Influence of Nutrition on Growth and Yield of G4 Mulberry Variety (Morus alba L.) and Bio-assay of Multivoltine Silkworm, Pure Mysore in Southern dry Zone of Karnataka, India

Abstract

The experiment was carried out during 2019-20 at P-2 Pure Mysore Multivoltine Basic Seed Farm (BSF), National Silkworm Seed Organisation, Nagenahalli, Karnataka to know the effect of nutrient management on the growth and yield of G4 mulberry variety and its subsequent bioassay of multivoltine silkworm, Pure Mysore. The mulberry garden (three years old) with G4 variety planted in paired row system was used for the experiment with seven treatments and three replications. The growth parameters (average of 5 crops) viz., plant height, number of branches per plant, lowest number of leaf in 100g weight, weight of individual leaf, weight of 100 fresh leaf, leaf yield per plant and leaf yield per ha-1were significantly highest (134.6 cm, 14.0, 24.0, 4.18g, 384g, 800g and 55.55 Mt) with the application of 100 % RDF, poshan spray and application of vermicompost at5 t/ha/year. The results of the bio-assay (average of five rearings) also showed the superiority forweight of 10 full grown larvae (27.2 gm), single cocoon weight (1.27g), single shell weight (0.18g), shell ratio (14.25%), ERR (95.00%) pupation (92.00%), number of cocoons/kg (787) and yield per 100 dfls (52.10 kg) in the treatment having 100 % RDF, poshan spray and application of vermicompost of at5 t/ha than other treatments. Combined application of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients increased the productivity of the mulberry in G4 variety and subsequently better performance of Pure Mysore multivoltine seed cocoon parameters.