Evaluating environmental and technological factors for optimized utilization of mulberry fruits in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

Mulberry (Morus spp.) fruits are valued for their nutritional and therapeutic properties but remain underutilized for juice production in India. This integrated study aims to enhance mulberry utilization by evaluating two key aspects: the influence of agro-climatic conditions on fruit yield and the efficiency of different juice extraction techniques. Fruits of popular cultivars were collected from major mulberry-growing regions in Tamil Nadu during the peak fruiting season. Weather data indicated that moderate temperatures (33-36 °C), relative humidity between 50-70%, and moderate rainfall favored higher fruit yield, particularly in regions like Palladam and Salem. In parallel, juice extraction trials using the MR-2 cultivar were conducted with three different methods: press-type, blending-type, and centrifugal extraction. The press-type extractor demonstrated superior performance with the highest juice yield (86.02%) and lowest extraction loss (9.43%). These findings underscore the importance of integrating climatic suitability and processing technology to optimize fruit productivity and juice recovery in mulberry cultivation and commercialization.