Mulberry (Morus Spp.) Genetic Diversity, Conservation and Management

Abstract

Mulberry is a perennial tree being cultivated for sericulture purposes besides being used for multipurposes such as fruit, timber, etc. So far 68 species have been recognized; only a few species such as M. alba, M. bombycis, M. indica, M. latifolia and M. multicaulis are cultivated for foliage and M. nigra for fruit. The remaining species along with several landraces of the cultivated species are considered wild, which were largely neglected. As the arable land area is reducing due to urbanization and human interference, it is necessary to utilize the available land optimally for conservation of genetic resources by adopting established practices of conservation and management. The climate change is another major threat to biological systems and it needs proper adoption of multidisciplinary approaches to mitigate it. In India, four species of mulberry have been reported and described briefly in this chapter including cultivated and wild collections. Two species are endemic to higher altitude of Himalayan belt and are used for sericulture as well as other uses such as timber, fruit, etc. Mulberry is conserved in a traditional way, but in recent times, modern methods are also adopted to maintain the variation in cultivated and wild species in different countries including India. The methods are applied depending on the materials and its uses.