Mulberry Cultivation Research Articles

Impact of Adoption of Mulberry and Silkworm Practice on Yield and Income of Bivoltine Hybrid Silkworm Rearing Sericulturists of South Eastern Dry Zone of Karnataka

The study was conducted in Kolar and Chikkaballapur districts of Karnataka state, to analyze the impact of adoption of bivoltine and multi × bivoltine hybrid silkworm rearing practices on cocoon yield and income of silkworm rearers. A sample of sixty bivoltine and multi × bivoltine hybrid silkworm rearing farmers were randomly selected from both the districts. The data was collected using a pre-tested interview schedule and the data was analyzed using suitable statistical tools. The results revealed that, more than two-fifth of the bivoltine hybrid silkworm rearers belonged to high (43.33%) adoption category whereas, more number of multi × bivoltine hybrid silkworm rearing 40.00 per cent of the rearers belonged to low adoption category with regard recommended mulberry cultivation practices. More than half of the bivoltine hybrid silkworm rearers belonged to high adoption category (53.33%) as compared to the multi × bivoltine hybrid silkworm rearing, greater proportion of the rearers belonged to low adoption (40.00%) category with regard to improved silkworm rearing practices. The mulberry leaf yield (23.50 tonnes/acre/ year) and cocoon yield (1494 kg/acre/year) of the bivoltine hybrid silkworm rearers were significantly found high with an average net income of Rs 3,20,397.00 per acre per year as compared to the mulberry leaf yield (20.50 tonnes/acre/year) and cocoon yield (1049 kg/acre/year) of multi × bivoltine hybrid silkworm rearers who are getting an average net income of Rs. 2,23,663.00 per acre per year.

Analysis of economic viability of commercial mulberry saplings regeneration using conventional stem propagation method

The economics of stem cutting propagation in mulberry provides a profound insight into the cost-effectiveness and financial benefits of this method compared to other propagation techniques. Stem cutting propagation are widely recognized for its efficiency which involves taking cuttings from a mature mulberry plant and rooting them to produce new plants. This method is particularly advantageous due to its lower initial costs and simplicity compared to alternatives like tissue culture or seed propagation. Economically, stem cutting eliminates the need for expensive seeds and reduces the risk associated with seedling variability thereby leading to more consistent crop quality and yield. The initial capital investment is relatively modest and covering primarily labour and materials for the cuttings and rooting environment. Furthermore, the reduced time frame for producing mature plants accelerates the return on investment thereby providing a quicker pathway to profitability. Analyzing the cost components including labour, equipment and consumables, reveals that while there are ongoing expenses such as maintenance and care of the cuttings these are often outweighed by the savings and benefits derived from a successful propagation cycle. Stem cutting propagation also offers scalability thereby allowing for the expansion of mulberry cultivation with minimal additional costs. The method's ultimate economic advantage lies in its capacity to deliver high-quality, uniform plants at a lower cost, enhancing the overall productivity of mulberry farms. Additionally, examining case studies and regional data highlights variations in economic outcomes based on local conditions, such as soil quality, climate and market access. The ultimate success and profitability of stem cutting propagation are influenced by these factors which can either amplify or mitigate the method’s inherent advantages. In regions where conditions are optimal, the benefits of stem cutting propagation are maximized thereby leading to substantial economic gains.

Impact of Neem Seed Extract on Mortality, Esterase and Glutathione-S-Transferase Activities in Thai Polyvoltine Hybrid Silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

Neem, a biopesticide, offers a safer alternative to the synthetic insecticides commonly used in mulberry cultivation, which can harm silkworms. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Thai neem seed extract on all instar larvae of the Thai polyvoltine hybrid silkworm, Bombyx mori L., Dok Bua strains, focusing on the mortality rate and the activities of esterase (EST) and glutathione S-transferases (GST) enzymes. Acute toxicity was assessed using the leaf-dipping method. Results showed that the mortality rate tended to be higher in younger instars than in older ones. The first instar larvae exhibited the highest mortality rate at 94%, whereas the LC50 was highest in the third instar at 5.23 mg L-1 at 72 h. This trend aligns with the activities of EST and GST, which were evaluated in the whole bodies of the first instar larvae and the midgut tissue of fifth instar larvae. As the extract concentration increased, EST activity decreased while GST activity increased in both the first and fifth instar larvae. These findings highlight that neem extract is toxic to all instar larvae, with GST playing a crucial role in detoxification, particularly in the whole body of the Thai polyvoltine hybrid silkworm.

Application of Nanotechnology in Sericulture: A Review

Nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as promising tools for enhancing mulberry cultivation and the performance of silkworms, crucial for silk production. Mulberry, a vital plant for silk production, demands proper nutrient management for optimal growth and leaf production. Application of NPs, particularly zinc oxide and iron oxide, has shown significant improvements in mulberry growth parameters. Furthermore, NPs have demonstrated positive effects on silkworm larvae, enhancing feed efficiency and growth parameters, leading to better cocoon traits. Silkworms fed with NPs-treated mulberry leaves exhibited increased body weight, cocoon weight, and silk filament characteristics. Additionally, NPs have shown promise in enhancing silkworm reproduction and fecundity while conferring resistance against diseases like BmNPV. Various NPs, including TiO2, silver and chitosan, have exhibited antibacterial properties against silkworm pathogens, thereby contributing to disease prevention. Overall, NPs offer a sustainable and effective approach to enhance mulberry cultivation, improve silkworm performance and mitigate disease risks, thus potentially revolutionizing silk production practices.

Optimizing Returns in Mulberry Cultivation: A Resource use Efficiency Study in Chikkaballapur District of Karnataka, India

Optimizing Returns in Mulberry Cultivation: A Resource use Efficiency Study in Chikkaballapur District of Karnataka, India

First report of the damaging pest Meloidogyne enterolobii parasitizing mulberry (Morus alba L.) in Vietnam.

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is highly important crop in Vietnam, playing a key role in the country's economy through sericulture, food supply, pharmaceuticals, and beverage industries (Nguyen et al., 2018; Rohela et al., 2020). Recently, many mulberry-growing areas in Lam Dong, Vietnam have reported severe symptoms associated with nematode infection, including yellowing leaves, stunted growth, and severe root galling, leading to a significant decline in mulberry productivity. From April to December 2022, twenty soil and root samples from mulberry-growing areas in Lam Dong (Da Teh: 11°28'48.11"N; 107°28'23.74"E elevation: 133m; Lam Ha 11°48'25.13"N; 108°14'7.13"E elevation: 848m) were collected to uncover the presence of Meloidogyne enterolobii parasitizing mulberry in Vietnam. One nematode population was randomly selected for characterizing in this study among analyzed nematode populations. Females were extracted from heavily galled roots (Fig. S1) from a single mulberry tree in Lam Dong, Vietnam, using a needle and forceps (Subbotin et al., 2021). The perineal patterns of adult females (n = 10) have an oval shape, with clearly visible phasmids, along with a prominently high and squared dorsal arch. The striae are smooth and coarse, while the perivulval region remains devoid of striae. The lateral lines appear indistinct, and the tail tip is easily observable. Morphometric measurements were as follows: body length = 585 ± 78 (464-724) µm, body width = 367 ± 75 (271-529) µm, neck length = 221.5 ± 30.7 (167-269.6) µm, stylet length = 13.1 ± 1.2 (11.4-15.1) µm, vulva-slit length 16.3±2.3 (10.4-18) µm, vulva-anus distance = 16.8±3.0 (11.4-18) µm, anus-tail tip distance = 10.3±2.1 (6.9-14.2) µm, interphasmidial distance = 15.9 ± 3.7 (10.3-23.4) µm. The morphology of this nematode population is highly in agreement with the original description of M. enterolobii (Yang & Eisenback, 1983). This population was also identified using the D2-D3 of 28S rRNA and 18S rRNA (Powers et al., 2017; Subbotin et al., 2006) regions. The D2-D3 of 28S rRNA sequences from this study (accession numbers: OR889633) exhibited 99.5-99.8% similarity to the sequences of M. enterolobii from GenBank (accession numbers: OR214950 and ON496981). While the 18S rRNA sequences (accession numbers: OR896547) showed 99.2-99.3% similarity to the sequences of M. enterolobii from GenBank (accession numbers: MZ955995, MZ531901, and MW488150). To carry out Koch's postulates, 2000 J2s from collected M. enterolobii egg masses (initial population) were inoculated on two-month-old plantlets of mulberry (n = 6), planted on 2L pots within a screenhouse, non-inoculated plantlets (n=6) served as negative controls. After 90 days post-inoculation, nematode reproduction factors (RF = final density (nematodes were extracted from the whole root system and corresponding soil samples (Subbotin et al., 2021)) / initial population) and root damage symptoms were evaluated. The inoculated plantlets exhibited consistent yellowing leaves, stunting, and root galling symptoms (Fig. S1), mirroring observations from the field, with an average RF of 11.5. Control plants displayed no symptoms. Root-knot nematodes extracted from the roots were identified as M. enterolobii through molecular analyses of D2-D3 of 28S and 18S rRNA regions (GenBank accession numbers: OR889634 (D2-D3 of 28S) and OR896548 (18S)), thereby confirming that mulberry acts as a host for M. enterolobii. Currently, this nematode has been reported to be associated with two different host plants, including guava (Trinh et al., 2022) and pomelo (Le et al., 2023). Our discovery marks the first documented case of Meloidogyne enterolobii parasitizing mulberry in Vietnam. While the impact on mulberry productivity remains to be really important for sericulture food supply, pharmaceuticals, and beverage industries; the aggressive nature of M. enterolobii, as observed in the field and confirmed by the screenhouse tests, raises concerns about potential economic losses in mulberry production. Therefore, further investigations are needed to assess the extent of M. enterolobii infestation in mulberry orchards and to develop effective control measures to safeguard the sustainability of mulberry cultivation in Vietnam.

Response of microbial community diversity and the abundance of nitrogen-cycling genes to Bacillus subtilis application in mulberry field soil

Context Bacillus subtilis (BS) is a widely used microbial agent that could improve soil fertility and soil microenvironment. There is still uncertainty about the suitability of BS for cultivating crops with high demand for nitrogen fertiliser. Aims To evaluate the effects of BS agent on microbial community diversity and nitrogen-cycling genes in mulberry rhizosphere soil. Methods Pot experiments were conducted. Different dosages (CK, 0; T1, 0.5 × 106 CFU g−1 soil; T2, 1 × 106 CFU g−1 soil; T3, 2 × 106 CFU g−1 soil) of BS agent were applied to irrigate the mulberry soil. The soil nutrient content, enzyme activity, bacterial community, and nitrogen-cycling genes were determined. Key results T1 had the highest Chao1 and Shannon index, while T3 had the lowest. BS-treated samples had higher relative abundance of Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi than that of CK. Specially, BS-treated samples had higher relative abundance of Sphingomonas, Reyranella, and Hyphomicrobium, which was significantly positively correlated with the content of organic matter, total soluble nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, and the activity of sucrase. The abundance of genes involved in amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, metabolism of cofactors, and vitamin functions also increased in the BS-treated samples. BS treatment significantly increased the abundance of AOA-amoA and nirK genes, but decreased the abundance of nirS and nifH genes. Conclusions An appropriate amount of BS agent could improve soil fertility, regulate the dominant bacterium communities, and affect the abundance of functional genes involved in nitrogen cycling. Implications BS is probably a good choice for mulberry cultivation to improve nitrogen fertiliser utilisation efficiency.

Knowledge Assessment of Beneficiary Farmers of Technical Service Centres (TSCs) about Recommended Technologies of Sericulture in Karnataka State of India

Sericulture in Karnataka is in the process of modernization in many phases through new demand driven extension approach called Technical Service Centres (TSCs) located at the grass-root level (Hobli and Taluka level). These centres are mainly involved in the dissemination of the technologies developed by the Research Institutes and also in supply of mulberry cuttings/saplings, monitoring mulberry cultivation, silkworm rearing and providing information about loan facilities and subsidy schemes. There is a need to study the attitude of sericulture beneficiary farmers towards activities of TSCs. The study was conducted during 2018-20 in the Karnataka state which contribute 35 per cent of silk production in India. An ex-post facto research design was used or the study. Knowledge test was constructed to measure the knowledge of sericulture farmers on recommended sericulture technologies. The Ramanagara and Mandya districts were selected because these district have highest number of TSCs in Bangalore and Mysore division respectively. Mandya, Malavalli and K.R Pet taluks from Mandya district as well as Ramanagara, Channapatna and Kanakapura taluks from Ramanagara district were selected for the study with four TSCs from each taluk. Totally, 24 TSCs were selected for the study. Ten sericulture farmers under each TSC, collectively 240, were selected by using random sampling method. The study highlighted that more than half (52.50%) and more than one third (36.25%) of the sericulture farmers had medium and high knowledge on recommended technologies of sericulture respectively. Only just more than one tenth (11.25%) of the sericulture farmers had low knowledge on recommended technologies of sericulture. The probable reason might be due to fact that sericulture farmers were regularly consulting from officials of grainage centres, TSC extension functionaries, input dealers and peer group about the information on latest sericulture technologies.

Factors Affecting Sericulture Groups Decision Making on Career Sustaining in The Queen Sirikit Regional Office of Sericulture3, Khon Kaen Province

Background and Aims: The occupation of agriculture has been closely associated with the Thai people for a long time. The cultivation of mulberry and sericulture have become alternative professions for Thai farmers. However, the number of individuals engaged in this profession is decreasing daily. This is due to the impact of borderless communication, the emergence of a new era of trade, and environmental changes, all of which affect farmers' livelihoods. The objective of this research was to study 1) The situation of mulberry cultivation and sericulture in the responsibility area of the Mulberry Cultivation Promotion Office, Region 3, which includes Khon Kaen Province. 2) The adaptation of farmers to economic, social, political, and technological changes. 3)Factors influencing the career decisions of the group of farmers. Methodology: The research methodology used is a mixed-method approach, with a sample group consisting of members engaged in mulberry and sericulture cultivation in six provinces: Chaiyaphum, Kalasin, Roi Et, Maha Sarakham, Mukdahan, and Khon Kaen, totaling 361 individuals. The research tools used include questionnaires and group interviews. Statistical analysis methods used include averages, percentages, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The study found that most mulberry and sericulture farmers primarily rely on household labor and typically own less than five rai of land. Many face challenges related to water availability for mulberry cultivation, with some areas experiencing insufficient water for adequate mulberry growth. There is a willingness among these farmers to adopt technological advancements in production and product processing with the assistance of government knowledge transfer initiatives. They also work to reduce unnecessary costs and collaborate in market negotiations. Factors influencing career decisions include personality traits, knowledge, understanding, and perception of the profession, job stability in mulberry and sericulture cultivation, quality of life, production/system management, land area used for cultivation, increasing age of farmers, succession planning, and participation in farmer groups. Conclusion: Most mulberry and sericulture farmers are the main household laborers, have an area of no more than 5 rai/household, have problems with water and dryness, and try to adapt to technology and receive assistance from the government. Factors affecting the decision to maintain a career include personality traits, knowledge, job stability, quality of life, production system, growing area, age, occupational succession, and joining groups for market bargaining.

Diversity of fungal pathogens in leaf spot disease of Indian mulberry and its management

Leaf spot disease in mulberry significantly affects silk production by reducing the nutritive quality of the leaves. This disease caused by various pathogens, regardless of the localities under the same climatic region. In the present investigation, an approximate incidence rate of 84 % was recorded in Karnataka based on surveys conducted in both farmer fields and germplasm locations. The causative agents have shown diversification, including new candidates such as Bipolaris sorokiniana, Curvularia lunata, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, and Epicoccum sorghinum. These findings mark the first report of these pathogens in Indian mulberry production. The investigation involved detailed pathogenicity assessments on the predominant mulberry silk production cultivar under controlled and field environments. Pathogens were identified using morpho-cultural, microscopic and phylogenetic analyses, including the internal transcribed spacer (ITS). Various concentrations of fungicides, both individually and in combinations, were evaluated to identify effective measures for mitigating yield losses. Among the fungicides tested against the new pathogens, Hexaconazole 5 % SC and Hexaconazole 5 % + Captan 70 % WP demonstrated high promise and cost-effectiveness. Consequently, these fungicides could serve as immediate solutions to prevent further yield reduction. However, it is essential to conduct comprehensive field investigations before recommending them as standard practices. Future research endeavors should focus on assessing the extent of crop loss caused by these newly identified pathogens in mulberry cultivation.

Frugal Tactics In Sericulture Farming: An Evidence From Namakkal District Of Tamilnadu

In India’s agriculture landscape, Sericulture is the conscious mass-scale rearing of silk producing organisms to obtain silk that make contribution to both the rural economy and the nation’s textile industry. Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu is famous for its sericulture activities which act as a major source of livelihood for many people in the region. The present study aims to shed light on the resource use and cost efficiency pattern of sericulture cultivation in Namakkal district of Tamil Nadu. This analysis will examine factors such as mulberry cultivation, and silkworm rearing while considering both direct and indirect costs that involved in cultivation. For data collection, 60 sericulture farmers are selected randomly and interviewed through a structured questionnaire. It has been found that large farmers get high profit as compared to small and medium farmers. Therefore, sericulture cultivation is highly beneficial to the large farmers.

Impact of Mulberry Cultivation on Beneficiary Farmers in Amravati District, India

The present study was conducted in Amravati district in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state. Six villages were selected from one taluka respectively. The 80 respondents were selected from 6 villages. The data were collected by personal interview method with the help of a structured interview schedule. The data were tabulated, analyzed and interpreted. The variables namely occupation, land holding, annual income, income from sericulture, farming experience, sources of information, training received and marketing facilities are positively and highly significant with social and economic impact at 0.01 level of probability. The variables namely education and extension contact are positively significant with social and economic impact at 0.05 level of probability. Whereas, the age of the respondent sericulturists had a non-significant relationship with the social and economic impact of mulberry cultivation. The financial gain by the beneficiaries of mulberry cultivation from one acre per year (4 rotations) was Rs.1,00,000. The majority of the respondent sericulturists faced problems related to the shortage of irrigation water, high labour charges, markets far away from the sericulture unit and lack of knowledge about disease control in mulberry.

Zinc oxide nano-flowers improve the growth and propagation of mulberry cuttings grown under different irrigation regimes by mitigating drought-related complications and enhancing zinc uptake

Silkworm larvae mainly consume mulberry leaves; therefore, mulberry cultivation is important for the production of raw silk. Drought stress and micronutrient deficiency (Zn) are known to affect the propagation of mulberry cuttings. In this purview, the current investigation attempted to inspect the efficacy of different concentrations of zinc oxide nano-flower (ZnNFs) applied through both soil admixture and foliar spray on the propagation of mulberry cuttings grown under deficit irrigation regimes. The overall results demonstrated that the ZnNF-treated plant cuttings were well-adapted to drought stress and performed better in comparison to the control set. Out of the tested concentrations – ZnNF-10 (applied as 10 mg/kg soil and 10 ppm as foliar spray thrice) was found to be optimum, showing relatively better initial root establishment, the emergence of leaves, and survival and sprouting percentage. Further studies also confirmed an improvement in the accumulation of photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrates, and protein content even under extreme drought conditions. Most importantly, the ZnNF-10 treatment contributed to ROS detoxification and cell membrane protection by enhancing the pool of antioxidant enzymes. The study further demonstrated that ZnNF-10 application enhanced zinc content by 147.50%, 179.49%, and 171.99% in root, shoot, and leaves of the treated cuttings; thereby, improving the bioaccumulation factor of the plant parts. All of these interactive phenomena led to an increment in shoot height, biomass, leaf area, and leaf number of cuttings. These findings, therefore, indicated that ZnNFs can be developed as a promising nano-fertilizer for mulberry growth facilitating Zn uptake and mitigation of drought-induced complications.

Pendapatan Tenaga Kerja Perempuan Pada Agribinis Sutera Alam

The contribution of women to family income can be seen from the income earned based on the outpouring of working time allocated by women workers in natural silk agribusiness. The purpose of this study is analyzing the income of women workers in each activity in the natural silk agribusiness in Soppeng Regency. The research was conducted from December 2021 to June 2022 in Donri-Donri Subdistrict and Lilirilau Subdistrict, Soppeng Regency. The method useddescriptive quantitative and the data is obtained by means of field observations, interviews and questionnaires. Analysis of the data in this study used income analysis. The results obtained the average income earned by women workers in each natural silk agribusiness sub-system in one production cycle, namely: (1) in mulberry cultivation activities the average is Rp. 430.834 in a working time span of 2 hours/day, (2) in silkworm cultivation the average amount is Rp. 274.204 in a working time span of 6,25 hours/day, (3) in spinning activities the average amount is Rp. 644.148 in a working time span of 6,38 hours/day, (4) in weaving the average amount is Rp. 336.581 in a working time span of 5,5 hours/day, (5) as well as in silk distribution and marketing activities, the average received by Cantika Sabbena Brand is Rp. 9.530.000 in a working time span of 8 hours/day. The income obtained from each activity has a fluctuating nature caused by production conditions in the upstream part and the demand for genuine silk by consumers in the downstream.

Value Chain Analysis of Cocoons, Constraints faced by women in Production and Marketing of Mulberry Silk in Chikkaballapur District of Karnataka, India

The present study was carried out in Chikkaballapur district of Karnataka to assess the marketing costs, value chain of cocoons and constraints faced by women in production and marketing of mulberry silk in the year 2021. The study adopted multistage random sampling for the selection of farmers and intermediaries, 90 and 50 respectively. The marketing costs are calculated for one quintal of cocoons among the stratified farmers. The marketing cost incurred was estimated to be Rs 980.78, amongst which the largest share was observed higher for marketing fee accounted 40.89 per cent, followed by packing material accounting 20.72 per cent. The producer’s share in consumer’s rupee was accounted to 34.28 per cent. The process of cocoons, the marketing costs and margins shown that the silk weavers purchased coloured weft from the silk twisters which accounts highest share of 42 per cent of the total cost of consumer’s price. The major constraints faced by women in mulberry cultivation was water scarcity etc. Constraints encountered in cocoon production was mainly pest and disease of mulberry silkworms. Constraints encountered in marketing of mulberry silk cocoons majorly was high price fluctuations in the market followed by the absence of quality based pricing. The constraints faced by reelers in mulberry silk production are high investment cost and high price fluctuations was observed in marketing of silk.

Decision-making Behaviour of Sericultural Households in Mulberry Cultivation

Decision-making Behaviour of Sericultural Households in Mulberry Cultivation

Contribution of Sericulture in the Socio-economic Transformation of the Workers

Business age is one of the significant possibilities of sericulture and silk industry. Sericulture has emerged as the most important cash crop due to its low investment, high employment potential, short gestation period, and high return. It works well for the Tribal's agrarian economy. Reasonable for each part of society, a major rancher or a landless, matured individual or a young, man or a lady. utilizes straightforward technology that is simple to comprehend and adapt to. Sericulture has benefited low-income and socially disadvantaged groups by providing downstream employment and income generation in rural and semi-urban areas. This study explore that how sericulture satisfy the chances of occupation for ancestral. The study reveals that sericulture is an activity with high output and low investment. The review closes for certain ideas to work on the drawn out achievability of sericulture. In the agricultural sector, sericulture is a cash crop; It returns within 30 days, assisting rural residents in the socioeconomic transition. In sericulture, the whole scope of exercises produce a moderate progression of pay and sets out work open doors for a significant segment of low gifted peripheral rustic occupants who might somehow stay jobless or masked utilized in immense horticultural area. The cottage and small scale sector includes these industries, which rely on farm labor. Mulberry cultivation generates employment on farms in the silkworm seed industry. Mulberry leaves are used as input in the silkworm raising industry, which gives the family of mulberry growers the capacity to employ a large number of people and earn a living. Sericulture with its remarkable elements assumes a significant part in updating the financial states of the rustic society and with business open doors to the informed country youth and ladies worker. The paper aims to shed light on the significance of sericulture and discuss strategies for generating employment in the Indian sericulture industry in light of its significance. The study concludes with some recommendations for enhancing the long-term viability of sericulture.

Comparative Analysis on Impact of Different Mulches on Growth and Yield Parameters of Mulberry under Rainfed Condition of Poonch District of Jammu and Kashmir

The current study was formulated to analyse the impact of different biodegradable and synthetic mulches on growth and yield parameters of mulberry plant. Among the selected parameters survival rate of mulberry plants was recorded to be maximum in T-2 i.e, paddy straw and husk as 95% followed by T-1 and T-3 i.e, Black polythene mulch and Green branches of tree respectively as 90% and least for Control i.e, without any mulch as 70%. Least population of weeds with minimum intensity was recorded in T-1 (05) followed by T-2 (08) and T-3 (10). Maximum weed flora with highest intensity of weeds was found in Control i.e, without any mulch (20). For the studied samples, maximum soil moisture percentage and moisture retention capacity (MRC) of 66.57 & 95.6% was recorded in T-1 followed by T-3 as 40.31 & 87% and T-2 as 16.36 & 91% and minimum in control as 13.43 & 85.56%. The pH was recorded as 6.1 in T-1 depicting the slightly acidic soiland could be viewed as the most appropriate soil pH for mulberry cultivation. Available NPK were recorded to be in the most ideal range for T-1 as 8.2, 1.3 and 9.6%. Maximum leaf size was recorded in T-1 as 126cm followed by T-2 and T-3 as 116cm and 110cm respectively and 105cm in control. Moisture percentage was recorded to be highest 76.23% followed by 74.61% and 54.16% for T-3, T-1 and T-2 respectively and 68.2% in control. Maximum MRC was observed in case of plants grown under Black polythene mulch (73.24%) and least in green branch mulch (61.39%). Therefore, it can be concluded that application of suitable bio-mulches in mulberry fields can reduce the dependency of chemical weedicides.

Remote Sensing Imaging as a Tool to Support Mulberry Cultivation for Silk Production

In recent decades there has been an increasing use of remotely sensed data for precision agricultural purposes. Sericulture, the activity of rearing silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) larvae to produce silk in the form of cocoons, is an agricultural practice that has rarely used remote sensing techniques but that could benefit from them. The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility of using satellite imaging in order to monitor leaf harvesting in mulberry (Morus alba L.) plants cultivated for feeding silkworms; additionally, quantitative parameters on silk cocoon production were related to the analyses on vegetation indices. Adopting PlanetScope satellite images, four M. alba fields were monitored from the beginning of the silkworm rearing season until its end in 2020 and 2021. The results of our work showed that a decrease in the multispectral vegetation indices in the mulberry plots due to leaf harvesting was correlated with the different parameters of silk cocoons spun by silkworm larvae; in particular, a decrease in the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Soil Adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI) had high correlations with quantitative silk cocoon production parameters (R2 values up to 0.56, p < 0.05). These results led us to the conclusion that precision agriculture can improve sericultural practice, offering interesting solutions for estimating the quantity of produced silk cocoons through the remote analysis of mulberry fields.

Emergy-Based Sustainability Evaluation of the Mulberry-Dyke and Fish-Pond System on the South Bank of Taihu Lake, China

The Taihu Lake drainage basin is the birthplace of the Mulberry-dyke and Fish-pond System (MFS), a traditional eco-agricultural system. In 2017, the largest and best-preserved “Zhejiang Huzhou Mulberry-dyke and Fish-pond System” located by the South Bank of Taihu Lake, China was recognized as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and its value has been appreciated. As a dynamic heritage, the sustainable development of MFS is a fundamental requirement of the conservation of GIAHS. In this regard, it is necessary to figure out an approach to evaluating the status of its sustainable development. This paper analyzes and contrasts the emergy embodied in the three patterns of MFS over different periods, then constructs an index system of sustainability evaluation involving the production and consumption processes based on that. Finally, it provides the evaluation and analysis. The three patterns of MFS differ in the system structure. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties (abbreviated as Ming-Qing pattern), MFS was an integrated system compromised of mulberry cultivation, silkworm breeding, fish breeding, and sheep breeding, while other patterns exclude sheep breeding, but increase the input of fertilizer, and add the production of mulberry-leaf tea and other local specialties. The results show that the MFS in the Ming-Qing pattern has the highest integrated evaluation index of sustainable development, followed by the traditional MFS pattern and the new MFS pattern employed nowadays. This indicates that the current capability of sustainable development has decreased compared to that in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The integrated evaluation index regarding the consumption process of the new MFS pattern is higher than the traditional one, suggesting that it needs to promote sustainability in the production process, especially via the utilization rates of renewable resources and wastes.