Biochar in Mulberry Cultivation: Boosting Soil Health, Leaf Yield and Silkworm Performance

Biochar — a stable, carbon-rich product from pyrolysis of biomass — is increasingly proposed as a soil amendment to improve soil fertility, water retention, and crop productivity while sequestering carbon. Mulberry (Morus spp.) is the sole food source of the mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori) and a key crop in sericulture; small changes in leaf yield or quality strongly affect cocoon production and farm incomes. This review synthesizes current knowledge about effect of biochar from mulberry- and other feedstocks, on mulberry growth, soil physico-chemical and biological properties in mulberry gardens, impacts on silkworm performance reported from field and pot experiments, practical application rates, methods tested, and mechanisms of action.