Performance of mulberry genotypes in UKP command area of Yadgir district of Karnataka

Abstract

Mulberry leaf is the sole food of the silkworm Bombyx mori L. and leaf quality plays a very important role in the production and productivity of silkworm cocoons. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate eighteen mulberry genotypes to study the growth and yield parameters of mulberry genotypes under irrigated conditions in UKP command area of Karnataka during 2013-14 at Agricultural Reasrch Station Bheemarayanagudi in RCBD design with two replications. The V-1 mulberry genotype recorded significantly higher rooting percentage (87 %), plant height (120.05 cm), shoots per plant (4.2) and leaf yield (2045.56 kg/acre/crop) at 60 days after pruning followed by S36 and M-5 mulberry genotypes. Further, quality parameters viz., moisture (66.75 %), total chlorophyll (18.31) and N (4.95%) and K (1.71%) content in the leaves of genotype V-1 were significantly superior to other genotypes.