Vol. 10, Special Issue 12 (2021)

Author(s):
Santoshkumar Magadum and Sardar Singh

Abstract:
The present investigation was carried out at Regional Sericultural Research Station, Central Silk Board, Miran Sahib, Jammu during Spring, 2019 to evaluate eighteen mulberry germplasm for leaf quality parameters. Analysis of variance for leaf quality characters showed highly significant differences among the genotypes. Leaf moisture content was significantly higher in S-1635 followed by V-1 and C-4. Leaf moisture loss after 3 hours, 6 hours and 12 hours was significantly lowest in S-1635 and V-1 whereas higher moisture loss was recorded in AR-12. Similarly, moisture retention capacity of leaf after 3 hours, 6 hours and 12 hours of harvest was significantly higher in S-1635 followed by V-1 whereas lowest moisture retention capacity of leaf was observed in AR-12. The genotypes exhibiting higher leaf moisture content, lower leaf moisture loss and higher moisture retention capacity can be used as parents in the future breeding programmes for improvement in leaf quality characters in mulberry. Further, the wide genetic variability existing among the genotypes can be utilized in mulberry breeding programme for improvement of leaf quality characters.