Author(s):

Shahina A Nagoo, ZI Buhroo, Iqra Rafiq, Shabina Majeed, Sabina Naseer and MF Baqual

Abstract: Mulberry is originated in the foothills of Himalayas and later spread to Asia, Africa, America and Europe etc. It belongs to genus Morus and family Moraceae. Mulberry (Morus), a fast-growing deciduous woody tree of the family Moraceae, is grown widely in Asian countries for its leaves to feed the silkworm Bombyx mori, which feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves. Hence, mulberry is one of the most important components that decide the sustainability of this multibillion dollar industry. There are more than 70 countries which produce silk, among which China, India, Vietnam, Uzbekistan, Brazil, Thailand, and Bangladesh are the leaders. Although, the maximum utilization of mulberry is in Asia, this does not mean that mulberry is restricted only to Asian countries. Though, more than 68 species have been widely recognized, the taxonomy of mulberry is still a matter of great dispute and intense research due to the high rate of natural hybridization among the species. Hence, a large number of the so-called species are hybrids and their true taxonomic identity is difficult to deduce properly.

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