EVALUATION OF MACRO AND MICRO NUTRITIVE ELEMENTAL LEVELS IN THE MEALY-BUG (MACONELLICOCCUS HIRSUTUS)- INFESTED LEAVES OF MULBERRY (MORUS SP.)

摘要

The quality of mulberry leaf supports good growth and development of silkworm larvae. Mulberry leaves are hampered by the various detrimental diseases and pests. The mealy bug is one of the important insect pests of mulberry; its sap sucking nature may alter nutritive levels. An attempt was made to evaluate the macro and micro nutritive elemental levels in the infested leaves. There was a large variation of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, manganese and molybdenum in almost all the varieties. There was a small difference in calcium, sulphur, iron, copper, boron and chloride. However, there was no change in zinc content in all the varieties of infested leaves. Disparity shown in majority of the macro nutrients in almost all the mulberry cultivars leads to variation in their quality. This feature of the leaves may hinder the good growth and development of silkworm, in turns producing low quality and poor yield of silk.