a model needs to be framed for maintaining continuous supply of nutrients to obtain desired quantity and quality of mulberry leaf for successful silkworm cocoon crop and increasing overall silk productivity.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.67-71
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• 2004

Ten improved mulberry varieties (Vl, C1730, C2016, C2017, Anantha, RFS-175, Thallaghatapura, Vishala, S1 and S1635) were evaluated through enzyme assay and estimation of soluble protein content followed by regression analysis, grown under irrigated conditions in the alluvial soils of Gangetic plains of West Bengal in India for five successive crops in a year, The nitrate reductase (EC No. 1.6.6.1) activity (NRA, $\mu$mol N $O_2$- $h^{-1}$ $g^{-1}$ fr, wt.), total soluble protein (mg $g^{-1}$ fr, wt.) was estimated which showed to vary significantly in the tested varieties. In addition to these, the other parameters like unit leaf fresh and dry weight (g), moisture ％, unit leaf area ($\textrm{cm}^2$), specific leaf weight (g c $m^{-2}$ ), total soluble sugar (mg $g^{-1}$ fr, wt.), leaf yield/plant (kg), shoot yield/plant (kg) and net photosynthetic rate (NPR, $\mu$㏖ $m^{2}$ $s^{-1}$ ) were also studied which showed to vary significantly in tested varieties. Among them, S1635, haying higher NRA (13.25 $\mu$㏖ N $O_2$- $h^{-l}$ $g^{-1}$ fr, wt.), total soluble protein (39.63mg $g^{-1}$ fr, wt.), NPR(16.66 $\mu$㏖ $m^{-2}$ $s^{-1}$ ), total soluble sugar (48.44 mg $g^{-1}$ fr. wt.), leaf yield/plant (0.689 kg) and shoot yield/plant (1.135 kg) showed its superiority over other tested varieties. Regression and correlation coefficients were analysed, and a strong positive correlation was found between NRA ＆ total soluble protein, NRA ＆ NPR, NRA ＆ total soluble sugar, NRA af unit leaf weight, NRA ＆ specific leaf weight, NRA ＆ leaf yield/plant, NRA ＆ shoot yield/plant, NPR ＆ leaf yield and NPR ＆ specific leaf weight.t.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 1992

To investigate the effects of applying animal feces to the mulberry field on the chemical properties and mulberry leaf yield, poultry, pig and cattle feces were applied to the mulberry field making-up the sand loam from 1988 to 1990. The chemical properties of the mulberry field have been improved by the application of the poultry, the pig, and the cattle feces, increasing pH level, organic matter, P2O5 and exchangeable cation, especially Mg and K. Applying the pig feces and poultry feces to the mulberry field increased leaf yield during autumn rearing season, but not increased during spring rearing season. Applying animal feces to the mulberry field increased the content of total-cargbohydrate in the leaf in autumn.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.9
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• pp.15-19
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• 1969

Experiments were carried out to make clear the relationships among some morphological characters of four-varieties of mulberry trees. Simple correlation coefficients and particial correlation coefficients were calcultated among the characters, namely branch length, branch diameter, leaf number per branch, leaf area per branch, node number per branch, total branch wt. branch weight except leaves and leaf weight per branch of the mulberry trees. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. Variances of the characters and covariances between the each characters are shown in table 1, and simple correlation coefficients among various characters are shown in table 2. It was observed that there were close relationships between yield (leaf weight) and branch length, branch diameter, leaf number per branch, leaf are per branch, node number per branch, total branch weight and branch weight except leaves, respectively. 2. Partial correlation coefficients among some characters are shown in table 3. From this table, it was also observed that leaf yield of mulberry trees and leaf area are more closely related more than leaf yield and the other characters of mulberry trees in four different varieties. From the experimental studies, it was recognized that the four characters, namely branch length, branch diameter, leaf number and leaf area, should be very useful characters in the estimation of mulberry leaf yield as they could be measured. or counted easily before harvest of mulberry leaves, and are affected more in mulberry 1eaf yields than the other characters.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.93-106
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• 2003

Soilborne diseases pose a serious problem for mulberry cultivation during nursery plantation and established gardens, which cause severe loss in revenue generation of mulberry growers as compared to foliar diseases. Various soilborne diseases affect mulberry. Among them, root knot and root rot affect the established plantation resulting in severe loss in leaf yield apart from deterioration in leaf quality, which is a pre-requisite in successful sericulture to get the good quality of cocoons. Besides, stem-canker, cutting rot, collar rot and die-back, affect the initial establishment and survivability of mulberry plantation in nursery. The problem is difficult to handle, due to the complex nature of the diseases and also involvement of various biotic and abiotic factors. This is compounded by the occurrence of disease complex (especially nematode ＋ soilborne pathogenic microbes) in established mulberry gardens, which facilitates quick spread of the disease and enhance the plant mortality, resulting substantial loss in leaf yield. Therefore, prevention and timely control measures need to be taken up to protect the mulberry plants from different soilborne plant pathogens. In this review article, symptomatology, epidemiology, disease cycle and control measures of soilborne diseases of mulberry are discussed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.45-49
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• 2003

Foliar treatment with different concentrations of potassium chloride (KCl) to mulberry plants resulted in higher level of total chlorophyll, total sugars, soluble protein, in vivo nitrate reductase activity (NRA), net photosynthetic rate (NPR), pWUE and leaf yield. Optimal concentration was found to be 10.0 mM KCl with limited irrigation provided in the mulberry plantation planted in 90 ${times}$ 90 cm spacing. The deleterious effect of soil moisture stress condition has been found to be overcome by KCl foliar spray twice at 15 days interval. Regression and correlation coefficients were analyzed, and a strong positive correlation was found between chlorophyll and total sugars, soluble protein and in vivo nitrate reductase activity, leaf dry weight and net photosynthetic rate and pWUE and net photosynthetic rate.