Greenhouse Plant Production Journal
Quarterly

Comparison of Leaf Yield and Quality in Mulberry (Morus alba L.) Cultivars under Soil-Based and Soilless Greenhouse Cultivation

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Behbood Alizadeh 1
Jamal-Ali Olfati 2
Reza Sourati 3
Davood Bakhshi 4

1 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran. I.R.

2 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan

3 National Sericulture Research Center, Rasht, Iran. I.R.

4 Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

https://doi.org/10.61882/gppj.3.1.43
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare the yield and leaf quality of three mulberry cultivars (Kenmochi, Ichinose, and Kanz) under soil-based and hydroponic cultivation systems in the research greenhouse of the University of Guilan. The experiment was arranged as a completely randomized design in factorial (2*3) arrangement. Two cultivation system (soil vs. soilless) and three mulberry cultivar (Kenmochi, Kanz, Ichinose) were evaluated in the present study. Each treatment was replicated four times, with four seedlings per treatment. Data were collected across three harvests and subjected to statistical analysis. Results indicated that the soil-based system was superior in volumetric traits (fresh leaf weight, leaf number, leaf area, and total dry weight). In contrast, the hydroponic system significantly improved leaf quality indices and water use efficiency. The highest nitrogen (10.4%) and protein content (25.63%) were recorded in Kanz under hydroponic cultivation. Ichinose maintained leaf quality under hydroponics without notable yield reduction, whereas Kanz exhibited the highest quantitative performance in soil. Kenmochi provided a balanced combination of leaf quality and growth stability under hydroponics. A key finding revealed that hydroponic cultivation enhanced water use efficiency by 36.7% compared to soil-based cultivation. Overall, hydroponics, combined with appropriate cultivar selection (Kanz for superior nutritional quality and Kenmochi for stability), represents the optimal approach for producing high-quality leaves with improved water efficiency for silkworm feeding. This study offers a practical model for advancing toward smart and sustainable agriculture in the sericulture industry.

Keywords

Silkworm
leaf quality
Ichinose
Kanz
Kenmochi
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Greenhouse Plant Production Journal
Volume 3, Issue 1
Winter 2026
Pages 43-59

  • Receive Date 01 December 2025
  • Revise Date 15 January 2026
  • Accept Date 01 February 2026
  • First Publish Date 01 February 2026
  • Publish Date 01 March 2026

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