Management of Mulberry/Tut (Morus alba) – Species Management

June 4, 2018 Naeem Javid Muhammad Hassani 0 Comments

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MANAGEMENT OF MULBERRY

Common Name: Tut, Mulberry
Scientific Name: Morus alba

o DESCRIPTION

· The crown is spreading and rounded.

· The fruit is a berry containing 5 to 15 seeds.

· The berries are white to pinkish to purple to red to black.

· The fruiting period is from March to June.

· The tree is native to Pakistan, China, Central Asia, and Afghanistan.

· It has been planted in many other parts of the world.

o SILVICULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS

· It will coppice easily and can be grown in mixed stands.

· It is frost hardy and can tolerate hot drought conditions.

· It has numerous insects and pest enemies including porcupines, defoliators, powdery mildew, Root Rots and die back.

· It is reproduced both from seed and by vegetative means.

· It grows very fast and M.A.I. of 5 to 8.5 m3/ha/year is not uncommon.

· Diameter of 60 cm is recorded for 20 years old trees.

· It is important as silkworm feed.

· This is a good farm forestry tree.

· The sports goods, fodder, veneer, plywood, furniture, and shelterbelts.

· Medicinal bark is a vermifuge and purgative, fruit is a laxative.

· Mulberry is indigenous to China.

· It ascends up to about 1200 meter altitude, confined mostly to stream beds or moist valleys.

· It grows in areas with sub-tropical or mild temperate climate.

· Ripen seeds are collected from the trees, never from the ground, due to insect attacked.

· Dry seed is mixed with Ash or sand, put in sealed tins and stored in dry place, can be stored for two years.

· Seed average 4,50,000 per kg.

· Germination percentage is low 8-16% averaging 10% only.

· Stratification of seed in moist sand for 30-40 days is reported to improve germination.

· Soaking in cold water mixed with CAMPHOR for about a weak ensure uniform germination.

· Dipping the seed in kerosene oil is suggested to protect it against insects.

o METHODS OF PROPAGATION

· Mulberry regenerates naturally through seed dispersed by water and birds, and by coppice.

· Factors favorable for Natural Regeneration are:

· i. Adequate shade;

· ii. Freedom from tall and thick weeds;

· iii. Adequate soil moisture.

· vi. Protection against browsing animals.

· Because of its shade tolerance and fast rate of growth, Mulberry tends to be aggressive in irrigated plantations e.g. Changa Manga plantation.

o ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION

· Direct sowing does not give good results.

· It can be propagated either:

i. By planting out nursery raised entire plants with a ball of earth or

ii. stumps or

iii. Rooted branch cuttings.

· Budding, grafting and layering can also be done to multiply valuable planting material.

· It coppice vigorously, however coppicing power of trees bigger than 30 cm diameter is generally poor.

· Mulberry pollards very well.

· Mulberry is a valuable multi-purpose tree. Its timber is fine, close-grained.

· Its chief demand is by the sports industry for hockey sticks, cricket bats, tennis and badminton rackets etc.

· Its twigs are used for basket making.

o SILVICULTURAL SYSTEM

· Irrigated mixed plantation are generally worked under coppice with STANDARD SYSTEM; standards being sissoo.

· Since most of the regeneration is of seedling origin, the system is more in the nature of Two-STOREYED HIGH FOREST.

· Coppice rotation range from 18 to 22 years are those for standards 54 to 66 years, three times the coppice rotation.

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