EFFECTS OF PLODY ON MORPHOLOGY, LEAF ANATOMY AND PROPAGATION EFFICIENCY IN MULBERRY (MORUS SP.)

Mulberry (Morus sp.) foliage are the source of nutrients for silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) rearing. It is basically a diploid plant with 28 chromosomes (2n=28) have differences in ploidy due to its high heterozygous nature. Morphology, leaf anatomical study and propagation efficiency at diploid, triploid and tetraploid of mulberry showed significant differences. Among different ploidy levels, triploid were found better than diploid and tetraploid. Thickness of upper and lower cuticle was significantly lower in triploid (6.21; 4.51 um) than the tetraploid (10.65; 6.64 um) and the diploid (6.29; 5.39 um). Thickness of upper and lower epidermis was higher in triploid (26.73; 18.15 um) than the tetraploid (24.64; 14.19 um) and diploid (22.11; 10.56 um respectively). Palisade and spongy parenchyma cells showed significantly higher values in tetraploid (71.06; 59.18 um) followed by triploid (43.23; 40.48 um and diploid (37.84; 35.68 pum respectively). The characters namely tickness of cuticle, epidermis, palisade and spongy parenchyma cells and the size of stomata of mulberry leaf are influenced with the levels of ploidy, where thickness of cuticle, palisade and spongy parenchyma cells may be considered as indicators for identification of ploidy, as these parameters showed positive with the increase of ploidy levels. In propagation study, number of roots /plant, root area (cm), root length (cm), root hair Zone (cm), root volume (cm3/litre), fresh wt. (g) and dry wt. (g) of root showed significantly higher in triploid than the tetraploid but was at par with the diploid indicate the superiority of triploid variety. Moreover, cuttings obtained from the base of the mulberry shoots ensure higher survival.