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1. PANDIT JAWAHARLAL NEHRU COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE , KARAIKAL – 609603
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ENTOMOLOGY AND NEMATOLOGY
SER 201. SERICULTURE TECHNOLOGIES(1+1)
ASSIGNMENT ON: Preservation of mulberry leafs and shoots
COURSE TEACHER : Dr.M.KANDIBANE
SUBMITTED BY :
B.S.N.S.GOWTHAM KUMAR
(BSA-12-815)

2. PRESERVATION OF MULBERRY
LEAVES & SHOOTS

3. Significances of mulberry plant
• SCIENTIFIC NAME : Morus alba
• Origin : India & China
• Cultivation of mulberry is called Moriculture
• Due to the high production of mulberry plants in India we ranks 2nd
position in production of silk by rearing mulberry silkworms

4. About mulberry leaves
• The leaves are simple, alternate, stipulate, serrate, and petiolated.
• It is unique in possessing both lobed and unlobed leaves on the same
twig
• Leaf may be entire
• Shape of the entire leaf is of three types viz.,
ovate, elliptic and cordate.
• The leaf tip is of generally of four types viz.,
caudate, sharp, obtuse, and dual.
• Similarly the leaf bases are of retuse, wedge and linear shaped
• Venation of the leaf is multicostate reticulate

5. Importance of preserving mulberry
leaves
• Leaves are the main economic part of the mulberry plant.
• Good leaf quality plays an important role in production of quality
cocoons.
• Preservation is needed in case of insufficient leaves in winter and in
rainy season
• Preservation of mulberry leafs helps in rearing more number of silk
worms.

6. Preservation of mulberry leafs
• Mulberry leaf should be harvested in the early hours of the day, as the
day passes the quality of leaves in terms of moisture content comes
down due to active transpiration.
• Hence the leaves are picked up during the morning hours.
• Harvested leaf should be transported in wet gunny bags or baskets
made up of bamboo.
• Such leaf should be preserved in a separate room or in a corner of
rearing room or in specially designed leaf preservation chamber made
up of wood with sufficient number of ventilators.
• The leaf chamber should contain a good number of ventilators covered
with wet gunny cloth. This will help in maintaining leaf quality.

7. ….Cont
• Other wise leaf should be scattered on the floor in a single layer so that
the water droplets on surface of leaf will be evaporated.
• Leaf should never be preserved on heaps. This will increase the
humidity. Leaf scattered on floor should be frequently sprinkled with
water and tilted in summer.
• Always fresh leaves are recommended to feed the worms. Longer the
preservation, lesser the moisture and the nutrition, hence temperature,
humidity and moisture contents in the storage place should be 20o C–
90% of relative humidity and cool, clean with frequent watering.

8. ….Cont
• Chawki mulberry leaves can be stored in a mud pot, which is placed in
the moist sand and mouth of the pot must be covered with wet cloth.
• Also, chawki mulberry leaves can be stored on a flat moist sand bed
covered with wet and clean white cloth.

9. Mulberry shoot harvest and
preservation :
• Mulberry shoots are to be harvested by cutting the shoots leaving 2 to
3 buds above the previous cut using a sharp sickle or secature without
peeling the bark.
• It is always advisable to harvest the shoots during cooler hours of the
days. Bundles of 20 to 30 kgs of shoots are to be made and transported
immediately to the leaf storing room.
• The harvested shoot should be preserved up-right and covered with
clean and wet gunny cloth.

10. Thank you…….!