Influence of Different Pruning Techniques and Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth, Leaf Yield of Mulberry and Its Impact on Silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) Bioassay
Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: Field experiments were carried out during Kharif and Rabi seasons of two years at the Department of Sericulture, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to study the influence of different pruning heights in mulberry and integrated nutrient management (INM) practices on growth, leaf and cocoon productivity as well as profitability in mulberry. The experiments were laid out in a strip plot design with three main plot treatments and six sub plot treatments replicated thrice. The results revealed that middle pruning (90 cm height) technique had positive impact on mulberry growth parameters such as less intermodal length with significantly high shoot length, number of branches per plant during both kharif and rabi seasons of the respective years. Further, the yield attributes viz., leaf dry weight, 100 leaves weight, leaf yield per plant and leaf yield/ha/harvest were also significantly higher in middle pruning technique. Among the integrated nutrient management practices, 50% organic + 50% inorganic fertilizers (M2) application showed significantly better mulberry growth and yield parameters. The same treatment contributed significantly higher silkworm economical parameters viz., larval weight, cocoon weight, shell weight, shell ratio and ERR per cent in both the seasons. The mean economics of mulberry leaves production and silkworm cocoon production were enhanced with higher B: C ratio of 2.76, 2.16 in mulberry and 2.70, 2.06 in silkworm, respectively, during kharif and rabi.
Institution: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University
Language: English
Subfield: Insect Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2791910902