Best Mulberry Varieties for Sericulture in North India

Mulberry is the sole food source for the silkworm (Bombyx mori), which means the success of any sericulture operation depends heavily on the variety of mulberry you plant. In North India, the climate varies dramatically – from the hot, dry plains of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab to the cold, frost-prone hills of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. This variation means a single mulberry variety cannot work everywhere. Instead, mulberry cultivation in North India is broadly split into two climate zones – subtropical and temperate – each with its own set of recommended varieties.

Why mulberry variety selection matters in sericulture 🔗

The quality and quantity of mulberry leaves directly determine cocoon output. Poor leaf quality leads to weak silkworms, low cocoon weight, and inferior silk. According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), mulberry leaf is the single largest economic input in sericulture, and the yield per unit area has a direct bearing on cocoon harvest. In North India, where sericulture already faces challenges like shorter growing seasons and extreme weather, picking the right variety is not optional – it is the foundation of a profitable silk enterprise.

Each variety carries a specific set of traits: drought tolerance, frost resistance, sprouting time, leaf nutritional profile, pest resistance, and adaptability to tree training. The two zones – subtropical and temperate – require different combinations of these traits.

North India’s two mulberry cultivation zones 🔗

The subtropical zone 🔗

The subtropical zone covers the plains and lower foothills of states like Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, and parts of Jammu. Here, summers are intensely hot and dry, while winters are mild to moderately cold. Water scarcity during peak summer is a major constraint. Varieties in this zone need to tolerate heat, sprout early after pruning, and resist common pests. The recommended varieties for this zone are S-146, TR-10, and Chinese White.

The temperate zone 🔗

The temperate zone includes the higher-altitude regions of Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and parts of Uttarakhand. Cold winters with frost, shorter growing seasons, and well-distributed rainfall define this zone. Varieties here must grow rapidly during the brief warm months, withstand frost, and produce nutrient-rich leaves suited for bivoltine silkworm rearing – the type of silkworm that yields high-grade silk. The primary varieties cultivated are Goshoerami and Ichinose.

Subtropical zone varieties in detail 🔗

S-146: the drought-tolerant workhorse 🔗

S-146 is arguably the most widely grown mulberry variety across subtropical North India. It was developed at the Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI), Berhampore, through selection from open-pollinated hybrids. It is cultivated across rain-fed areas of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Punjab.

What makes S-146 stand out is its exceptional drought tolerance. When summer temperatures soar and water becomes scarce, this variety continues to produce usable foliage. It also shows early sprouting after pruning, which gives farmers a head start in the growing season – especially important when you need to align leaf availability with silkworm rearing schedules.

S-146 responds very well to tree training. It can be maintained as a low bush for easy harvesting or trained into a taller tree form for higher leaf output. A recent study from Jammu found that S-146 trees produced strong cocoon yields (around 18.44 kg per 10,000 larvae) and filament lengths of approximately 804 metres, while the bush form showed superior shell quality with a shell ratio of about 18.36%. This flexibility in training systems makes S-146 suitable for farms of different sizes and labour availability.

The leaves are nutritionally rich, with good protein and moisture content, making them suitable for both crossbreed and bivoltine silkworm rearing. S-146 also shows reasonable pest resistance, which reduces input costs for farmers. For beginners in subtropical sericulture, S-146 is often the safest starting point.

TR-10: the consistent performer 🔗

TR-10 is a triploid variety developed at CSRTI, Berhampore. Triploid varieties (having three sets of chromosomes instead of two) are known for vigorous growth and good leaf quality – a trait well-documented across mulberry genetics research. TR-10 is recommended for the hilly regions of eastern and northern India, but it performs reliably across subtropical conditions as well.

The key strength of TR-10 is its balanced growth pattern. Some mulberry varieties grow aggressively but at the cost of leaf tenderness and nutrition. TR-10 avoids this trade-off – it grows steadily while consistently producing tender, nutrient-dense leaves that promote healthy silkworm growth and quality cocoon production.

TR-10 shows distinct seasonal growth, with peak leaf production during warmer months and dormancy in winter. It also offers good drought tolerance and produces multiple flushes of tender leaves through the growing season, ensuring a continuous supply for silkworm rearing. One thing to note: studies from Kashmir have found that TR-10 can be somewhat susceptible to powdery mildew disease, so farmers in humid regions should plan for preventive fungicide applications.

Chinese White: premium leaf quality 🔗

Chinese White, as the name suggests, originated from China’s silk-producing regions. It is classified under Morus alba and was developed through clonal selection at CSRTI, Pampore. While it is officially listed as a temperate variety, Chinese White has adapted well to subtropical Indian conditions, particularly where irrigation is available.

The standout feature of Chinese White is the nutritional quality of its leaves. They are notably high in protein and moisture content, making them ideal for bivoltine silkworm varieties that demand premium nutrition. The variety also shows good tree training characteristics and can be maintained in various forms depending on the cultivation system.

However, Chinese White has a notable drawback: it is more susceptible to leaf spot disease compared to varieties like Goshoerami and Ichinose. Research at CSRTI Pampore found that Chinese White recorded about 7.43% leaf spot incidence, meaning farmers need to stay on top of disease management. Despite this, many experienced sericulturists prefer it for the superior silk quality that its leaves help produce.

Temperate zone varieties in detail 🔗

Goshoerami: the frost-resistant favourite 🔗

Goshoerami is a Japanese introduction that has become the backbone of temperate mulberry sericulture in India. It is cultivated extensively across the Kashmir Valley and other temperate parts of North India, maintained at research stations under the Central Silk Board.

The variety’s greatest asset is its frost resistance. In temperate North India, late spring frosts can devastate mulberry plantations just when leaf production is needed most. Goshoerami tolerates these conditions better than most other varieties, which is why it remains the standard choice in Kashmir and similar climates.

Goshoerami is a late sprouter – it takes longer to break dormancy in spring compared to varieties like Chinese White or TR-10. But once it begins growing, it catches up quickly and eventually produces larger leaves than some early-sprouting varieties. Data from CSRTI Pampore research confirms that while Goshoerami sprouts later, it attains bigger leaf size by the first week of May compared to early sprouters. This compensatory growth ensures adequate leaf supply for the main spring rearing season (May-June).

In terms of leaf yield, Goshoerami produces approximately 15-20 tonnes per hectare per year under irrigated conditions. The leaves are well-suited for bivoltine silkworm rearing, which is the primary type practised in Jammu & Kashmir. An additional benefit: Goshoerami has been found to be completely free from leaf spot disease under Kashmir conditions, reducing the need for fungicide applications.

Goshoerami also has good propagation characteristics. It can be propagated through stem cuttings with reasonable success rates, making it relatively easy for farmers to expand their plantations. The variety is currently being introduced and promoted in newer sericulture regions like Kargil district, where SKUAST-Kashmir is running mulberry plantation drives to boost silk farming among tribal farmers.

Ichinose: high yield for commercial operations 🔗

Ichinose is another Japanese-origin variety maintained at CSRTI Pampore. Like Goshoerami, it is well-suited for temperate conditions and is widely cultivated in Jammu & Kashmir.

The primary advantage of Ichinose is its fast growth rate and high leaf yield. For commercial sericulture operations aiming to maximise returns from the limited temperate growing season, Ichinose is often the preferred choice. It produces abundant foliage that is nutritionally suitable for bivoltine silkworm rearing.

Ichinose demonstrates good frost resistance, though slightly less than Goshoerami. Research published in the International Journal of Tropical Insect Science used both Ichinose and Goshoerami leaves in amino acid supplementation studies and found that silkworms fed on these varieties showed strong biological and economic traits, confirming their suitability for quality cocoon production.

Like Goshoerami, Ichinose is completely free from leaf spot disease under Kashmir conditions. However, it does show moderate susceptibility to powdery mildew (around 51.67% incidence recorded in research at CSRTI Pampore), so disease monitoring is important during the autumn crop season when weather conditions favour fungal infection.

Other notable varieties for North India 🔗

Beyond the five main varieties discussed above, a few others deserve mention. Chak Majra is recommended for sub-temperate regions (the transition zone between subtropical and temperate areas). It was developed at RSRS, Jammu through selection from natural variability and produces a slightly higher leaf yield (20-22 tonnes/ha/year) compared to Goshoerami. In Jammu & Kashmir, other varieties like KNG (Kairynezamigaeshi) and Kukusou 21 are also cultivated, with KNG showing particularly strong silkworm rearing performance in some studies. For the hilly regions of eastern India, BC-259 – developed through backcrossing – is recommended for its wind resistance and yield consistency.

Choosing the right variety: practical considerations 🔗

Selecting a mulberry variety is not just about matching your climate zone. Several other factors play a role:

Soil type and drainage: Mulberry thrives in well-drained, loamy soil with a pH between 6.2 and 6.8. Some varieties tolerate less-than-ideal soils better than others. S-146, for instance, performs reasonably well even in rain-fed, less fertile soils.

Water availability: If you have reliable irrigation, Chinese White and Goshoerami can reach their full yield potential. In rain-fed conditions, S-146 and TR-10 are safer bets.

Silkworm variety: If you plan to rear bivoltine silkworms (which produce higher-grade silk), you need varieties with superior leaf nutrition – Goshoerami, Ichinose, and Chinese White are the top choices. For crossbreed silkworms, S-146 and TR-10 work well.

Disease pressure: In areas prone to leaf spot, Goshoerami and Ichinose are excellent since they are resistant to this disease. In regions where powdery mildew is common, careful variety selection combined with timely fungicide application is essential.

Labour and harvest method: Varieties that respond well to tree training (like S-146) give flexibility in harvest methods – you can choose between individual leaf picking and shoot harvesting based on labour availability.

A practical approach for new sericulturists is to start with small trial plantings of two or three varieties to observe how they perform in your specific microclimate before committing to large-scale cultivation.

The link between mulberry variety and silk quality 🔗

The connection between mulberry variety and final silk quality is direct and well-documented. Leaves that are rich in protein, moisture, and essential amino acids produce healthier silkworms with heavier cocoons, longer filament lengths, and better shell ratios. In North India’s temperate zones, where bivoltine sericulture is the goal, this link is especially critical. Varieties like Goshoerami and Ichinose, both introduced from Japan, were selected precisely because they produce the leaf quality needed to compete with international silk standards.

Jammu & Kashmir, in particular, has been recognised for its potential to produce bivoltine silk of international grade. As noted in a review of J&K sericulture, approximately 33,000 rural households depend on sericulture as a subsidiary occupation, and improved mulberry varieties are central to lifting both productivity and quality in this region.

Looking ahead 🔗

Research institutions like CSRTI Berhampore, CSRTI Pampore, and RSRS Jammu continue to work on developing new mulberry hybrids with improved traits. Crosses between tropical and temperate varieties – such as Chinese White × S-41 and Chinese White × Kosen – are being evaluated for the next generation of mulberry cultivars. Meanwhile, universities like SKUAST-Kashmir are actively promoting existing improved varieties in underserved regions.

For North Indian sericulturists, the current recommended varieties – S-146, TR-10, and Chinese White in subtropical areas, and Goshoerami and Ichinose in temperate areas – remain the best-tested options. The key is matching the variety to your local conditions and silkworm rearing goals.

What do you think? If you are farming in a transition zone between subtropical and temperate climates, how would you decide which set of varieties to prioritise? And could planting a mix of varieties help buffer against unpredictable weather patterns in your region?

References

1. https://www.fao.org/4/x9895e/x9895e04.htm
2. https://dacollege.org/uploads/stdmat/seri-SEM2-unit-1-and-4.pdf
3. https://www.zoologicaljournal.com/article/113/5-1-7-395.pdf
4. https://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=ijpp.2013.1.8
5. https://sericulture.assam.gov.in/portlet-innerpage/species-and-improved-cultivators-of-mulberry
6. https://sites.google.com/prod/view/seri-data/content/projects/directory-of-projects/15-20-dirproj
7. https://www.reachladakh.com/news/social-news/sericulture-industry-promotion-dc-kargil-launches-mulberry-plantation-drive
8. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42690-025-01490-y
9. https://ijzab.com/public/files/publish/8.%20IJZAB%20ID%20No.%20960.pdf