Abstract
A mulberry bush plantation in a lower montane wet forest was divided into three plots with a distance of 60,90 and 120 cm between rows and plants. Each plot was uniforrnly pruned at two heights: 30 and 60 cm above ground level. During a 336-day period, these subplots were pruned consecutively every 56th, 84th, and 112th day. The annual yield of dry material of the whole mulberry bush (stems and leaves) was highly influenced (P≤ 0.01) by each of the factors studied. Planting distance had a negative effect on the yield of stems and leaves as the distance increased. Biomass production, influenced by the variable pruning height, had a differential effect on the whole plant and on the production of leaves (P≤ 0.01), but not on the amount of stems (P>0.05). The cutting frequency had a marked influence (P≤ 0.01) on the production of biomass in the whole plant and its parts. A linear effect (P = 0.0 1) was observed on stem yield, as well as on the whole plant, as the cutting interval increased between the 56th and 112th days.
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