Mulberry being perennial in nature cultivated as seasonal crop for its foliage to feed silkworm demands huge amounts of organic (@20MT/ha/yr farmyard manure) and inorganic inputs (NPK @350:140:140kg/ha/yr). However, sustainable level of crop productivity management, keeping soil health safe and preventing ever growing chemical pollution of soils has become priority of any farming. Keeping the above objective in concern, a field experiment was carried out at Regional Seri cultural Research Station, Kodathi, Bangalore during 2009-2011 to evaluate the impact of organic manures (FYM, Vermicompost, biofertilizers (NFBs & PSBs) combined with vermicast wash and panchagavya spray on the plant growth, yield, cocoon production and crop protection. A total of 10 mulberry harvests and a single crop of bioassay with silkworm rearing were done. Pooled data of two years revealed that foliar application of 7% vermicast wash along with soil application of 50% N+P+20kg Seriazo+25kg Seriphos biofertilizers+10MT FYM+5MT vermicompost/ha/yr, respectively has recorded significantly increased levels of mulberry leaf (10,977.9kg/ha/crop) compared with no foliar spray of vermicast (9,869.7kg/ha/crop). However, the yield level was not significantly differed compared to the recommended dose of NPK @350:140:140kg and 20MT FYM/ha/yr (10,656kg/ha/crop). Further, increased level total chlorophylls and decreased level of mulberry pests was also noticed in the said treatment. No marked variation was noticed in case of bioassay of silkworm due to various combinations of treatments. Further, minimal levels of pest infestation were also noticed in the foliar sprayed plots with VC & PG. From the results it is evident that filtrates of vermicompost and Panchagavya offer a valuable resource which could be effectively exploited for quality and enhanced mulberry leaf production and protection.
