Mulberry based integrated cropping system: An ideal approach for effective utilization of land resources in Sericulture

Abstract

Mulberry (Morus spp.) is an important economic plant cultivated commercially for rearing Lepidopteran larvae of silkworm Bombyx mori L. and additionally for it’s by product utilization. Owing to its wide adaptability to varied agro-climatic conditions, it can be easily cultivated and maintained as bush, dwarf and tree plantations. In current experiment an attempt has been made to formulate suitable design and layout for practicing integrated cropping or mixed cropping under different planting system of mulberry cultivation namely; pit, row and paired row system. Pit system was followed for one year old mulberry sapling with dimensions of 90 x 90 cm, row system with 60 x 90cm and paired row system with 90 + 150 x 60 cm. Three separate blocks were formulated for each system of the area of 15 x 10 feet (length x width). For the first block with pit system of plantation, boundaries were utilized for planting vegetables as intercrops along with mulberry saplings. Funnel, fenugreek and potato were grown on the side boundaries of the first blocks. Garlic and onion were grown as intercrop for second and third block having row and paired row system respectively. This is inspite of the fact that unlike other plants, mulberry provides two harvests of leaf annually. This is due to the fact that its annual growth cycle is such that it remains without foliage most of the time thereby causing least interception of solar light for the crops that can be grown underneath. From the current experiment, results have been drawn showing significant production of seasonal vegetables and mulberry leaf from each block. Moreover, the harvested vegetables and mulberry leaves showed good qualitative features too. This therefore provides an ideal choice of growing mulberry and seasonal vegetables simultaneously for effective land and resource utilization ensuring round the year cash flow to farmers. The current experiment emphasizes how the integration of mulberry and seasonal vegetables can help in improving productivity per unit area through effective land utilization and resource management.