Nutrient use efficiency in mulberry: Advances in nano-fertilizers, biofertilizers, and agronomic practices

Nutrient use efficiency (NUE) in mulberry (Morus spp.) has emerged as a critical determinant of sericulture sustainability, influencing both leaf nutritional quality and cocoon productivity. Conventional fertilizer regimes, while productive in the short term, are increasingly constrained by nutrient imbalances, soil degradation, and environmental losses. Recent innovations provide a multi-dimensional framework for improving NUE in mulberry systems. Nano-fertilizers enable slow release and targeted nutrient delivery, reducing leaching and synchronizing supply with plant demand. Biofertilizers and microbial inoculants improve nutrient solubilization, uptake, and stress tolerance, offering biological routes to reduce chemical dependence. Integrated nutrient management (INM) approaches further combine conventional fertilizers, organic manures, and biofertilizers to balance productivity with soil health. Agronomic interventions—including optimized irrigation and fertigation, strategic pruning and harvesting, and soil amendments such as compost, biochar, and recycled sericulture waste—create synergies that enhance nutrient availability and leaf quality. Future prospects point toward convergence of nano-technologies, microbial consortia, and precision agronomy, supported by robust field trials, standardized regulatory pathways, and farmer-participatory models. Together, these approaches can significantly raise NUE, improve silk yield and quality, and lower the environmental footprint of sericulture.