Changes in mineral constitutents during leaf senescence in a sericultural Crop-morus alba L.

An attempt has been made to study the changes in the levels of various mineral constituents during leaf senescence in the three improved cultivars of mulberry (Morus alba L.) viz. M5 (K₂), V₁ and S₃₆. The leaf senescence was found to be accompanied by decline in the levels of potassium, iron, zinc, copper and aluminium. At the same time increase in the contents of divalent cations, calcium magnesium and micronutrient manganese was evident in the senescent leves. The general trend of alteration in ionic balance in the leaf tissue was similar in case of all the three cultivars although the magnitude of alterations in the three cultivars varied.