Species test of Mulberry plants on agroforestry land for silk yarn quality improvement in Bali

Abstract

Mulberry plants are tested on agroforestry land because of its well adaptation. The agroforestry model is a combination of sengon (Falcataria moluccana) and mulberry (Morus sp.) plants. The selected mulberry plants consisted of three species, namely M. alba, M. cathayana and M. nigra. The study objective was to determine the best mulberry species leaves as silkworm feed to produce quality cocoons on agroforestry area in Bali. The test was carried out in a complete randomized design (CRD) with the species treatment of M. alba, M. cathayana and M. nigra. It consists of three replications each. Each replication consists of 100 silkworms. The variables observed in this study were cocoon quality and thread/fibber including the percentage of larvae which become a cocoon, the percentage of normal cocoon, cocoon weight, cocoon skin weight, ratio of cocoon skin and fiber length. The results showed that the maintenance rendement (%) was M. alba (70%), M. cathayana (62,0) and M. nigra (60,5), weight of cocoon (g), was M. alba (1,47), M. cathayana (1.53) and M. nigra (1.41), Weight of filaments (mg) namely M. alba (30,12), M. cathayana (25,35) and M. nigra (26,25 ), and the rolling strength of silk thread, namely M. alba (97.45), M. cathayana (74.11) and M. nigra (69.27). M. alba, M. nigra and M. cathayana mulberry leaf species grown from agroforestry patterns can be used to feed silkworms. The mulberry cropping pattern type both monoculture and agroforestry did not show a significant difference in the silkworm cocoons quality and quantity. The highest maintenance rendement is silkworm fed by M. alba, second is M. cathayana and third M. nigra. M. nigra and M. cathayana compared to M. alba did not show significant differences in cocoon weight, cocoon skin weight, percentage of filaments and rolling strength of silkyarn.