Mulberry Crop Production Technology

Soil

• Clayey loam to loam soils are much preferred.
• Soil pH 6.5 to 7.0 is very ideal.
• If soil is acidic (below pH 7.0) lime is added.
• If soil is alkaline (above pH 7.0) gypsum is added.

Temperature

• Preparation of nursery beds 20 to 30°C temperature is suitable for mulberry plant growth.

Rainfall

• Optimum rainfall required -1000 – 1500 mm.

Nursery raising

• Season: June-July and November-December in the year.
• Variety : V1 or S36

Land Preparation

• Select elevated, flat,well drained light textured, deep loamy or clay loamy soil.
• Give deep digging/ploughing two times in both the directions.
• Give a fine tilt after 10-15 days of digging/ploughing.
• Prepare the bed size of 300 x 120 cm (Length and width).
• Provide drain channels of 25-30 cm width and 15-20 cm deep.
• Apply 20 kg FYM/ bed.

Preparation of cutting

• Use eight months old twigs as planting material.
• Prepare cuttings of 15-20 cm length and 1-1.5 cm diameter having 3-4 active buds
• Store the cuttings wrapped with wet gunny cloth in shade.
• Sprinkle water if transplantation is extended/postponed.

Planting Techniques

• Provide 20 cm spacing between rows and 8 cm between cuttings.
• Make holes with a stock in the soil to insert cuttings.
• Plant the cutting in slant position.
• Press the soil firmly around the cuttings.
• Provide mulching with dried mulberry twigs, thatch etc.
• Irrigate the nursery once in a week during dry period.

Maintenance of mulberry nursery

• Irrigate the nursery once in a week during dry period.
• Keep the nursery bed weed free.

Fertilizer application to nursery

• After 55-60 days of growth, apply 500 g ammonium sulphate or 250 g urea dissolved in the irrigation water for each bed.

Disease and pest management in the mulberry nursery

• Spray 0.1% DDVP against Tukra.
• Spray 0.1% Bavistin against powdery mildew.

Transplanting

• After three to four months, saplings become ready for transplanting.
• Irrigate the nursery beds prior to transplanting.
• Uproot the saplings with a spade or pick-axe.
• Sprinkle water in case of preservation for shorter duration.
• Pack the saplings in wet gunny cloth to avoid desiccation of roots if long distance transportation is required.

Plantation in the main field

Season : June – September (During monsoon).

Land preparation

• Prepare the land by ploughing and cross ploughing with power tiller or tractor during pre monsoon showers to a depth of 30 cm.

Preparation for paired row plantation

• Paired rows system of (150 cm + 90 cm) × 60 cm spacing is recommended.
• In this type of plantation 13,887 plants can be accommodated in one ha of land.
• This system of spacing facilitates adoption of mechanization for intercultural operations using tractor/power tiller.
• Transplant the saplings during monsoon and press the soil firmly around the sapling.
• Mulch the base of the sapling with dry leaves/ thatch/mulberry twigs.
• Water the sapling immediately after transplanting.

Crop management practices

• Give a light hoeing after one month of plantation to eliminate weeds and for aeration.
• Give two more weeding and light digging at an interval of one month.
• Irrigate the plants as and when necessary.
• Apply FYM @ 25 MT/ha/year.
• From 2nd year onwards apply NPK @ 350:140:140/ha/year.
• Five crops can be taken from V1 or S36 variety/year.

Name of the Technology :  “POSHAN” a multinutrient formulation to control the nutrientdeficiencies in mulberry.

Year of Recommendation : 21.11. 2011

Salient features of the technology:

• A multinutrient formulation of balanced nutrients along with growth promoters for correcting nutrient deficiencies in mulberry.
• Provides nutrients for rapid utilization and faster recovery of deficiency than soil application.
• Improves mulberry leaf quality (total proteins – 45.93 %; total sugars – 46.34 % & leaf moisture content – 20.98 %) and reduction in leaf yield loss up to 30.77 % in comparison to nutrient deficient control.
• Improves the leaf quality and yield up to 15-20% even in good gardens.
• The technology is farmer friendly as only one spray/crop is recommended for improving the quality of leaf thereby reducing the cost of cultivation.
• C: B ratio of Poshan application is 1: 7.00

Method of application:

• Dilute 1 liter Poshan with 140 liters of water and spray on one acre of mulberry (@ 7ml /L)
• Spray on mulberry foliage, 25 to 30 days after pruning or leaf picking during early hours of forenoon between 8 AM to 11AM till drenched.

Cost of POSHAN per liter : Rs150/-

Source:

Central Sericultural Research & Training Institute, Mysore, Karnataka