Relation Between the Growth Habitat and the Leaf Quality of Cultivated Mulberry Plants

뽕나무의 생육특성과 엽질과의 관계

Mulberry plants cultivated in mid-Korea were studied on the growth habitat, canopy type, productive structure and vertical light intensity in relation to the quality of mulberry leaves for sericulture. The growth in length of new branch of summer cut mulberry in spring was vigorous on the uppermost of old shoot. Numbers of leaves on a branch were barely 4 leaves on lower than 20th branch from base, but those were 13 leaves on higher than 24th branch. Area of leaves completely expanded was broad on high branch, but narrow on low one. The form of canopy, the type of productive structure and the vertical light distribution depend upon varieties of cultivated mulberry plants were classified according to characteristic of each variety in two groups, respectively; globular and columnar form in canopy, broad leaves and narrow leaves types in productive structure, and seriously obstructured the light and fairly transmitted the light into lower leaf stratum invertical light distribution. Out of varieties of mulberry investigated, Suwon No. 4 and Rosang were belong to the former characters, but Illchiroe and Kaeryangsubun were to the latters. The values of leaf dry matter index and dry matter production produced by leaves were increased in direct proportion to the height of leaf stratum; the leaf dry matter index of the uppermost leaf was twice as much that of the lowest, and the dry matter production by the highest leaf was 17 times compared with that by the lowest leaf. It is assumed that the meagre leaves occurred in the lower leaf stratum of Suwon No. 4 and Rosang were caused to diminished the dry matter index and dry matter production in the under leaves of plant, which were affected by receiving the weak light.