Essential Pruning Techniques for Mulberry Cultivation in Eastern and North-Eastern India

Pruning is one of the most important cultural practices in mulberry cultivation, especially in Eastern and North-Eastern India where sericulture supports the livelihoods of thousands of farming families. Done correctly, pruning boosts leaf yield, keeps plants at a manageable height, improves air circulation, and produces the kind of fresh, nutritious foliage that silkworms need. Done incorrectly – or not at all – it leads to bushy, unproductive plants with poor-quality leaves. This post breaks down the key pruning techniques, schedules, and aftercare practices relevant to this region.

Why pruning matters in mulberry cultivation 🔗

Mulberry is a fast-growing, deciduous woody perennial that, left unchecked, will grow into a tall tree. For sericulture, however, it is maintained as a bush or low-height tree so that farmers can easily harvest leaves. Pruning serves several purposes at once. First, it redirects the plant’s energy from supporting old, woody branches toward producing fresh lateral shoots packed with tender, protein-rich leaves. Second, it opens up the canopy, improving sunlight penetration and reducing humidity-related diseases like leaf spot, powdery mildew, and leaf rust – problems that are especially common in the humid climate of Eastern and North-Eastern India. Third, regular removal of dead and diseased wood eliminates potential breeding grounds for pests such as mealy bugs and leaf rollers.

In practical terms, a well-pruned mulberry garden in this region can yield 30-35 tonnes of leaf per hectare per year under irrigated conditions. Under rainfed conditions with tree-type cultivation, a yield of about 6-8 tonnes per hectare per year is achievable with 3-4 harvests annually. Without systematic pruning, these numbers drop sharply.

Types of pruning used in mulberry gardens 🔗

Mulberry pruning is not a one-size-fits-all operation. The type of pruning you use depends on your planting system, local climate, and whether you have access to irrigation. Three main types are practised across Eastern and North-Eastern India.

Bottom pruning 🔗

In bottom pruning, the plant is cut close to ground level, leaving a stump of about 10-15 cm above the soil surface. This is the most common type used in bush plantations. According to TNAU’s sericulture guidelines, bottom pruning is typically done once a year. It forces the plant to regenerate completely from the base, producing a flush of uniform, vigorous shoots. Leaf picking begins approximately 10 weeks after bottom pruning, with subsequent pickings at 7-8 week intervals.

Middle pruning 🔗

Middle pruning involves cutting branches at 40-60 cm above ground level. After an initial bottom pruning, subsequent cuts are made at this height – roughly 45-50 cm. This method retains a portion of the established stem structure, which can speed up regrowth since the plant already has an established root-to-shoot framework. Middle pruning is commonly used in irrigated gardens of the plains, where farmers need frequent harvests to synchronise with silkworm rearing cycles.

Kolar or strip system 🔗

The Kolar system is used in closely planted mulberry gardens. Here, branches are cut at ground level every time, and the garden receives up to five prunings per year. Because this is an intensive system, it demands heavy fertilisation and consistent irrigation. It is best suited for well-maintained irrigated plantations in the plains of West Bengal and parts of Assam where water supply is assured.

Pruning schedules for irrigated conditions 🔗

In the irrigated plains of Eastern India – particularly West Bengal and lower Assam – mulberry gardens follow a more intensive pruning cycle. Here, pruning is done after every crop harvest. The cycle typically works like this: the first harvest is done by bottom pruning about six months after planting, once the plants are well established and have reached a height of roughly 1.5-1.75 metres. The second and third harvests follow at intervals of about 70 days using the shoot harvest method.

From the second year onward, farmers shift to a regular cycle of shoot harvesting at 70-day intervals, with periodic bottom pruning to rejuvenate the plant. This intensive schedule is possible because irrigation ensures adequate soil moisture for rapid regrowth. Fertiliser – typically 300 kg nitrogen, 120 kg phosphorus, and 120 kg potassium per hectare per year, split across harvests – supports the high nutrient demand created by frequent cutting.

Recommended mulberry varieties for irrigated conditions in this region include S-1, S-1635, and S-7999, all developed at the Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI) at Berhampore. These varieties are known for vigorous regrowth after pruning and high leaf yield.

Pruning schedules for rainfed and hilly areas 🔗

Rainfed mulberry cultivation is a different challenge altogether. Without reliable irrigation, the frequency of pruning must be reduced to match the plant’s slower growth rate. In rainfed areas of Eastern and North-Eastern India, pruning is generally done once or twice a year, timed to coincide with the monsoon season.

Rainfed plains 🔗

In the rainfed plains, the first crop is harvested six months after planting, followed by two more crops during the first year through leaf picking. After the first year, pruning is done at the onset of the monsoon using a sharp sickle or pruning saw, typically at a height of 25-30 cm from the ground. This timing allows the plant to take full advantage of monsoon rains for regrowth. A second dose of fertiliser (nitrogen) is applied before the monsoon ends to fuel a final growth flush. Expected leaf yields under rainfed conditions range from 10 to 15 tonnes per hectare per year, depending on the variety and rainfall.

Hilly regions of North-Eastern India 🔗

In the hilly areas of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, mulberry is often grown as a tree rather than a bush. Spacing is wider – 6 feet × 6 feet or even 8 feet × 8 feet – and the plants are pruned at a crown height of about 5 feet (approximately 150 cm) from the ground. Pruning is done once a year during the rainy season (July-September), which allows vigorous regrowth from the established crown. Leaves are then harvested 3-4 times annually by leaf picking.

Varieties recommended for hilly regions include Tr-10 and BC-259, both developed at CSRTI Berhampore. BC-259, in particular, is valued for its sturdy stems and ability to withstand the strong winds common in exposed hill locations. For gentle slopes, contour bunding and terrace planting help with soil and moisture conservation around pruned plants.

Fist form pruning and thinning 🔗

Beyond the height of the cut, the technique of cutting also matters. Two approaches are widely practised.

Fist form pruning 🔗

Fist form pruning involves cutting all branches cleanly at their base, leaving no buds or stubs. The cutting surface is smooth, made just above where the branch meets the main stem. This forces the plant to develop entirely new growth points, resulting in uniform shoots with leaves of consistent size and quality. Fist form pruning is especially effective for young plantations or when a farmer wants to reset the plant’s growth pattern completely.

Thinning 🔗

Thinning is a selective process where you remove specific branches to improve the overall structure of the plant. The targets are diseased, damaged, or crossing branches that block air and light. After removing problem branches, the best-positioned healthy branches are retained with spacing of roughly 15-20 cm apart. Good thinning ensures that each remaining branch receives adequate sunlight and airflow, producing higher-quality leaves. This practice is particularly important in the humid conditions of Eastern India, where dense canopies quickly become breeding grounds for fungal diseases.

Tools and technique for clean cuts 🔗

Using the right tools is essential. For bottom and middle pruning, a sharp sickle or pruning saw is standard. The cut should be clean, angled slightly to allow water to run off rather than collect on the wound surface. Rough, jagged cuts heal slowly and invite infection. Pruning tools should be disinfected between plants, especially if there is any sign of disease in the garden. Avoid cutting branches thicker than about 5 cm (2 inches) in diameter, as large wounds heal poorly in mulberry and can become entry points for pathogens.

For the Kolar system and intensive irrigated plantations, mechanised pruning with powered cutters is increasingly being adopted in West Bengal to reduce labour costs and speed up the operation. However, hand pruning remains dominant in the hilly North-East, where terrain limits machine use.

Post-pruning care and management 🔗

Pruning puts the plant under stress. What you do in the days and weeks after cutting directly affects how quickly and strongly the plant recovers.

Fertiliser application 🔗

Apply the first split dose of fertiliser immediately after pruning. Under irrigated conditions, the recommendation is NPK at 300:120:120 kg/ha/year, divided across harvests. Under rainfed conditions, a lighter dose of NPK at 100:50:50 kg/ha/year in two splits – the first coinciding with the south-west monsoon and the second with the north-east monsoon – is appropriate. Biofertilisers like Azospirillum (20 kg/ha in five split doses) can supplement chemical inputs and improve soil health.

Organic manure 🔗

Well-decomposed farmyard manure (FYM) should be applied at 20 tonnes/ha/year under irrigated conditions or 10 tonnes/ha/year under rainfed conditions. Apply the manure within a week of pruning and mix it into the soil through intercultivation. In tree plantations of the North-East, basins around the plants should be cleaned after applying manure to allow rainwater percolation near the root zone.

Irrigation and moisture management 🔗

In irrigated gardens, resume watering soon after pruning but avoid waterlogging. Drip irrigation is the most efficient option, particularly for undulating terrain in the eastern foothills. In rainfed areas, mulching with pruned twigs, straw, or dried leaves helps conserve soil moisture, reduces surface temperature, and suppresses weed growth during the critical regrowth period.

Weed management and intercropping 🔗

Weeds compete directly with recovering mulberry plants for water and nutrients. Intercultivation with a country plough or power tiller after pruning controls weeds while incorporating organic matter into the soil. Short-duration pulse crops like black gram, green gram, or cowpea can be grown as intercrops between mulberry rows. These leguminous crops fix atmospheric nitrogen, enriching the soil while providing additional income to the farmer.

Disease monitoring 🔗

Inspect the garden regularly after pruning. The open wounds and increased humidity from monsoon rains create ideal conditions for fungal infections. Carbendazim (2 g/litre) can be used as a soil drench to control root rot and collar rot in nurseries and freshly pruned gardens. For foliar diseases like leaf spot and powdery mildew, ensure a gap of at least 10-15 days between any chemical application and leaf harvesting to keep the foliage safe for silkworms.

Common pruning mistakes to avoid 🔗

Even experienced farmers sometimes make pruning errors that reduce yield. Here are the most common ones:

Pruning at the wrong time: Pruning during winter or dry spells limits regrowth because the plant lacks the moisture and warmth needed to push new shoots. Always time major pruning to the onset or early phase of the monsoon in this region.

Leaving ragged cuts: A blunt sickle tears the bark instead of slicing it cleanly. This creates large wound surfaces that dry out slowly and become infected. Keep tools sharp and make one confident cut.

Over-pruning in rainfed areas: The Kolar system’s five-times-a-year schedule only works with heavy fertilisation and irrigation. Applying the same frequency under rainfed conditions exhausts the plant and reduces its lifespan dramatically.

Neglecting fertiliser after pruning: Pruning without follow-up nutrition is like running a race on an empty stomach. The plant needs a ready supply of nitrogen to fuel new shoot growth. Skipping the post-pruning fertiliser dose is one of the most common reasons for declining yields in the North-Eastern states, where many small farmers lack the resources to follow complete maintenance schedules.

Adapting pruning to local conditions 🔗

Eastern and North-Eastern India is not a single agro-climatic zone. The alluvial plains of West Bengal, the Brahmaputra valley of Assam, and the hill states each present different soil types, rainfall patterns, and temperature ranges. A farmer in the irrigated plains near Berhampore may prune five or six times a year and harvest shoots. A farmer in Manipur’s hills may prune once in July and harvest leaves three times before the next monsoon. Both approaches are valid – the key is matching pruning intensity to available water, nutrients, and labour.

In areas where mulberry sericulture has been practised traditionally, farmers often have inherited knowledge about local timing. Combining this traditional knowledge with the research-backed recommendations from institutions like CSRTI Berhampore and state sericulture departments tends to produce the best results.

What do you think? How does pruning frequency in your area compare with these recommendations – and have you noticed a clear link between pruning timing and the quality of mulberry leaves your silkworms receive?

References

1. https://www.fao.org/4/x9895e/x9895e04.htm
2. https://silkwormmori.blogspot.com/2010/06/package-of-practices-for-mulberry.html
3. https://agritech.tnau.ac.in/sericulture/seri_mulberry%20cultivation.html
4. https://www.nstfdc.tribal.gov.in/UploadData/pdf/sericulture.pdf
5. https://www.starkbros.com/growing-guide/how-to-grow/fruit-trees/mulberry-trees/pruning
6. https://silks.csb.gov.in/bidar/wp-content/themes/Common_District/bidar/Bidar_sgf-frame.html