Morpho-metric Analysis of Leaf and Fruit of Selected Mulberry Accessions: A Preliminary Measure for Diversity Analysis

Morus spp. exhibits wide variation in leaf morphology among different species and accessions within the same species. Some of the important silent morphological characteristics pertaining to mulberry leaf and fruit have been selected for the current study. Among all the ten selected genotypes ovate leaf shape was recorded to be the most common ones. Maximum leaf size of leaf was recorded in case of genotype S-1635 as 187cm and minimum in case of Kanva-2 as 28cm. Most of the genotypes were recorded with serrated to parted margins except C-4 with parted margin and smooth leaf texture with exceptions of coarse leaf in C-4, Chinese white and C-2038. Two most common types of leaf apex have been recorded as acuminate and acute with cordate, hastate and truncate leaf base. Maximum leaf length was recorded in S-1635 as 17 cm followed by Chakmajra as 15 cm and S-13 as 14 cm and 7 cm was recorded in C-4 and Kanva-2 and maximum in S-1635 as 11cm followed by S-13 and chakmajra as 8 cm and least in G-4 and Kanva-2 as 4 cm. Similarly maximum actual leaf area was recorded in genotype S-1635 as 71 cm2 and minimum in genotype C-2038 as 19.5 cm2. Fresh and dry weight of the leaf was recorded to be maximum in S-1635 as 11.4 g and minimum in Kanva-2 as 3.5 g and V-1 as 5.2 g respectively. In addition to fresh and dry leaf weight, moisture percentage and moisture retention capacity was recorded to be maximum of 72.4% in C-4 and minimum of 54.26% in S-1635 and maximum moisture retention capacity of 64% was recorded for G-4 genotype and minimum of 50% in C-2038. Maximum stomatal frequency was observed to be highest of 156 mm2 was recorded in S-1635 and least in Chinese white as 84 mm2 and stomatal index of 16% in V-1 and least in genotype S-13 as 11.1% and Cystolyth frequency was observed to be highest S-13 as 52% and minimum in genotype C-2038 as 24%. Thus, the current study could be used by plant breeders for genetic characterization and evaluation of different genotypes.