Description of the prior
Foliar feeding is an effective method for correcting deficiencies in leaves and overcoming the
soil inability to transfer nutrients to the plants. In mulberry, chemical fertilizers are usually
applied to maintain and enhance the quality and productivity. Excessive use of insecticides and
fungicides to contain the pests and diseases pose a threat to the mulberry crop as well as the
environment. However, frequent use of chemical fertilizers for a prolonged period not only
deteriorates soil proportion but also affects the availability and uptake of nutrients in plants.
Thus, an alternative approach was necessary for the purpose of enhancing mulberry production
without causing any side effect to mulberry leaf quality and the eco-system.
First time biological based organisms were used for formulation of bio-foliar spray for growth
and productivity of different mulberry varieties. Combination of spirulina, soybean and
vermiwash is not so far has been used as a bio-foliar spray fortmulberry as well as for other
crops. Several efforts have been made to improve the quality of mulberry leaf by the use of
insecticides, fertilizers, better management coupled with variety development and genetic
improvement, but no efforts has so far been made to improve the leaf yield through the
application of bio-foliar spray which is easy to use, required in small quantities and econopical.
Summery and objective of the invention
The objective of present study was to enhance the growth, yield and biochemical content in an
instant available form. BioLfoliar were sprayed on five,different mulberry varieties namely S-1,
S-146, S- 1635, BR-2 and AR-14. In view of this, the present study was initiated to analyze the
effect of'bio-foliar application on growth, yield, .plant nutrients &d biochemical constituents of
- different mulberry varieties.
Description of the invention
Foliar spraying, a technique of feeding plants, involves directly applying the composition in
liquid form to the leaves of the plant. The present disclosure provides methods of increasing
mulberry crop production, comprising administering to a mulberry plant a composition
comprising an effective amount of a purified natural compound to increase the mulberry yield.
Spirulina and soybean were separately air-dried and extracted in ethanol by cold maceration
method. Vermiwash was collected from the vermicompost. After extraction spirulina, soybean
and vermiwash were mixed with double distilled water in 3:2:1 ratio to prepare the different
concentrations viz. 15 ppm, 30 ppm and 45 ppm of bio-foliar spray.
In the early morning fresh prepared bio-foliar formulation of different concentrations was
sprayed on all mulbeny varieties by using Aspee Knapsack Sprayer after 10,20,30 and 40 days
intervals. Bio-foliar efficacy was analyzed on five different mulbeny varieties viz., S-1, S-146,
S-1635, BR-2 and AR-14 for their performance on growth, yield, plant nutrients and biochemical
constituents. Bio-foliar spray was able to enhance growth and productivity (shoot length, no. of
shoot per plant, no. of leaves per plant, leaf area, fresh weight of leaves, leaf yield), plant
nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon, magnesium, calcium, sulk, iron,
manganese, zinc and copper) and biochemical contents (protein, carbohydrates, total chlorophyll,
carotenoids and crude protein) in different mulbeny varieties.
Among all mulberry varieties and treatments, ~ : vla riety was recorded with longest shoot length
(103.13cm) and number of leaves per p l d (399.00) with 45 pprn as compared to other
concentrations. All the treated mulberry varieties have sigificantly higher shoot length and
number of leaves per plkt compared over control.
Number of shoots per plant has increased after bio-foliar application to S-146 variety (30.50) at
45 ppm, where as BR-2 variety showed the largest leaf area (234.07 cm2) and minimum inter
nodal distance was recorded (5.74 cm) at 45 pprn when compared to other concentrations and
control.
Observations revealed that highest fresh weight of leaves (475.86 g), leaf yield per plant (2.15 kg)
and total leaf yield per hectare (51.48 tons) was noticed in BR-2 mulberry variety at 45 pprn
followed by S-1635 variety as compared to 15 and 30 pprn and control. Therefore, the current
study clearly revealed that growth and yield of different mulberry varieties were significantly
enhanced by 45 pprn concentration of bio-foliar formulation.
The biochemical constituents present in the mulberry plants were observed to have high
significant differences among the bio-foliar concentrations and mulberry varieties. Maximum
protein content of 0.523 and 0.555 (mglg) was recorded in 45 pprn concentration of AR-14 and
BR-2 varieties respectively as compared to the rest of the concentrations. The control treatment of
all varieties showed least protein content. Further, it was concluded that carbohydrate content of
mulberry varieties as influenced by bio-foliar spray showed significant results. The highest
carbohydrate content (0.669 and 0.668 mglg) was recorded by S-1635 and BR-2 varieties
respectively with 45 pprn of bio-foliar application.
t
Bio-foliar application exerted significant influence on carotenoids contents. The highest
carotenoids cdntent (0.550 mglg) was observed in BR-2 variety it 45 pprn followed by S-1635
variety, Ghile control treatment of all varieties showed least content of carotenoids. .
The highest total chlorophyll (2.046 mglg) was recorded for AR-14 and BR-2 varieties
respectively at 45 pprn concentration when compared to other concentrations and contrd. .
Chlorophyll was found highly significant with bio-foliar application on different mulberry
varieties at 45 ppm. Crude protein content was also shown to be the highest in BR-2 variety at 45
pprn concentration as compared to control.
Plant nutrients were found highly significant in case of BR-2 mulberry variety with 45 pprn
concentration followed by S-1635 and AR-14 varieties. The control treatments of all the mulberry
varieties have taken least value. Therefore, it is clearly showed that bio-foliar application of 45
pprn concentration was a highly effective treatment for growth and productivity of mulberry and
it was also able to enhance the biochemical constituents of different mulberry varieties without
causing any substantial loss to eco-system.
Table 1: Effect of bio-foliar spray on shoot length (cm)
Mulbeny
Variety
S- 1
S- 146
S-1635
AR- 1 4
BR-2
Mean
Mean
95.35
64.56
87.26
79.19
65.96
78.46
Concentration
1 5ppm
92.20
61.66
8 1.94
77.50
62.40
75.14
30ppm
96.75
64.90
85.28
80.14
65.08
78.43
45ppm
103.13
72.85
100.65
82.5 1
74.28
86.68
Control
89.3 1
58.83
81.17
76.61
62.09
73.60
Table 2: Effect of bio-foliar spray on number of shoots per plant
Table 4: Effect of bio-foliar spray on leaf area (cm2)
. Mulberry
Variety
Table 3: Effect of bio-foliar spray on number of leaves per plant
I Mulberry variety I Concentration
1 I,,, I
.
Mulberry
Variety
S- 1
S-146
S-1635
AR-14
B k-2
Mean
Mean
Concentration
15ppr
1 5ppm
107.30
Mean
352.69
267.75
300.81
217.00
210.13
269.68
Concentration
30ppm
15ppm
340.00
260.75
289.25
2 16.00
- 200.50
261.30
30ppm
115.26
45ppm
30ppm
341.25
270.50
303.25 .
2 18.25
213.75
269.40
45ppm
116.19
'
Control
45ppm
399.00
287.00
325.25
224.25
237.75
294.65
Control
106.36
Control
330.50
252.75
285.50
209.50
188.50
253.35
lVlGillI
1 1 1.28
Table 5: Effect of bio-foliar spray on mulberry leaf yield/plant (kg)
Table 7: Effect of bio-
Variety
Mulberry
Variety
S- 1
5- 146
S-1635
AR- 14
BR-2
Mean
.foliar spray on protein content of mulberry (mg/g)
I Concentration 1
Table 8: Effect of bio-foliar spray on carbohydrate content of mulberry (mg/g)
Mean
1.30
1.43
1.75
1.25
1.79
1.50
Concehtration
/ Mulberry variety I
15ppm
1.18
1.35
1.68
1.22
1.63
1.41
Mean
I Mean
15ppm
30ppm
1.39
1.46
1,79
1.26'
1.75
1.53
30ppm 45ppm Control
45ppm
1.50
1.61
1.93
1.34
2.15
1.70
Mean
0.536
Concentration
Control .
1.14
1.29
1.59
1.19
1.63
1.37
15ppm
0.52 1
30ppm
0.553
45ppm
0.562
Control
0.508
Table 9: Effect of bio-foliar spray on carotenoids of mulbeny(mg/g)
Effect of bio-foliar
BR-2 2.016 2.028 2.046 2.002 2.02
Mean 1.859 1.896 1.903 1.780 1.85.

Claims
1. A composition for the enhancement of the growth parameters, nutritional value and
biochemical composition of mulberry leaves when used as a bio-foliar spray.
2. The composition according to the claim 1 wherein the spirulina, soybean and vefmiwash
is present in a ratio"of 3:2:1.
3. .The method for the treatments of the composition of claim-1.
4. The method accordingly to claim-3 wherein the composition is applied through foliar
sprays.
5. The composition according to claim-1 wherein the spirulina is selected from culture
method of algae.
6. The composition according to claim-1 wherein the duration of the treatments is 30 to 40
days.