Physiological Evaluation of Mulberry (Morus indica L.) Leaves Subjected to Various Wastewater Applications

Abstract

Mulberry constitutes the exclusive host plant for the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. Investigations on the physiological attributes of mulberry leaves were undertaken at the Forest College and Research Institute, within the Department of Sericulture. The application of various types of wastewater exerted a statistically significant influence on the physiological characteristics of mulberry foliage. The experiment was conducted under nursery conditions following a Completely Randomised Design (CRD) with four replications. The findings indicated that, at the lowest concentration of wastewater, the highest moisture content was observed in leaves irrigated with sewage wastewater (69.35%), paper mill wastewater (77.06%), and reeling wastewater (83.29%). In contrast, the control treatment recorded the lowest moisture content, with values of 58.25%, 58.30%, and 62.49% for sewage, paper mill, and reeling wastewater treatments, respectively. Furthermore, the application of wastewater at a 25% concentration resulted in the highest moisture retention capacity after six hours, measuring 56.20% in sewage wastewater, 67.87% in paper mill wastewater, and 69.16% in reeling wastewater-treated leaves. Overall, the study demonstrates that lower concentrations of wastewater significantly enhance key leaf quality parameters in mulberry.