MULBERRY CULTIVATION

Mulberry can be grown under different climatic and vide range of soil
conditions.

Higher yields of quality leaf which is a pre-requisite for the successful

cocoon harvest is possible by adopting the following package of practices.

Soil and climate

Land preparation
Spacing
Variety and preparation of cuttings
Planting
Maintenance of garden
Intercultural operations
Manure and fertilizer schedule
Leaf Harvest

• Type of Soil & Climate:

22 – 30 0C temperature, 1000-2000 mm rainfall and 65-80 percent humidity are

optimum for luxuriant growth of mulberry. Deep, well drained, fertile soil of clayey
loam to loamy texture is better suited for higher yield of quality mulberry leaf. If
soils are acidic or alkaline they can be rectified by the application of lime or gypsum
respectively. Red loamy soils are preferable for mulberry cultivation
• Land preparation:

Before the onset of monsoon, land should be ploughed deep ( 12” – 16”)
followed by 2 – 3 light ploughings to bring the soil to a fine tilth and leveled. Add
20 tonnes of farm yard manure (FYM) per hectare and mix it with soil.

• Spacing:

Prepare ridges and furrows at the distance of three feet 2’ x 2’ or 3’ x 3’

or paired Row system.

• Variety and preparation of cuttings:

Now a days many High yielding varieties have been available such as V1,
S-series, M5 etc., which give higher leaf yield of better quality. Cuttings must be
prepared from fully grown upto 6-8 months old shoots. Each cutting must be 7” –
8” in length, half an inch in diameter with 4-5 healthy buds. Ends of the cuttings
must have clean cuts without damaging stem and peel off bark.

• Planting:

Planting must be taken up soon after the onset of South-West monsoon to

take full advantage of following showers. Cuttings or saplings can be used for
planting. Two cuttings should be planted at each spot along the margin of
ridges. If saplings are used, one is enough and is to be planted in a trench of 8”
– 9” depth.

• Mulberry Varieties

Most of the sericulturists are traditionally practicing local mulberry ( Mysore local)
varieties for plantation which gives low leaf yield and the low quality.
Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Mysore and Regional
Sericultural Research Station, Anantapur District have evolved following High
yielding mulberry varieties.

1. Ananta
2. V-1
3. S13
4. S30
5. S36
6. S54

1. ANANTA:

This high yielding mulberry variety developed at Regional Sericultural Research

Station, Anantapur. It is drought resistant. Leaves are very big in size with light
green in color. The leaves are succulent and good in quality. The leaves can be fed to
both Chawkie and Late age silkworms. This is pest and disease resistant and yields
more during summer. With 2’ X 2’ spacing, this variety gives around 65 to 70
tonnes of leaf per hectare per year.
2. M-5 or V-1 Variety.
This hybrid variety is developed by Central Sericultural Research and Training
Institute, Mysore with combination of S30 and Ber C 776. The nutritious dark green
boat shaped leaves are thick and shiny in nature. The branches grow long and straight.
When grown under irrigated condition with 2’ X 2’ spacing the leaf yields 55 tonnes
per hectare per year. Convenient to feed all stages of silkworms.
3. S 13 Variety
 This variety is drought resistant. The branches grow bushy and straight. The
leaves are dark green in colour. When grown under irrigated condition, the leaf yields
48 tonnes per hectare per year. The leaves are succulent and good quality can be fed
to both Chawkie and late age worms.
S 30 Variety.
The leaves are boat shaped, succulent, shiny and green in colour. Branches grow
straight. When grown under irrigated condition the leaf yields 36 tonnes per hectare
per year. The leaves can be conveniently fed to both Chawkie and late age silkworm.
4. S 36 Variety.
The light green coloured leaves are big and succulent. The branches grow
straight. Convenient to feed all stages of silkworms. When grown under irrigated
condition the leaf yield will be 45 tonnes per hectare per year.
5. S 54 Variety.
The leaves are dark green in colour, succulent and big. The branches are bushy
and will not grow tall, hence wider spacing is required for plantation. When grown
under irrigated condition the leaf yield will be 39 tonnes per hectare per year.
Convenient to feed all stages of silkworms.

• Maintenance of garden :

1st year

After 3 months of planting 50 kg N + 50 kg P + 50 Kg K per hectare should

be applied in the form of complex fertilizer after weeding. Irrigate the plantation
as and when necessary. 1st harvest can be taken 6 months after planting by leaf
picking. Second dose of 50 Kg N/ha should be applied 3 weeks after 1st leaf
harvest. Two more crops can be taken by leaf picking at an interval of 3 months.

2nd year onwards:

Irrigation:

Irrigate the field as follows

a. Loamy soils – once in 10 days
b. Clayey soils – once in 15 days.

1 ½ to 2 acre inch water should be provided per irrigation.

 • Intercultural operations:

It should be done as and when necessary by manual digging and weeding.

• Manure and fertilizer schedule:

Farm Yard Manure must be applied in June / July following pruning.

Chemical fertilizers should be applied 3 weeks after every pruning / leaf harvest
as per the schedule given below.

FYM Shoot harvest 20 tonnes ha/yr Leaf plucking 20 tonnes/ha/yr.

Fertilizer doses in Kg/ha Doses in Kg/ha
N-300 P-120 K-120 N-280 P-120 K-120
1st crop 60 60 60 60 60 60
2nd crop 60 40
3rd crop 60 60 60 40
4th crop 60 60 60 60
5th crop 60 40
6th crop 40

SCHEDULE OF OPERATIONS FOR MAINTENANCE OF MULBERRY GARDEN

UNDER IRRIGATED CONDITION WITH SHOOT HARVEST SYSTEM.

Sl.No. OPERATION TIMING

st
1 1 pruning combining harvest
2 1st weeding and intercultivation
3 Application of FYM / compost 20
tonnes/ha and incorporation of the
same
4 1st dose of fertilizer application
5 1st shoot harvest
6 2nd weeding and intercultivation
7 2nd dose of fertilizer application
With the commencement of South
West mansoon rain ( Early June)
Within a week after pruning ( 2nd
week of June )
Within a fortnight after pruning
(Mid June )
Within a month after pruning (
Early July )
By pruning ( Mid August )
Within a week of first harvest ( 2nd
fortnight of August )
Within a month of first harvest (
 Mid September )
nd
8 2 shoot harvest By pruning ( Early November )
9 3rd weeding and intercultivation Within a week of 2nd harvest ( 2nd
week of November )
10 3rd dose of fertilizer application Within a month of 2nd harvest (1st
week of December )
11 3rd shoot harvest By pruning ( Mid January )
12 4th weeding and intercultivation Within a week of 3rd harvest ( 3rd
week of January )
13 4th dose of fertilizer application Within a month of 3d harvest ( Mid
February )
14 4th shoot harvest By pruning ( Late March )
15 5th weeding and intercultivation Within a week of 4th harvest ( 1st
week of April )
16 5th dose of fertilizer application Within a month of 4th harvest (
Late April )
17 5th shoot harvest By pruning ( Early June )
SCHEDULE OF OPERATIONS FOR MAINTENANCE OF MULBERRY GARDEN
UNDER IRRIGATED CONDITION WITH LEAF HARVEST SYSTEM.

Sl.No. OPERATION TIMING

1 1st bottom pruning
2 1st weeding and intercultivation
3 Application of FYM / compost 20
tonnes/ha and incorporation of the
same
4 1st dose of fertilizer application
5 1st harvest of leaf
6 2nd weeding and intercultivation
7 2nd dose of fertilizer application
8 2nd harvest of leaf
9 3rd dose of fertilizer application
10 3rd harvest of leaf
11 2nd bottom pruning
12 3rd weeding and intercultivation
13 4th dose of fertilizer application
14 4th harvest of leaf
15 5th dose of fertilizer application
16 5th harvest of leaf
With the commencement of South
West mansoon ( Early June)
Within a week after pruning ( 2nd
week of June )
Within a fortnight after pruning (3rd
week of June )
Within a month after pruning (
Early July )
By leaf picking ( Mid August )
Within a week of first leaf harvest (
3rd week of August )
Within three weeks of first leaf
harvest ( 2nd week of September )
By leaf picking ( Early October
Within 3 weeks of 2nd leaf harvest
( 4th week of October )
By leaf picking ( Late November )
Immediately after 3rd leaf harvest (
Late November )
Within a week after 2nd bottom
pruning ( 1st week of December )
Within a month after 2nd pruning (
3rd week of December )
By leaf picking ( Early February )
Within 3 weeks after 4th leaf
harvest ( 4th week of February )
By leaf picking ( 1st week of April )
 • CALENDAR OF CULTURAL OPERATIONS FOR CHAWKI MULBERRY GARDEN

Days Operations
0 Prune all the plants at 20-25 cm above the ground level
1-2 Maintain 10-12 shoots per plant. Remove dead portion of the
shoots
3-4 Apply FYM @ 5MT/ha/crop and mix well with soil by digging or
ploughing.
5 Prepare ridge and furrow
6 Irrigation
10 Irrigation
14 Apply chemical fertilizers NPK @ 32.5:17.5:17.5 kg/ha/crop. (
Ammonium Sulphate for N, Single Super Phosphate for P and
Muriate of Potash for K) Irrigate immediately after application
18 Irrigate at an interval of 4 days
25 Spray “ Seriboost” 2.5ml/lt of water
28 Remove week shoots
32 Spray “ Seriboost” 2.5ml/lt of water
35 Brushing and leaf harvesting
36-45 Harvest leaf by picking and chawkie rearing
46-48 Top clipping, shoot thinning, application of FYM @ 5MT/ha/crop
digging, ridge furrow making and irrigation
48 Apply FYM @ MT/ha/crop and mix well with soil by digging or
ploughing
51 Apply chemical fertilizer NPK @ 32.5:17.5:17.5 kg/ha/crop. (
Ammonium Sulphate for N, Single Super Phosphate for P and
Muriate of Potash for K) Irrigate immediately after application
60 Spray “ Seriboost” 2.5ml/lt of water
67 Spray “ Seriboost” 2.5ml/lt of water
72 Brushing
73-78 Chawkie rearing by using shootlets.

• TYPES OF LEAF HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

This can be done by two ways

i) Shoot Harvest : Individual leaves are plucked upto 3rd age of the
worms . Thereafter shoot harvest can be done stepwise
downwards.

ii) Leaf plucking: In this method leaves are harvested by plucking

throughout the year. 1st bottom pruning should be given after 3rd
harvest i.e., in October/November and second after taking sixth
crop in June / July..
 In both the systems of harvest, it is necessary to maintain a stump height of 8” –
10” above the ground level. Pruning should be done with a sharp sickle / pruning saw
without damaging the stem or bark.

Selection of Mulberry Seed – Mulberry is a perennial Plant and it

gives leaf yield for a period of 10 to 15 years. Therefore it is desirable
to select high yielding variety of mulberry such as V1, S-Series, M5
etc.

Season for plantation – Plantation is to be taken up during June -

July months after the onset of monsoon.

Irrigation – Irrigation is to be provided once in a week or 10 days

depending on nature of the soil conditions.

Recommended dosage of manure – Minimum of 20 Mt. / acre of

farm yard manure is recommended.

Recommended dosage of Chemical Fertilizers – 28 kgs of Nitrogen,

12 kgs of Potassium and 12 kgs of Phosphorus is recommended /
acre to apply after every shoot harvesting.

Separate Chawkie garden – To harvest good cocoon crop care

should be taken during Chawkie silk worm rearing by feeding quality
leaf. Therefore it is recommended to raise separate Chawkie garden
of 10-20 cents with S-36 variety of mulberry.

***