Propagation of Mulberry and Production

The information published in different sources has revealed that the domestication of the mulberry tree occurred in China sometime earlier than 2200 BC. It then spread to other countries and is currently cultivated almost all over the globe, in particular, the Asian countries (Vijayan et al. 2018). Although the main purpose of mulberry cultivation is the use of mulberry leaves in silkworm breeding, recently it is being cultivated potentially for its fruit (Vijayan et al. 2018). Although many Morus species are wild, a few Morus species, primarily M. alba, are used for commercial purposes including M. nigra, M. indica, and M. rubra as well. In China, approximately more than 1000 cultivated varieties of the mulberry tree are known, and the reason for such a diversity is its economic importance. Many studies are being carried out to develop high-yielding mulberry varieties (Table 6.1) (Vijayan et al. 2012, 2018).