Weed Management in Mulberry (Morus spp.) for Sustained Cocoon Production

Abstract

Background: Sericulture depends on high-quality mulberry leaves, but weed infestation significantly reduces yield by competing for resources and harboring pests. Effective weed management is crucial to improve leaf production and raw silk yield. Aims: To comprehensively synthesize current knowledge on weed management in mulberry ecosystems, evaluating the efficacy, economics and ecological impacts of various control strategies to sustain high-quality leaf yield and cocoon production. Study Design: Comprehensive Literature Review. Methodology: This review systematically aggregates and analyzes peer-reviewed literature from scientific databases including Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed and Google Scholar. The search strategy employed keywords related to weed management in mulberry, sericulture and Bombyx mori. Studies published between 1970 and 2024 were considered, with emphasis on recent research. Data regarding weed flora composition, crop-weed competition dynamics and the efficacy of various weed control measures (cultural, mechanical, chemical and biological) were extracted, analyzed and synthesized. The review specifically focused on the cascading effects of these management practices on mulberry leaf yield, leaf biochemical quality and the subsequent physiological performance and cocoon traits of the silkworm (Bombyx mori L.). Results: Weed competition in mulberry cultivation causes severe leaf yield losses ranging from 30% to 50% and significantly deteriorates leaf nutritional quality, directly translating to inferior silkworm growth and reduced raw silk productivity. While traditional manual weeding is effective, labor scarcity and rising costs threaten its viability. Chemical herbicides offer efficient early-stage control but pose severe toxicity risks to silkworms if applied after 30 days of pruning. Integrated Weed Management (IWM), combining mulching, cover cropping, judicious herbicide application and mechanical weeding, emerges as the most sustainable approach. Emerging innovations like AI-enabled robotic weeders offer precision control with minimal environmental footprint. Conclusion: Adopting region-specific, climate-resilient Integrated Weed Management (IWM) protocols is imperative for sustaining mulberry leaf quality, ensuring silkworm health and maximizing the profitability of the sericulture industry.