Species Test of Morus alba and Morus cathayana in Indonesia

Abstract

Mulberry plants have been cultivated for a long time ago. It is being grown for the supply of silkworms. Mulberry cultivation as a silkworms feeds in Indonesia increases because mulberry plants have many benefits, including leaves and fruit as animal feed, tea production, and pharmaceuticals. This study aims to select the right Mulberry species for silkworms cultivation in Indonesia. The study was conducted at BPTH Bali, Cianjur Natural Silk Nursery (West Java), and East Kutai Agricultural Nursery (East Kalimantan). The method used with Randomized Block Design (RBD) consists of mulberry type treatments (Morus alba and Morus cathayana) with the provision of growth regulators (Rootone F). The research results from 3 mulberry species locations studied showed that M. alba showed an optimal growth in West Java, Bali, and East Kalimantan. The results showed that M. alba species had a growth percentage (95%), shoots length (height) (80 cm), stem diameter (0.82 cm), number of shoots (4 branches), and number of leaves (20 strands). Where M. cathayana growth percentage (90%), shoots length (height (76 cm), stem diameter (0.75 cm), number of shoots (3 branches), and number of leaves (18 strands). Overall, M. alba and M. cathayana are the types used to manage silkworms in Indonesia. The best mulberries type of the whole parameter is M. albafrom West Java region.