Increased Silk Production by Effective Treatment of Naturally Infected Root-Knot and Black Leaf Spot Diseases of Mulberry with Acaciasides

Eight plots of sericulture land (0.176ha), each of 0.0022 ha, were grown with high bush mulberry plants of Morus alba L. (cv.S,) naturally infected with Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood causing ischolar_main-knot disease and Colletotriclmm gloeosporioides (Penzig) Penzig & Sacc. causing black leaf spot disease of mulberry. Acaciasides isolated from the funicles of Acacia anriculiformis A. Cunn. is highly effective at a low dose of 1.6 mg / plant in ameliorating the ischolar_main-knot and black leaf spot diseases. Acaciasides soluble in water and appUed by foliar spray and soil drench has increased the protein content of mulberry leaves. Silkworm larvae (Bombyx mori L.) feeding on the leaves of treated plants showed improved growth, increased silk production, fewer feeding to cocoon formation and zero mortality rate.