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How to Grow Mulberry for Silkworms in Ahmednagar

Step-by-step practical guidance for establishing and managing mulberry plantations suited to Ahmednagar’s conditions, focused on reliable leaf production for silkworm rearing.

Ranjeet Natarajan
Ranjeet Natarajan August 9, 2026 6 min read 1,130 words
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How to Grow Mulberry for Silkworms in Ahmednagar

Overview

Mulberry is the sole commercial feed for the domesticated silkworm (Bombyx mori). In Ahmednagar district the challenge is to produce consistent, high-quality green leaf through hot, dry summers and a limited monsoon window. This guide outlines practical field steps—site selection, varieties, planting, irrigation, nutrition, pruning, pest and disease control, harvest scheduling and integration with your silkworm rearing unit.

Site selection and soil

Choose a site with good access to water for the critical first two years and for dry-season irrigations thereafter. Mulberry tolerates a wide range of soils but performs best on deep, well-drained loams. Avoid waterlogged or saline plots. Where the water table is high, choose raised beds or ridges.

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Microclimate considerations

  • Prefer sites with some windbreak protection—strong winds strip young leaves and dry out plants quickly.
  • South- or west-facing slopes warm faster and can be beneficial in cooler months, but in Ahmednagar the main risk is heat stress in summer; partial shade during the hottest hours can help young plants.

Varieties

Use high-leaf-yielding, locally adapted varieties recommended by Maharashtra sericulture authorities or the regional Krishi Vigyan Kendra. Improved clonal varieties are preferred for uniform growth and predictable leaf quality. If sourcing planting material, insist on certified disease-free cuttings from a government nursery or a trusted supplier.

Propagation and planting

Mulberry is commonly propagated by hardwood cuttings (stakes). Follow these practical points:

  • Prepare the field during the dry season. Dig pits or create beds and apply well-rotted farmyard manure to improve soil organic matter.
  • Select healthy, lignified one-year-old shoots for cuttings. Cuttings should be 30–40 cm long with a diameter of 1–2 cm and 3–4 nodes.
  • Plant at the onset of the monsoon where rain establishment is relied on; if irrigating, plant any time.
  • Spacing depends on the planting system: hedge-row system (single or double) is common for sericulture—rows 1.5–2.0 m apart and plants 30–45 cm within the row for high-density leaf production. For block plantations intended for mechanical handling use wider spacings.

Irrigation

Water management is the single most important factor in Ahmednagar. Mulberry needs steady moisture during establishment and just before and after pruning to promote vigorous regrowth.

  • Young plants: keep the rootzone moist; frequent light irrigations are better than infrequent heavy ones.
  • Mature plants: irrigate deeply but less frequently. In the dry season maintain regular irrigations to avoid leaf quality deterioration—timing must align with your leaf-harvest calendar for silkworm rearing.
  • Use mulches and organic matter to conserve soil moisture and reduce temperature stress.

Fertilization and soil health

Mulberry responds well to balanced nutrition. Build soil organic matter and use split doses of fertilizers.

  • Apply farmyard manure or compost at planting and annually as a base dressing.
  • Top dress with nitrogen in split doses: one application after pruning/leaf harvest to encourage regrowth, and another 30–45 days later. Include phosphorus and potassium as per soil test recommendations.
  • Conduct a soil test through the local agriculture office or KVK to set fertilizer rates. Overuse of nitrogen can make leaves lush but more susceptible to pests and reduce leaf nutritional balance for silkworms.

Pruning and leaf harvest schedule

Pruning is central to get regular flushes of healthy leaves. The common practice is coppicing or frame pruning to synchronize leaf production with silkworm rearing cycles.

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  • Young plantations: allow 8–10 months for establishment before the first major pruning.
  • Coppice at 20–30 cm above ground to stimulate multiple shoots. This creates a compact, manageable stool for repeated harvests.
  • Frequency of harvests: under irrigated conditions and with good nutrition you can get multiple leaf harvests per year. Time pruning so that new flushes reach peak quality (tender, neatly expanding leaves) when silkworms are to be fed.
  • Remove and destroy old, diseased or over-mature branches; keep the stools clean to reduce pest carryover.

Pest and disease management

Integrated pest management (IPM) is the practical approach. Record observations and act early.

  • Common pests include shoot borer, grasshoppers and aphids; common diseases include powdery mildew and leaf spot. Local incidence varies with season.
  • Use cultural controls first: maintain field sanitation, timely pruning, avoid excessive nitrogen, and keep plant density balanced to improve air flow.
  • Encourage natural enemies—lacewings, spiders and parasitic wasps—by reducing broad-spectrum pesticide use.
  • If chemical control is necessary, use pesticides approved for mulberry and follow label rates and pre-harvest intervals carefully to avoid contaminating leaves intended for silkworms.
  • For fungal problems, cultural measures and timely fungicide sprays recommended by the local KVK should be used. Avoid overhead irrigation in evenings to reduce leaf wetness periods.

Harvest handling for silkworm use

Leaf quality is vital for cocoon yield. Train field and rearing staff in simple handling rules.

  • Harvest early in the day when leaves are cool and turgid; avoid dusty, heated leaves.
  • Do not use leaves that are wet, soiled or chemically contaminated for feeding young silkworms.
  • Sort leaves—use the softest, youngest leaves (terminal shoots and second leaf) for early instars and mature leaves for later instars as advised by your rearer’s protocol.
  • Transport leaves quickly to the rearing house in clean containers; avoid stacking leaves tightly which causes heating and deterioration.

Integration with silkworm rearing

Coordinate planting and pruning calendar with the rearing schedule. A steady supply of uniform, high-quality leaf is better than erratic large volumes.

  • Plan 2–3 weeks in advance so that a flush of new leaves aligns with the hatching of silkworm batches.
  • Where possible, stagger pruning across blocks so you have continuous small batches of fresh leaf rather than a single large flush.

Economics, records and support

Keep simple records: planting dates, varieties, fertilizer and pesticide use, pruning and harvest dates, irrigations and yields. These records reveal what works on your site and help when applying for assistance.

  • Investigate local support programs: Maharashtra sericulture department, district horticulture offices and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) often provide planting material, technical guidance and training.
  • Look into collective marketing or producer groups—buyers for cocoons prefer steady, quality supplies and may pay a premium for consistency.

Practical tips specific to Ahmednagar

  • Given hot, dry summers, prioritize irrigation planning and mulching. If canal or borewell water is scarce, prioritize young and recently pruned blocks for irrigation.
  • Use organic matter to improve water-holding capacity of local soils—farmyard manure, compost and green manures work well.
  • Start small and expand: begin with a few hedgerows close to your rearing unit so you can refine timing and handling before scaling up.
  • Coordinate with neighbouring rearers to share harvest labor—timing is tight when a flock needs fresh leaves multiple times per day.

Final notes

Mulberry for sericulture in Ahmednagar is a management-intensive crop where reliability and leaf quality matter more than acreage. Focus first on establishing healthy stools, steady irrigation and synchronized pruning to meet the feeding calendar of your silkworms. Use local technical resources (KVK, sericulture department) and keep good records to improve outcomes season to season.

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Ranjeet Natarajan
Ranjeet Natarajan

Contributing writer at Agriculture Novel — telling the stories that sustain us.

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