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in/wp-
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cultivation.jpg)
mulberry cultivation
Introduction:- Sericulture is an agro industry which means, combining both agriculture
(http://agrifarming.in/tag/agriculture) and industry, the final product is silk. It is a labour
intensive activity is providing direct and indirect employment to a large number. India has the
unique distinction of producing all the four varieties of silk viz., mulberry, muga, tasar and eri.
About 14% of the global raw silk is produced in India, of which more than 50% is mulberry
silk, mostly produced in Karnataka. Besides meeting the ever growing domestic demand, silk
in its various forms is also exported and this sector is one of the important foreign exchange
earner for the country
Soil and Climate in Mulberry Cultivation :- Mulberry can grow practically on any type of land
except on very steep lands. Good growths, however, are obtained when it is raised on either
flat land or gently sloping or undulating lands. On more slopy or steep lands, necessary
attention to proper soil conservation methods as contour drains, contour planting or even
bench terracing should be given.
Mulberry Cultivation can be done in a wide range of soils, but best growth is obtained in
loamy to clayey loam soils. The mulberry plant can tolerate slightly acidic conditions in the
soil. In the case of too acidic soils with pH below 5, necessary corrective measures through
application of Dolomite or Lime should be adopted. In case of alkaline soils, application of
Gypsum should be resorted to for correction of the soil alkalinity.
Since, mulberry is a deep rooted plant; the soil should be sufficiently deep upto about two
feet in depth. In respect of elevation, mulberry thrives well upto about 4,000 feet, above
growth will be retarded because of the cooler temperature.
Land preparation for Mulberry Cultivation :- Mulberry falls under the category of perennial
crops and once it is properly raised during the first year, it can come to full yielding capacity
during the second year and lasts for over 15 years in the field without any significant
deterioration in the yield of leaf.Usually flat lands are suitable for irrigated mulberry
cultivation. If the slope is more than 15%, suitable land development measures such as
contour bunding, bench terracing, etc. should be adopted.
In mulberry cultivation, field should be prepared by deep ploughing up to a depth of 30-45
cm in order to loosen the soil and thereafter with a country plough or tractor to bring the soil
to a fine tilth. Weeds, stones should be removed during the preparatory stage. Basal dose of
farm yard manure @ 20 tonnes per hectare is recommended, which has to be thoroughly
incorporated into the soil.Farm lands along the highways, in the vicinity of factories, area
irrigated by raw sewage and untreated effluents, plots abetting other gardens with intensive
pesticide usage, water logged areas and tobacco grown land are NOT suitable locations for
mulberry cultivation.
Selection of Variety in Mulberry Cultivation :- The criteria for selection of variety includes
fertility of the land, water availability, region specificity, extent of garden and problematic
soils. The yield potential of high yielding varieties can be best realised in high fertility soils
and they respond to intensive irrigation. Wherever the size of operation is bigger, it is
advisable to have a separate garden for chawki rearing for which a variety like S-36 can be
chosen in addition to a high yielding variety for rearing late age worms (M-5, S-36 & V-1). In
alkaline soils, the variety AR-12 is suitable.An improved selection namely K2, also referred to
as M5 is a superior variety evolved by the Institute, which is a vigorous strain responding well
to manuring and capable of giving about 25% more leaf yield. This variety thrives well both
under dry as well as irrigated conditions. Quality wise also, it is superior to the local variety of
mulberry and, therefore, could be used with great advantage in mulberry cultivation.
Planting material and Plantation in Mulberry Cultivation :- Plantation in mulberry cultivation
can be taken up both by cuttings and saplings. However, saplings are always better than
cuttings as a planting material for quick and better establishment. Two cuttings / one sapling
are planted at each spot in desired spacing, Cuttings are planted keeping one bud exposed
while the saplings are planted in pits opened at the spot.
Preparation of cuttings in Mulberry Cultivation :- Cuttings should be prepared from well-
matured 6-8 months old shoots of about 1.5 cm diameter. Cuttings of 15-20 cm length with
3-4 healthy buds are selected for plantation.
3-4 healthy buds are selected for plantation.
Raising of saplingsin Mulberry Cultivation :- Nursery beds with the dimension of 5 m X 1.5 m
are prepared. The land is dug to a depth of 30-40 cm and the soil should be pulverised well.
FYM is applied @ 15 kg per bed and mixed well with the soil. Some quantity of sand is also
added to heavy (clayey) soils to make the soil loose and friable, while some quantity of tank
silt or other well decomposed organic matter has to be applied to sandy soils to increase the
water holding capacity. Cuttings should be planted in nursery beds with a spacing of 15
cmX10 cm. The full length of cutting is pushed into soil keeping only one bud exposed above
the ground. It should be irrigated twice a week. Fertilizer is applied @ 25:25:25 (N:P:K) kg
per hectare after 5-6 weeks when plants sprout well and the root system is established. In
mulberry cultivation, saplings of about 80-90 days old can be used for planting. While
uprooting the saplings, maximum care should be taken to avoid damage to the root system.
Spacing of Plants in Mulberry Cultivation :- In mulberry cultivation,spacing depends upon the
soil conditions, slope, variety and convenience for inter-cultural operations as detailed below:
In the case of rainfed mulberry gardens, the aim should be to raise mulberry plant with a
sturdier frame so that it is able to withstand prevailing drought conditions.
Spacing (Cm.) Suitability No. of plants / ha.
90 x 90 Heavy soils, black soils, heavy rainfall 12345
areas
120 x 60 Sloppy land (hilly areas) 13888
(90 + 150) x 60 Suitable for mechanized farming 13888
Planting in Mulberry Cultivation :- Pit system is ideal in 90 x 90 cm spacing. Pits of 35cm3
are dug and left for one month, which are later filled with FYM and soil at 1: 2 ratio. Trenches
of 35 cm x 35 cm are also convenient to take up plantation in mulberry cultivation. It is
preferable to start the plantation during the rainy season.
In hilly areas, 3 cuttings of 20-22 cm length are planted in each pit at a spacing of 15 cm.
Cuttings not sprouting in 4-5 weeks need to be replaced by saplings to ensure the required
plant density.
Weeding and inter-cultivation in Mulberry Cultivation :- During the initial stage of mulberry
plant establishment in the field, weed growth should be kept to the minimum, so that the
growing young plants are not smothered by the weeds. Atleast two weedings should be
carried out during the first six months after planting of cuttings, once after two months of
planting and again after an interval of 2 to 3 months. The weeding operation should be
thorough and the soil should be dug deep to eliminate the weeds with roots. This deep
digging is carried out as part of the weeding operation and results in necessary loosening of
the soil and a stimulation to the plants to grow vigorously. Thus special care should be taken
to reduce the weed growth as much as possible in the first year of planting. Thereafter, the
shade effect of the fully grown mulberry will tend to keep the weeds down. Similarly,
periodical inter-cultivation should be carried out to particularly in the case of dry mulberry
cultivation during the first year so that soil loosening results in better aeration and
stimulation of plant growth. This also helps in catching the rain water and its deep
penetration for better retention of soil moisture.
Training and Pruning in Mulberry Cultivation :- In order to get good leaf yield for 15-20 years,
it is necessary to give a good and sturdy frame to the plant. After the planting, the saplings
need to be cut at 10-15 cm above the ground level within a week. After the growth period of
six months, the plants are to be cut at a height of 25 cm above the ground level keeping 3-4
strong branches.
In leaf picking method, the first bottom pruning has to be taken up at a height of 20-25 cm
from ground level and second bottom pruning is done (after 3 leaf harvests) again at 30 cm
height from ground level. Afterwards, in leaf harvest method, the middle pruning at a height
of 60-70 cm has to be followed once in a year during Jan-Feb and in shoot harvesting method,
each shoot harvest done at 25 cm height which itself acts as pruning.
Manuring and Fertilizers in Mulberry Cultivation :- Application of a basal dose of organic
manure like compost or cattle manure is necessary for successful establishment of the garden.
Thereafter, the young growing plants should be assisted to put forth vigourous and maximum
growth through periodical fertilizer applications.
FYM has to be applied at 20 t/ ha/ year in two doses following the first bottom pruning and
third pruning. Fertilisers has to be applied as per the recommended schedule and secondary
and micro nutrients have to be applied wherever necessary. Foliar sprays such as Boron (1%)
Urea (0.5%), Zinc Sulphate (0.1%), etc. will improve the leaf quality. The recommended
Urea (0.5%), Zinc Sulphate (0.1%), etc. will improve the leaf quality. The recommended
fertliser dose (kg/ha) is indicated below:
N P K
Rainfed Mulberry
Ist year 50 25 25
II year onwards 100 50 50
Irrigated Mulberry
Shoot harvest Ist year 100 50 50
II year onwards 300 120 120
Leaf Harvest I year 100 50 50
II year onwards 300 120 120
Irrigation/Water supply in Mulberry Cultivation :- Among the various inputs, irrigation ranks
high in giving quick and good results.Regular irrigation at an interval of 8-10 days is ideal.
Usually, 1.5 to 2 acre inch of water per irrigation is enough.It may be noted that there is only
one irrigation channel for every two rows of mulberry plants. This helps in both saving and
more effective use of the irrigation water. In case of water scarcity, drip irrigation
(http://agrifarming.in/tag/drip-irrigation) can also be adopted for better production.
Harvesting of Mulberry leaves :- Picking of leaves should be carried out in time in mulberry
cultivation, that is to say, when the leaves are at the correct stage of maturity for harvest.
Otherwise, part of the leaves will become over mature coarse and suffer in quality from the
point of view of nutritive value for the silkworms. Also part of the leaves may turn yellow,
shed and be lost. Therefore, timely harvest, as the leaves reach the required stage of maturity,
will lead to fuller harvest of the available leaves without wastage, and realization of
maximum yield.
Yield in Mulberry Cultivation :- Normally the expected annual yield is 40-50 t of leaves per
acre. In shoot harvest method, harvesting can be done at an interval of 70 days (5 harvests).
In case of leaf harvest method, first harvest is taken 70 days after 1st pruning and 2nd and 3rd
harvest (coinciding with 2nd bottom pruning) at an interval of 55 days. The fourth harvest is
taken 70 days after the 3rd harvest and 5th and 6th at an interval of 55 days.

Silkworm Rearing :-

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content/uploads/2015/03/mulberry-
leaves-as-silworms-feed.jpg)
mulberry leaves as silworms feed
Now let us get into Silkworm rearing (http://agrifarming.in/tag/silkworm-rearing) in detail.
The silkworm (Bombyx mori) is the chief source for production of fabulous mulberry silk in
sericulture industry. Throughout its rearing period it has to be looked after carefully and
nourished with good quality mulberry leaves. Provision for optimum environmental
conditions and protection from pests and diseases are the other essential requirements.
Depending on the number of generations per year, the silkworms are classified into
univoltine, bivoltine or multivoltine races. Univoltine and bivoltines races are specific for
temperate areas whereas multivoltines are for tropical areas. Silkworm rearing involves both
technical and commercial aspects. In tropical areas, where mulberry grows luxuriantly
throughout the year, 5-6 rearings are conducted in a year while in temperate/ sub-tropical
areas it is common to raise one/ two crops.
From hatching to its full grown stage, the silk worms pass through five instars and the worms
up to stage three are called young age worms or Chawki. As they are susceptible to infections
and vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, special care is required for rearing of chawkis.
and vulnerable to adverse weather conditions, special care is required for rearing of chawkis.
The various stages involved in chawki rearing are indicated below:
Obtain quality eggs : Disease free layings (DFLs) to be used.
Incubation & Brushing : Ideal storage conditions of 25 to 26o C. temperature and 85% RH,
16 hours of light and 8 hours of darkness ensures uniform hatching (normally between 9
-12 days from egg laying). Brush newly hatched larvae on to the rearing beds and sprinkle
freshly chopped tender leaves of 0.5 to 1 cm2.
Feed the right quality leaf : Highly nutritious leaves in adequate quantities at suitable
intervals of time to be fed. Top 3-4 full grown leaves immediately below the growing
buds are suitable.
Provide right environment : 26-28 oC and 80-85% RH
Feed management : Fresh chopped leaves are spread thinly on the dry beds
Keeping the beds clean
Care during moulting : Provide with optimum temperature and humidity conditions and
also necessary spacing and leaf feed. There has to be low to very low or no feeding
during moulting and maintain a temperature of 24-25oC and RH of 65-70%. The worms
will attain maximum growth in minimum time and will take 3 to 3 days in the first instar
and 2 to 3 days in the second instar to go into moult. The third instar is crucial as this is
the intermediary stage between the chawki and late age worms.
Rearing of Late age Worms :- begins from third instar. These worms are voracious feeders. The
various stages for rearing are indicated below :

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content/uploads/2015/03/Sericulture-
silkworm-rearing.jpg)
Sericulture silkworm rearing
(http://agrifarming.in/tag/sericulture-
silkworm-rearing)
Ensure disinfection two days before brushing of worms. The rearing room and equipments
should be disinfected.
Provide sufficient quantity of leaf. The late age stage consumes 95% of the total feed.
Mulberry leaves to be harvested with optimum maturity with relatively low moisture, high
proteins and fibres with less carbohydrate content.
Ensure good environment : Maintain 24-25o C temperature and 70-75% humidity. The
space requirement for 100 DFLs of multi-voltine races is100 -200 sq.ft and 200 400 sq.ft.
for 4th and 5th instar, respectively : For bi-voltine races, it is 115 -225 sq.ft. and 225 550
sq.ft. space for 4th and 5th instar, respectively.
Ensure hygenic conditions
Protect from natural enemies like Uzi fly
Mounting of ripe worms : Ripe worms to be picked on completion of 6-7 days after passing
4th moult and provide 26-27 o C and 55-60% RH to ripe worms.
Harvesting of Cocoons : Suitable mountages are used for mounting optimum density of
worms (40-45 worms/ sq.ft.). Mountages with worms are not to be exposed to direct sun
light and humid conditions are to be avoided. Cocoons are harvested on 5th to 6th day
after mounting which ensures complete development of pupae. The qualities of good
cocoons include uniform size and shape, rich silk content, less floss, more shell weight,
uniform shape, uniform build of cocoons.
Cocoon Yield : The average yield is 40-45 kg. (CB) and 45-50 kg (BV) from 100 DFLs.
 Cocoon Yield : The average yield is 40-45 kg. (CB) and 45-50 kg (BV) from 100 DFLs.
The entire process from egg hatching to cocoon in silk worm rearing takes about 26-27 days.

(http://agrifarming.in/wp-
content/uploads/2015/03/extracted-
silk-from-silkworms.jpg)
extracted silk from silkworms
Construction of Rearing Shelter for Silkworms:- Mulberry silkworm rearing
(http://agrifarming.in/tag/mulberry-silkworm-rearing), being completely domesticated,
demands specified environmental conditions like optimum temperature (24-28oC) and
relative humidity (70-85%). It is therefore necessary to evolve measures for economic cooling
through selection of proper material for wall and roof fabrication, orientation of building,
using the right construction method/design, etc. Further, enough space must be available to
carry out leaf preservation, chawki rearing, late age rearing and moulting and also its effective
cleaning and disinfection.
The size of the silkworm rearing house depends upon the quantum and type of rearing. The
different types of rearing are shelf or stand rearing, platform rearing and floor rearing. Shelf
rearing requires minimum space and is most common in India. A floor area of 150 sft. can
provide rearing space for 100 Cross bred(CB) DFLs or 75 Bivoltine(BV) DFLs.
In platform rearing, the larvae are shifted to shoot rearing platforms after 3rd moult. Ideal
size of each platform will be 5 x 25 ft. which can accommodate 50 DFLs upto the stage of
spinning. Platforms can be arranged in two/ three tiers with a gap of 2-3 ft. A building floor
area of 250-300 sft. is required to rear 100 DFLs of CB layings or 75 DFLs of BV layings.
Bottom Line:- Mulberry cultivation is picking up in many rural areas due to silk demand in
India.
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