Mulberry Cultivation – Farming Methods and Tricks in India

The botanical name of Mulberry is Morus alba. The mulberry leaves are used to feed silkworms. The fruit has several medicinal advantages. We can prepare blood tonic from it, and it is helpful in constipation, tinnitus, cure dizziness, urinary incontinence etc. The prepared fruit juice from this fruit is very famous in Korea, Japan and China. This perennial plant gains an average height of 40 to 60 feet. The completely arranged flowers bear violet black colour fruits. Mulberry cultivation is very famous in India, and the prime producers of mulberry in India are Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. 

How to Do Mulberry Cultivation in India

Mulberry Cultivation needs specific treatments like climate requirements, soil requirements and others. So, let’s know about them without wasting our precious time. 

Climate Requirements

The ideal temperature for mulberry cultivation is 24 to 28°C. So, cultivate it in this temperature range for better production. And for plantation, you should complete in the temperature between 35 to 40°C. It can show the healthy growth of the plant. Moreover, the rainfall from 600 to 2500mm is perfect for mulberry cultivation. Lastly, harvest the fruits when the temperature lies between 35 to 45°C.

Soil Requirements

Fromm loamy to clay, a variety of soils is suitable for mulberry farming. Deep fertile to flat soil with a good drainage system and water holding capacity is ideal for mulberry cultivation. Moreover, the pH range of the soil must be from 6.2 to 6.8. After choosing soil, prepare it for cultivation with the help of tractors and farm implements. If you are a marginal farmer,  Tractor refinance can help you goodby your old and bad loan. 

Popular Varieties

Mulberry has two well-known varieties, which are:

• S-36 – Heart-shaped leaves, heaving light green colour. An average yield of 15,000 to 18,000 kg/acre, leaves has high moisture and nutrient content
• V-1 – Released in 1997, oval and broad shape leaves, having dark green colour, an average yield of 20,000 to 24,000 kg/acre

Land Preparation

The well-prepared soil is required for mulberry cultivation. Do you know you can take a Used Tractor Loan to complete your farming needs? Yes, you can. Prepare land with the help of your tractor and farm implements. Then, remove the weeds and deep plough the ground to take it to a fine tilth. 

Sowing Requirements

You should plant the mulberry from July to August. However, for nursery plantation, June – July is the best time. Therefore, 90cm x 90cm space is essential for this plant. Plant them in the depth of 60cm in the pit. The propagation method is ideal for mulberry cultivation. 

Seed Requirements

4 Kg of seeds is suitable for one acre of land. Store the seeds for 90 days in a cold place before sowing. After storing, soak the seeds in water by replacing water after 2 days. Then, soak the seeds for 4 days. 

Weed Control

You have to make field weed-free for mulberry farming. The land should be weed-free, especially at the initial stage and for the fruit growing stage. Apply two weddings in the first 6 months, and after 6 months, weed cutting can be given. 

Irrigation

You can apply 80 to 120 mm irrigation once a week. As we know, drip irrigation can save 40% water. So, give drip irrigation. It can also help in better growth. 

Plant Protection

Plant protection means that you have to save your crop from several pests and diseases. Let’s discuss pests and diseases and their control for mulberry farming. 

Disease and its control:

• Powdery mildew – Spray of Sulfex 80 WP (2g/l) @ 0.2%
• Leaf Rust – Spray of Blitox 50 WP @ 300gm or Bavistin 50 WP @ 300gm
• Leaf Spot – Spray of Bavistin @ 300gm 
• Sooty Mould – Spray of Monocrotophos @ 200ml
• Bacterial Blight – Spray of Bavistin solution @ 300gm
• Root Knot Disease – fungicide solution M-45 @ 300gm per 150 to 180 litre

Pest and their control:

• Stem Borer – Apply a mixture of Kerosene and Chlorpyriphos in the ratio of 50:50
• Bark Eating Caterpillar – Apply Monocrotophos (Nuvacron36 WSC) 
• Yellow and Red Wasp – Spray of Carbaryl 50 WP @ 40gm in 10ltr of water

Harvesting 

When Fruits gets dark red to purplish-red colour, it is the right time for harvesting the fruits. Harvest the fruits in the morning hours. Hand-picking or shaking methods are suitable for harvesting. In the shaking method, use nets or cotton or plastic sheets below the tree as almost all the ripen mulberries rain on the plastic sheets. 

Leave a comment on our blog so that we can come up with more reliable information for you. Read all the details carefully and apply the same in your farming. It will show you better results. Moreover, we will come up with other farming tips and tricks. So, wait for our next blog. Till then stay healthy, fit and happy.