Detailed Explanation of Paper Mulberry Planting Techniques and Management Methods
Paper mulberry, also known as gou tao shu, gou ru shu, chu shu, etc., is a deciduous tree of the genus Broussonetia in the mulberry family. It has the characteristics of fast growth, strong adaptability, wide distribution, easy propagation, high heat value, and short rotation period. Its root system is shallow, with lateral roots widely distributed. It grows quickly, has strong sprouting and tillering ability, tolerates pruning well, and has strong resistance to pollution. Its cultivation economic value is very high. Let us take a look at the planting techniques of paper mulberry together!
Growth Habits of Paper Mulberry
Paper mulberry can grow on plains, hills, or mountains. It is light-loving, cold-tolerant, drought-tolerant, relatively waterlogging-tolerant, and prefers acidic soil. It can grow normally in calcareous soil and neutral soil, and is tolerant of mild salinity. It can grow normally in mildly saline-alkali soil with a pH of 8.7 and a salt content of 0.2%. It has strong sprouting ability and tolerates pruning. Its root system is relatively shallow and tends to spread by root suckers. It has strong resistance to toxic and harmful gases such as sulfur dioxide, hydrogen fluoride, and chlorine gas.
Propagation Methods of Paper Mulberry
1. Seed collection: Paper mulberry is usually propagated by seeds or cuttings. To overcome the problem of female plants dropping large amounts of juicy fruit when ripe, which affects environmental sanitation, male plants can be used as scions to cultivate grafted seedlings for planting. For seed propagation, collect ripe fruit each October, put them in a bucket and mash them, then rinse with water, remove the residue and liquid to obtain pure seeds, dry them slightly, and store them dry for later use.
2. Nursery site selection: Choose a loamy soil site that is sheltered from wind, sunny, loose and fertile, deep, and not prone to water accumulation as the nursery site. Carry out land preparation and fertilization 1 month before sowing. The depth of land preparation should reach more than 30 cm, and the soil should be fine and level. Apply 150 kg of crushed cake fertilizer or 1000-1200 kg of barnyard manure per mu. The sowing bed is 1.0 m wide, 8-10 cm long, about 15 cm high, and the drainage ditch is 30 cm wide.
3. Sowing time: The sowing time for paper mulberry is generally around mid-to-late March. Before sowing, the seeds must be pre-germinated with wet fine sand. Generally, soak the seeds in clean water for 2-3 hours, remove and dry them, then mix them evenly with fine sand twice the volume of the seeds and pile them indoors for pre-germination. Check regularly and keep moist. When 30% of the seeds have cracked open, they can be sown.
4. Sowing method: Paper mulberry is usually sown in drills with a row spacing of 25 cm, and the general sowing rate is about 0.15 kg per mu. When sowing, mix the seeds and fine sand evenly and spread them into the drill furrows, cover with soil just until the seeds are no longer visible, and after sowing cover with grass to prevent bird damage. At the same time, attention should be paid to moisture retention. When 30-40% of the seedlings emerge, the covering grass should be removed in batches in the afternoon.
Planting Techniques of Paper Mulberry
1. Afforestation density: Paper mulberry afforestation is not restricted by conditions or topography. It can be planted in concentrated contiguous stands or in small available spaces, and can be planted along ditches, ponds, reservoir banks, both sides of streams, and around houses. Planting density varies according to different forest management purposes. Generally, the afforestation density is preferably about 200 plants per mu with a plant spacing of 1.5 m and a row spacing of 2 m. For the purpose of establishing soil and water conservation forests and fuelwood forests, 330-660 plants per mu is suitable for each respectively.
2. Tending and management: Young paper mulberry stands are prone to growing weeds and shrubs, which affect tree growth. In order to make the stand uniform, grow robustly, and improve the yield and quality of the forest, cutting weeds and removing shrubs is necessary work in stand tending and management. It should be carried out 1-2 times per year, and when necessary, intertillage, weeding, and fertilization can be carried out in the stand. In addition, for scattered and mature old trees, timely trunk cutting and renewal should be carried out to promote the sprouting of branches, increase yield per unit area, and also facilitate leaf harvesting and bark collection.
3. Trunk cutting and pruning: When planting paper mulberry, cut the trunk according to needs. Among the new branches, select and retain three branches with robust growth, even distribution, and not on the same trajectory as main branches for training, and remove all other branches. In late autumn, lightly shorten the retained main branches. In the following year, select and retain two branches on each main branch as side branches for training, and in late autumn moderately shorten the side branches. In the third year, select and retain secondary side branches on the side branches. In this way, the basic tree shape is formed.
4. Pest and disease control
① Pests: The pests of paper mulberry include the brown-tail moth, wild silkworm moth, and mulberry longhorn beetle. For the brown-tail moth, black light traps can be used to kill adults. During the larval stage, pollution-free pesticides can be used for control, and 20% diflubenzuron suspension concentrate at 7000 times dilution or 1.2% nicotine matrine at 2000 times dilution can be selected for spraying. For the wild silkworm moth, black light traps can be used to kill adults, and during the larval and adult stages, 20% acetamiprid soluble concentrate at 3000 times dilution can be used for spraying to kill them. For the mulberry longhorn beetle, adults and larvae can be captured manually, and aluminum phosphide can be used for fumigation of larvae inside the trunk.
② Diseases: The common disease of paper mulberry is leaf brown spot disease. This disease is caused by infection by a semi-knowing fungal fungus. In the early stage of the disease, brown spots appear on the leaf surface. As the disease develops, the spots gradually enlarge and connect into patches, ultimately causing the leaves to wither, yellow, and fall early. The peak incidence period is from June to August during high temperature and high humidity. During the disease period, 75% thiophanate-methyl wettable powder at 800 times dilution or 60% zineb wettable powder at 500 times dilution can be sprayed as a mist, once every seven days, and continuous spraying three to four times can effectively control the disease.