Articles
Sustainable mulberry (Morus spp.) production in Turkey
Article number
1401_15
Pages
103 – 106
Language
English
Abstract
Mulberry (Morus spp.), which is generally grown in temperate and subtropical regions of the northern hemisphere, belongs to the Morus genus of the Moraceae family of the Urticales order.
In Turkey, there are three main mulberry species, including Morus alba (white mulberry), M. nigra (black mulberry) and M. rubra (red or purple mulberry), which are widely grown.
Although Turkey, whose fruit culture dates back to ancient times, is one of the homelands and natural distribution areas of mulberry.
However this genetic potential has not been adequately evaluated.
Many genotypes, which have very superior characteristics in terms of fruit quality, have been destroyed by cutting only to benefit from their timber.
For this reason, while Turkey had about 5 million mulberry trees and around 100,000 t of production in the 1970s, today these figures are; tt has decreased to 3 million mulberry trees and 60,000 t of production.
Today, mulberry has an important potential thanks to the nutritive properties of its processed products as well as its fresh consumption.
In the regions where it is grown, dozens of products such as molasses, jam, fruit pulp, mulberry paste, dried mulberry, fruit ice cream, vinegar, fruit juice concentrate and spirit are made.
In particular, black mulberry juice has become a very common drink in recent years and has become a sought-after fruit.
Although mulberry is a fruit that is loved and eaten, its fruit is very soft, so its cold storage period is very short.
Therefore, it is a fruit whose fresh consumption is limited only to the harvest period.
However, especially black mulberries can be stored in cold storage for a month or in deep freezers for a long time.
This situation can provide an advantage for the industrial processing of black mulberries.
Mulberries are also suitable for sustainable production due to pest and disease resistance.
In Turkey, there are three main mulberry species, including Morus alba (white mulberry), M. nigra (black mulberry) and M. rubra (red or purple mulberry), which are widely grown.
Although Turkey, whose fruit culture dates back to ancient times, is one of the homelands and natural distribution areas of mulberry.
However this genetic potential has not been adequately evaluated.
Many genotypes, which have very superior characteristics in terms of fruit quality, have been destroyed by cutting only to benefit from their timber.
For this reason, while Turkey had about 5 million mulberry trees and around 100,000 t of production in the 1970s, today these figures are; tt has decreased to 3 million mulberry trees and 60,000 t of production.
Today, mulberry has an important potential thanks to the nutritive properties of its processed products as well as its fresh consumption.
In the regions where it is grown, dozens of products such as molasses, jam, fruit pulp, mulberry paste, dried mulberry, fruit ice cream, vinegar, fruit juice concentrate and spirit are made.
In particular, black mulberry juice has become a very common drink in recent years and has become a sought-after fruit.
Although mulberry is a fruit that is loved and eaten, its fruit is very soft, so its cold storage period is very short.
Therefore, it is a fruit whose fresh consumption is limited only to the harvest period.
However, especially black mulberries can be stored in cold storage for a month or in deep freezers for a long time.
This situation can provide an advantage for the industrial processing of black mulberries.
Mulberries are also suitable for sustainable production due to pest and disease resistance.
Authors
G. Ilhan, S. Ercisli
Keywords
mulberry, Morus spp., diversity, sustainablity
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