Studies on different formulations of organic growth promoter for mulberry cuttings

Organic growth promoters plays an important role in building up soil fertility, increasing the moisture holding capacity and enhancing the growth of micro-organisms in the soil. Mulberry prefers almost neutral soil reaction for its luxuriant growth. Organic fertiliser is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and other plant nutrition elements as well as organic material, which has a positive effect on soil properties. The study aimed to determine the effect of organic growth promoters with different formulations on the growth and development of mulberry cuttings. Stem cuttings of Morus indica were treated with pellets (20, 40, 50 and 60 g/plant), topical application (20, 40, 50 and 60 ml/plant) and soil application (20, 40, 50 and 60 ml/plant). The experiment was conducted with 4 replications, and it follows Factorial Completely Randomised Design (FCRD). The data collected from the experiment were statistically analysed using AGRESS at a probability level of 5 per cent. Results showed that, among all the treatments, growth parameters such as highest rooting percentage (75%), high survival rate (90%), longest root length (53.29 cm), huge microbial population (79x106), highest plant height (77.72 cm), widest leaf area (173.01 cm2) and highest number of leaves (23.50) were observed in the cuttings treated with T1P1 (20 g pellet/plant). It is concluded that organic growth promoter in pellet form at a rate of 20 g/plant highly improves both the root and shoot parameters of mulberry cuttings and also increases the microbial population in the rhizosphere region. These growth promoter pellets can be recommended for producing good quality mulberry saplings.