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Moriculture is the cultivation of mulberry plants for the purpose of feeding silkworms.
- Silkworms only consume mulberry leaves.
- Mulberry has 20 identified species worldwide.
- Mulberry plants are propagated mainly through stem cutting.
- Mulberry plants can also be propagated by root grafts or seeds.
- The length of the mulberry stem to be cut is around 23 to 24cm, and each stem should have 3 to 4 buds.
- These stems are directly planted in the field.
- When these stems reach maturity, they are pruned regularly.
- Pruning helps in the growth and the sprouting of new branches.
| Table of Contents |
Key Terms: Moriculture, Mulberry plants, Silkworms, Species, Root, Silk, Stem, Sericulture, Cocoon, Temperature, pH value, Propagation methods, Harvesting methods
What is Moriculture?
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The process of cultivating mulberry plants to obtain feed for silkworms is known as Moriculture.
- Moriculture and sericulture are the two processes upon which the raw silk industry is based.
- Moriculture is a crucial process for increasing silk and cocoon production.
- With 3,00,000 hectares of land under its cultivation, the initial yield of mulberry leaves each hectare was known to range from 12000-15000 kgs.
- However, technological advancements in agriculture, have resulted in each hectare offering a yield ranging between 25000-35000 kgs.
Ideal Climatic Conditions for Moriculture
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The ideal climatic conditions for Moriculture can be found in most of the states of India.
- The ideal temperature for the cultivation of mulberry plants is known to be 24 degrees Celsius.
- However, these plants can also thrive between a temperature range of 18-38 degrees Celsius.
- Due to the high irrigation requirements of these, they are ideally suited to the pre-monsoon season.
Favorable Soil for Moriculture
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Knowledge about the type of soil is very crucial for the optimum and healthy growth of the plant.
- Although mulberry leaves can grow in a wide range of soils, it does have certain soil requirements.
- Since this plant has deep roots, it requires a type of soil that has good water-retaining capacity.
- Further, the plant is known to thrive in soils where air can penetrate deep down and which are a bit acidic in nature.
- Clay and loamy soils are suitable for these plants.
- The ideal pH range of soil for Moriculture is 6.2 to 6.8.
Propagation of Mulberry Plants in Moriculture
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Mulberry plants can be propagated through two methods; sexual and asexual mulberry Propagation.
- Sexual Propagation involves the planting of seeds.
- The land must be suitably prepared and filtered before the plantation of seeds is carried out.
- There must be at least 6% moisture in the seeds during storage.
The asexual propagation of mulberry plants can be carried out through three different methods, which are-
- Propagation through cutting
- Propagation through grafting
- Propagation through budding
However, the commonly used method for asexual propagation of mulberry plants is cutting.
Harvesting of Mulberry Plants
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Once the mulberry plants grow to a certain level, their leaves can be harvested and fed to the silkworms.
- The two most common methods of harvesting mulberry leaves are leaf picking and branch cutting.
- Leaf picking involves the plucking of individual leaves from the plant.
- While branch cutting involves the cutting of the entire branch.
- Yet, another method of harvesting is whole shoot harvesting.
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Things to Remember
- The process of cultivating mulberry plants to obtain feed for silkworms is known as moriculture.
- The ideal climate for the cultivation of mulberry plants is known to be 24 degrees Celsius.
- Clayey and loamy soils are best for the cultivation of mulberry plants.
- Propagation of mulberry plants can take place through sexual (planting seeds) or asexual (cutting, budding, or grafting) propagation.
- Sexual Propagation involves the planting of seeds.
Sample Questions
Ques. What are the optimum climatic conditions for Moriculture? (2 Marks)
Ans. The ideal temperature for the growth of mulberry plants is 24 degrees Celsius. However, it can also thrive between a temperature range of 18-38 degrees Celsius. It requires 350 m3/ha water every ten days and grows well in places with an annual rainfall of 600-2500 mm.
Ques. Under what type of soil conditions does the mulberry plant grow well? (2 Marks)
Ans. Mulberry plant requires a type of soil that has good water retaining capacity. Further, the plant is known to thrive in soils where air can penetrate deep down. Thus, clayey and loamy soils are suitable for these plants. The ideal pH range of soil is 6.2 to 6.8.
Ques. What should be the spacing of mulberry plants? (2 Marks)
Ans. The spacing of mulberry plants depends upon the soil conditions. For black and heavy soils, 90×90 cm spacing is ideal, while it is 120×60 cm for sloppy soil of hilly areas.
Ques. Which is the most suitable time for harvesting mulberry leaves? (2 Marks)
Ans. The first crop should be harvested six months after plantation. Mulberry should be pruned at the onset of the next monsoon after one year. Pruning is done with the help of a sharp sickle or pruning saw.
Ques. Why is Moriculture important in sericulture? (2 Marks)
Ans. Sericulture depends upon the process of Moriculture. While sericulture is the process of rearing silkworms to obtain silk, Moriculture is the process of growing mulberry leaves required to feed the silkworms.
Ques. Why is branch cutting method more widely used than the picking method? (2 Marks)
Ans. The life of the leaf is much longer in the branch-cutting method than in the leaf-picking method. Moreover, since the leaf is attached to the branch, its freshness is maintained for a longer time. Harvesting the leaves in this way makes it easier to feed the silk months.
Ques. Can mulberry plants be grown in alkaline soil? (2 Marks)
Ans. For alkaline soils, mulberry plants can be grown by using gypsum to correct the alkalinity of the soil. As mulberry is a deep-rooted plant, it must be planted deep enough to a depth of about two feet.
Ques. Is pruning of Mulberry trees important during winters? (2 Marks)
Ans. Pruning is done to prevent the mulberry trees from growing into bushes. However, it is not required in case it is grown in pots. Mulberry trees are usually pruned in winter or towards the end of fruiting season.
Ques. How can mulberry leaves be preserved? (2 Marks)
Ans. Mulberry leaves can be kept in a basket full of moisture. The basket must be lined and covered with wet and clean cloth. However, when preserving mulberry leaves in bulk, preservation chambers are used. The leaves must be kept loosely and turned regularly.
Ques. What are the methods used for harvesting mulberry leaves from the plants? (2 Marks)
Ans- Mulberry leaves must be harvested at the right time. Branch cutting and leaf picking are the methods used in the harvesting of mulberry leaves. Another method for the harvesting of its leaves is whole shoot harvesting.
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