Elevated Potassium Enhances Leaf Productivity and Suppresses Foliar Diseases of Mulberry Plant

Potassium (K) may enhance productivity and suppresses foliar diseases of mulberry plant. Existing optimum dose of K for mulberry cultivation need to be updated for suppress foliar disease and improve mulberry plant productivity. This study was conducted to renew the optimum dose of K for mulberry cultivation with respect to the ages of mulberry plant. Therefore, a field study was conducted in split plot design with three replications at Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute (BSTRI), Rajshahi, Bangladesh to find out the effect of elevated K and ages of plant on growth, leaf yield, leaf quality, nutrient uptake and infestation of foliar diseases of mulberry plant. Six levels of K (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 kg/ha/yr) along with BSRTI recommended basal doses of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) were applied on two age group of plant viz- (0-5) years and (6-10) years. Result showed that the highest leaf yield 47.10 mt ha -1 year -1 for 6-10 year’s plant at the treatment of T5 (N300P150K150 kg ha -1 year -1). This indicatedleaf yield 175.44% greater over the control but 22.69% higher than the 0-5 year’s plant. Similarly, the maximum leaf quality viz- moisture, reducing sugar, total mineral, total sugar, soluble carbohydrate and crude protein were obtained in (6-10) year’s plant for the same treatments which were 13.82%, 23.47%, 29.96%, 20.57%, 39.58% and 30.69% respectively greater over the control. Furthermore, the average incidence percentages of foliar diseases like leaf spot, tukra and powdery mildew were reduced by 42.34%, 58.02% and 82.96% respectively in (6-10) years plant due to the elevated doses of K like as 150 kg, 90 kg and 60 kg/ha/yr respectively with BSRTI recommended doses of N and P over the control. This findings indicated that the use of 150 kg potassium ha -1 year -1 had better performance on the leaf yield and quality of mulberry plant. Therefore, the application of 150 kg potassium ha -1 year -1 with BSRTI recommended dose of N and P both for (0-5) and (6-10) year’s ages of mulberry plant cultivation is the best options for higher leaf yield and quality whereas 150 kg, 90 kg and 60 kg potassium ha -1 year -1 respectively are better for controlling of leaf spot, tukra and powdery mildew diseases.