Mulberry Agronomy & Soil Science Section
SCIENTIST: 1.
Dr. R. Mahesh , Scientist-C (Agronomy)
2. Dr. V. Vijay ,
Scientist-C (Soil Science)
OBJECTIVES: Ø
To conduct research and developmental work
for improvement in quality mulberry leaf productivity by evolving appropriate
irrigated and rainfed agronomical packages for high
yielding mulberry varieties from time to time. Ø
To develop cost-effective mulberry
cultivation technology. Ø
Promotion of eco -friendly technologies, maintenance
of soil health and redress of agro-ecological condition with curtailment of
inorganic fertilizers in mulberry cultivation. ACHIEVEMENTS: ·
Developed complete agronomical package of
practices for mulberry cultivation under irrigated condition in Gangetic plains of ·
Developed
integrated nutrient management package through INM system for mulberry
cultivation under rainfed condition. ·
Developed eco-friendly technologies for
mulberry cultivation like green manuring,
leguminous cover crop etc. ·
Developed weed management system by
leguminous crop like, Cowpea in mulberry cultivation. ·
Potentiality of Vermicompost
and improved organic manure (compost) has been proved to be effective in
mulberry cultivation; standardized the method of preparation of Vermicompost and bulk production of VC is being
continued. ·
Season- specific suitable intercrops have
been identified suited to the available duration of mulberry crop in each
season for better additional income. ·
An organic farming system of mulberry
cultivation has also been attempted. TECHNOLOGIES PROMOTED: Ø
For cultivation of improved mulberry
varieties like S-1 & S-1635 with wider spacing of 60x60 cm2 (pit
system) is recommended under irrigated conditions in Gangetic
plains of West Bengal. Ø
For quick establishment and healthy
plantation, in stead of cuttings, 4-5 months old saplings, grown in nursery
are recommended for raising new plantation. Ø
For raising of
saplings in nursery, inoculation of AM fungi is recommended in nursery beds
for infestation in mulberry roots with increased vigour, growth, root
proliferation and curtailment of phosphate. Ø
Easy technique for quick quality compost
making has been standardized. Ø
Quick recycling of rearing and farm waste
through vermicomposting has also been standardized. Ø
Green manuring
with Sunnhemp or Dhaincha
during summer and cowpea or Rice bean as leguminous cover crop during winter
have been found promising to improve mulberry leaf productivity and soil
health. Ø
Water use efficiency method of irrigation
through alternate furrow system has been recommended for mulberry
cultivation. Ø
A new agronomical package has been
developed for maintenance of chawki garden. Ø
Promotion of mulching technique with
locally available cheap organic materials like, ulu
grass, straw, dry weeds, water hyacinth, coconut leaf, mulberry twigs etc.
for increasing leaf productivity, soil moisture, leaf
moisture and temperature conservation especially under rainfed
condition. Ø
A new step up and step down pruning method
with the maintenance of at least 15-20 cm height from ground level followed
by training for quality leaf production in bush mulberry is recommended under
irrigated conditions of West Bengal. Ø
Top clipping during severe winter as well
as for chawki garden in case of excess leaf after
using for chawki worms promotes quick maturity and
nutritional quality of the leaves RESOURCES: 1.
Laminar Air Flow
(Kirloskar) 2.
Portable Canopy Analyser
(Li Cor) 3.
Moisture
Analyser (Sartorius) 4.
PH Meter (Sambros)) 5.
Conductivity
Meter (Sambros) 6.
Rotary Shaker 7.
Autoclave 8.
Hot Air Oven 9.
Image Analyzer
(Canon) 10.
Glass
Distillation Plant 11.
Ordinary
Microscope 12.
Phase Contrast
(Zoom) Microscope 13.
Dissecting
Microscope 14.
Computer 15.
Electronic
Digital Weighing Machine 16.
Avery Weighing
Machine 17.
Refrigerator 18.
Spectrocolorimeter 19.
Microkjeldahl Apparatus 20.
Bacteriological
Incubator ONGOING PROJECTS: 1.
PPA 3215: Study on
mulberry based parallel multiple cropping under irrigated condition (Oct., 04
to Dec., 08). 2. PPA3360: Improvement of leaf productivity through antitranspirants application in mulberry under rainfed condition. (Apr.06-Mar.10) 3.
PPA3362: Effect of variations in
planting geometry on mulberry canopy development, quality and quantity of
leaf (March, 2006 to
March, 2010) MICROPROJECT - I: Commercial Production of Azotobacter biofertilizer.
MICROPROJECT - II: Commercial Production of Arbuscular
biofertilizer. BULK PRODUCTION OF VERMICOMPOST: For farm use
CONCLUDED PROJECTS: 1.
PPA001: Effect of different systems of spacings and different doses of fertilizers on the yield
and quality of mulberry leaf. (Jul., 1991 to Sep., 1997). Among
the four evolved HYVs, S-1, S-1635, C-1730 and
S-1708, S-1635 out yielded all other varieties at the recommended doses of
FYM & NPK. 2.
PPF001: Development of mulberry garden for
chawki rearing (Aug. 1993 to Apr., 1996) An
agronomical package for development and maintenance of chawki
garden under irrigated conditions of Gangetic
plains of 3.
PPA002:
Efficacy of different systems of irrigation (Dec., 1994 to May, 1996). The
alternate furrow method of irrigation at IW/CPE 0.4 (3,00,000 L water/ha)
while giving significantly higher leaf yield, saves 33.3% water compared to the
earlier recommendation of 4, 50,000 L water/ha under flood method of
irrigation. 4.
PPA003: Comparative studies of efficacy of
slow releasing nitrogenous fertilizers and prilled
urea in mulberry (Aug., 1991 to Nov., 1995). Various
forms of nitrogenous fertilizers tried, did not enhance the leaf yield
compared to prilled urea. Application of 300 kg N
/ha/yr significantly improved the leaf yield over 225 kg and 150 kg N/ha/yr. 5.
PPF003: Use of biofertilizers
in mulberry cultivation (Nov. 1991 to Jun., 1996). a)
Azotobacter inoculation in
mulberry field @ 20 kg/ha/yr supplemented with inorganic nitrogenous
fertilizer @ 168 kg N/ha/yr is beneficial, economical and eco-friendly saving
50% of chemical source of nitrogen. b) Inoculation of Azospirillum @ 20 kg/ha/yr supplemented with 225 kg of
inorganic nitrogen revealed mulberry leaf yield at par with recommended dose
of chemical nitrogenous fertilizer. c)
Application of Arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi @ 200kg /ha in nursery for raising
saplings followed by its transplantation in field or @ 75 kg/ha/3-4 years in
case of established mulberry garden reduced the requirement of phosphatic fertilizer by 70-80% or 60-70% respectively to
get similar leaf yield and better quality as obtained with recommended dose
of phosphatic fertilizer. Besides, Glomus mosseae
and Glomus fasciculatus
were identified as best promising strains for irrigated and rainfed mulberry respectively. 6.
PPA 004 : Organic
farming in mulberry (Feb., 1997 to May, 2002). An eco-friendly, cost effective and
improved agronomical package for rainfed mulberry
under Gangetic
plains of Besides, Vermicompost was found to be highly effective in qualityand quantity of mulberry leaf production, cocoon
production and silk among other composts under rainfed
condition and also found to be an ideal alternative of FYM. 7.
BHR Temp. 3: Evaluation of low cost
carrier for economizing the commercial production of Azotobacter
and phosphate solubilizing bacterial (PSBs) biofertilizers (Sept., 01
to Oct., 02). Study
revealed that a mixture of charcoal and fly ash to be cheaper carrier
material with extended shelf life and could curtail the cost of commercial biofertilizers production upto
40%. 8.
PPA 3224: Studies on weed management in
mulberry. (Sep., 01 to Aug., 03). Study
revealed that Vigna sinensis
(cow pea) was found to be promising in weed control up to 32.9% in existing
mulberry garden without affecting leaf yield and quality with a reduction in
expenditure by 41% towards digging cum weeding activity. 9.
PPA3248: Nutrient Management of newly
evolved High Yielding mulberry varieties and its influence on growth and
productivity of leaf and cocoon (May, 02 to Oct., 06). Maximum
leaf yield (41.58 mt/ha/yr)
was found in S-1635 with the combination of 20mt, N350, P210 & K112
kg/ha/yr. Benefit-cost ratio is 2.47:1. 10. PPA
3249: Effect of plant nutrition systems (IPNS) in mulberry crop (2001-05) The application of N 50% & P50%
& replacement of FYM with vermicompost along
with biofertilizers in basal application showed
better result in respect of leaf yield and quality. 11.
PPA3223: Updation of improved package of practices
for newly authorized mulberry varieties under irrigated condition (Sep., 2001
to Oct., 05). A
sustainable leaf production with reduced dose of N168:P30:K84 along with vermicompost, Azotobacter, AMF, PGR, alternate furrow irrigation and 15
cm height pruning could increase 13% leaf yield in S-1635 (6% in S-1) along
with improvement in leaf quality, cocoon and reeling characters with 11.5%
reduction in cost of mulberry cultivation. PUBLICATIONS: Published
five sectional folders and pamphlets and over 70 scientific papers since
1991. |