Pruning Techniques for Enhanced Mulberry Leaf Yield in North India

Pruning is one of the most important cultural practices in mulberry cultivation, especially for sericulture farmers in North India. It directly controls leaf yield, plant shape, and the timing of leaf availability – all of which need to align perfectly with silkworm rearing cycles. Without a well-planned pruning schedule, even the best mulberry varieties will produce fewer, lower-quality leaves that fail to support healthy cocoon production. In North India, where the climate shifts between subtropical plains and temperate hills, pruning practices must be adapted to local conditions to get the best results.

Why pruning matters in mulberry cultivation 🔗

Mulberry is a fast-growing woody perennial that, left unpruned, tends to grow tall and spread wide. While this is natural, it creates problems for sericulture. Tall, unmanaged trees are harder to harvest, and the leaves produced on old wood tend to be tough and nutritionally poor. Silkworms need fresh, tender, moisture-rich leaves – and pruning is the primary tool to deliver that.

When you prune a mulberry plant, you remove older branches and redirect the plant’s energy toward producing new shoots. These young shoots bear soft, nutrient-dense leaves with high moisture content and protein levels – exactly what silkworms require for healthy growth and quality cocoon production. According to research published on ScienceDirect, mulberry leaf quality has a direct bearing on both the quantity and quality of cocoon output.

Beyond leaf quality, regular pruning keeps plants at a manageable height, making harvesting faster and more labour-efficient. It also improves air circulation within the canopy, which helps reduce the risk of fungal diseases like powdery mildew, leaf spot, and leaf rust – all common problems in North India’s humid climate during monsoon months.

Pruning schedule for the subtropical zone 🔗

The subtropical zone of North India – covering states like Uttar Pradesh, parts of Himachal Pradesh, and West Bengal – follows a specific pruning schedule that is closely tied to the region’s two primary silkworm rearing seasons: autumn and spring.

In these areas, mulberry plants are typically pruned twice a year:

Crown-height pruning before autumn rearing 🔗

The first pruning is done at crown height (the top portion of the plant framework) before the autumn silkworm rearing season. This typically happens around August-September. Cutting at crown height allows the plant to push out a flush of new shoots from the upper part of the framework. Within 45-60 days, these shoots produce tender leaves with good moisture content, timed to be ready for the autumn rearing cycle.

Crown-height pruning is a lighter form of cutting. It removes the upper portion of the previous season’s growth while preserving the main plant structure. This approach works well before autumn because the plant still has enough warm weather left to regenerate quickly.

Middle-height pruning before spring rearing 🔗

The second pruning is carried out at a middle height – roughly midway on the plant framework – before the spring rearing season. This pruning is typically done in December-January, during the dormant winter period. The plant recovers as temperatures rise through February and March, producing fresh foliage just in time for the spring silkworm crop.

Middle-height pruning is a harder cut compared to the crown-height approach. By removing more wood, it stimulates stronger regrowth and produces a larger volume of uniformly sized leaves. This is especially useful for the spring crop, which is often the more important rearing season in subtropical North India.

The FAO’s documentation on Indian mulberry cultivation notes that proper scheduling of pruning with fertilisation and irrigation is essential for maximising regrowth and leaf yield after each cut.

Pruning schedule for the temperate zone 🔗

The temperate zone of North India – primarily Jammu & Kashmir and certain high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh – has a different pruning schedule because of its colder climate and shorter growing season.

June pruning 🔗

In the temperate zone, the first pruning is done in June, after the spring rearing season is complete. At this point, the silkworm rearing on spring leaves is finished, and the plant is cut back to encourage fresh growth during the warmer summer months. As reported from Kashmir’s sericulture operations, June pruning is critical because it enables a second crop of leaves. Fresh shoots emerge within about 45 days, supporting another round of silkworm rearing in July-August.

March pruning 🔗

The second pruning takes place in March, just as winter dormancy ends and the plant is preparing for new spring growth. This pruning removes the previous year’s spent branches and stimulates vigorous sprouting as temperatures warm up. The resulting leaves are used for the main spring silkworm rearing season.

In temperate areas like Kashmir, the FAO recommends applying 20 tonnes/ha/year of FYM after annual pruning, along with appropriate doses of NPK fertilisers to support healthy regrowth.

Types of pruning cuts used in mulberry 🔗

The way you make the actual cuts during pruning affects how the plant regrows. There are two main approaches used in mulberry sericulture:

Bottom pruning 🔗

In bottom pruning, all branches are cut close to the base of the plant, just above ground level. This is a heavy pruning method that removes almost all above-ground growth. It is commonly used in irrigated bush plantations in tropical and subtropical India. The plant responds by sending out entirely new shoots from the base, producing a dense canopy of uniform, tender leaves.

Bottom pruning is especially effective in irrigated systems where the plant has enough water and nutrients to recover quickly from such aggressive cutting.

Crown pruning 🔗

In crown pruning, branches are cut at a specific height above the ground – typically 4-6 feet, depending on the training system. This method is more common in tree-type mulberry plantations and rainfed areas. According to research by scientists at the Central Silk Board, tree mulberry plants are usually pruned at a crown height of 5-6 feet and allowed to grow 8-10 shoots from the crown.

Crown pruning preserves the main trunk and established root-to-canopy framework, which is beneficial in areas with limited water. The plant doesn’t need to rebuild its entire structure, so recovery is faster even under moisture stress.

Fist form vs. stub cutting 🔗

Within these pruning heights, the actual branch-cutting technique also matters. In fist form pruning, branches are removed completely at their base, leaving a smooth surface. This forces entirely new growth points, resulting in uniform shoots. In stub cutting, a short portion of the branch (with one or two buds) is left behind. The buds on the stub sprout quickly, giving faster initial regrowth. Farmers choose between these based on the variety, the season, and how quickly they need new leaves.

Connection between pruning and leaf quality 🔗

The ultimate purpose of pruning in sericulture is not just to produce more leaves – it’s to produce better leaves. The nutritional quality of mulberry foliage has a direct impact on silkworm health and cocoon output.

Freshly emerged leaves on new shoots after pruning are typically tender, dark green, turgid, and rich in moisture. High moisture content (around 70-79%) is critical because silkworms get most of their water from the leaves they eat. As the Vedantu educational portal explains, partially matured mulberry leaves have higher nutritional value than fully matured ones, and younger silkworm larvae specifically need tender leaves.

Protein content is another key factor. Well-pruned mulberry plants receiving adequate nutrition after pruning can produce leaves with protein levels of 20-25%, which is essential for silkworm growth and silk fibre production. Older, unpruned branches produce woody, low-protein leaves that lead to poor cocoon quality.

Pruning also ensures that leaf availability is synchronised with rearing schedules. Silkworm batches need a predictable, continuous supply of leaves over their 25-30 day larval period. By timing pruning correctly, farmers can ensure that new shoots reach the ideal leaf-harvesting stage exactly when the silkworms need feeding.

Best practices for effective mulberry pruning 🔗

Getting the timing and height right is essential, but several other factors determine whether pruning will deliver the desired results:

Use sharp, clean tools 🔗

Always use sharp pruning shears or saws to make clean cuts. Ragged cuts from dull tools heal slowly and become entry points for diseases and pests. Clean tools with a disinfectant solution when moving between plants to prevent spreading infections across the garden.

Cut at the correct angle 🔗

Make cuts at approximately a 45-degree angle, sloping away from the nearest bud. This prevents rainwater from collecting on the cut surface, which reduces the risk of fungal infection. The bud below the cut should face outward to encourage shoots to grow away from the centre of the plant, improving air circulation.

Coordinate pruning with fertilisation 🔗

Pruning removes a significant amount of biomass from the plant. To support strong regrowth, apply farmyard manure (FYM) and NPK fertilisers shortly after pruning. The FAO recommends specific fertiliser doses tailored to the region and irrigation status, ensuring the plant has the nutrients it needs to push out vigorous new growth.

Ensure adequate irrigation after pruning 🔗

In irrigated areas, provide water immediately after pruning to help the plant recover. In rainfed areas, timing the pruning to coincide with the onset of monsoon rains (as done with tree mulberry) achieves the same effect naturally.

Remove dead and diseased wood first 🔗

Before making production-oriented cuts, always remove dead, diseased, or damaged branches first. These serve no productive purpose and can harbour pests and pathogens. Also remove inward-growing or crossing branches that create dense, poorly ventilated canopy areas.

Common mistakes to avoid 🔗

Even experienced farmers sometimes make pruning errors that reduce leaf yield or damage plant health:

Pruning too late or too early: If pruning is not timed to match the silkworm rearing schedule, leaves may mature too quickly or not be ready when larvae need feeding. Sticking to the recommended calendar for your zone is essential.

Cutting too low in rainfed areas: Heavy bottom pruning in areas without irrigation can stress the plant beyond its recovery capacity. Tree-type or crown pruning is more appropriate where water is limited.

Ignoring post-pruning care: Pruning without follow-up fertilisation and irrigation (where possible) leads to weak regrowth and poor-quality leaves. The plant needs nutritional support to rebuild its canopy.

Pruning all sections simultaneously: In larger plantations, stagger pruning across different blocks so that leaf availability remains continuous throughout the rearing season. Pruning everything at once creates a gap in leaf supply.

The bigger picture: pruning as part of integrated mulberry management 🔗

Pruning does not work in isolation. It is most effective when integrated with other management practices – proper variety selection, soil health maintenance, irrigation scheduling, pest and disease control, and appropriate harvesting techniques. Together, these practices create a production system that delivers high-quality mulberry leaves consistently across rearing seasons.

In North India, where climatic zones range from humid subtropical plains to cold temperate valleys, adopting the right pruning schedule for your specific location is not optional – it is the foundation of productive sericulture. Whether you’re pruning at crown height before autumn in the subtropics or cutting back in June in Kashmir, the principle remains the same: well-timed pruning produces the fresh, nutritious leaves that silkworms need to spin quality cocoons.

What do you think? How does the variation in climate between North India’s subtropical and temperate zones affect your own approach to mulberry pruning? And could mechanised pruning tools help small-scale sericulture farmers improve efficiency without compromising leaf quality?

References

1. https://www.fao.org/4/x9895e/x9895e04.htm
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/mulberry-leaf
3. https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/269795741/j-k-sericulture-dept-supervise-mulberry-pruning
4. https://silkwormmori.blogspot.com/2010/06/package-of-practices-for-mulberry.html
5. https://www.vedantu.com/biology/moriculture
6. https://www.infonet-biovision.org/fodder-production/mulberry-trees