Economic Importance of Mulberry

Mulberry plants are widely recognized for centuries as a food plant for mori silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) in order to produce the mori silk (Datta 2000; Vijayan 2010; Vijayan et al. 2011). Monophagous silkworm larvae utilize high moisture and biochemical contents of mulberry leaf and produce quality cocoons which have been and are utilized in making high-quality commercial silk products (Absar et al. 2005). There is high correlation between content of protein in mulberry leaves and quality of cocoon produced (Machii et al. 2002). Mulberry leaf proteins are mainly composed of amino acids like valine, histidine, glycine, threonine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, methionine, leucine, lysine, and arginine (Coto 1996; Chan et al. 2016; Rohela et al. 2020). These amino acids are required for the growth of silkworm larvae and for production of silk proteins (seresin and fibroin) of cocoon and overall for quality cocoon production (Chan et al. 2016).