Scientific stages of the silkworm life cycle
- Egg (Seed): Disease-free layings (DFLs) produced at certified grainages are incubated at 25°C and 80% relative humidity until hatching.
- Larva (Caterpillar): Silkworm larvae feed voraciously on fresh leaves through five larval instars, moulting four times over 24 to 28 days.
- Pupa (Cocoon spinning): Mature fifth-instar larvae spin protective silk cocoons over 2 to 3 days using their paired sericterium salivary glands.
- Adult (Moth): If left unharvested, the pupa metamorphoses into a moth and breaks out of the cocoon, cutting continuous silk filaments.
Moriculture and leaf quality management
- Mulberry farming (Moriculture): Cultivating high-yielding mulberry varieties (such as V1, G4, and S36) with balanced irrigation and fertilization.
- Leaf nutrition: Succulent, nutrient-rich mulberry leaves containing high moisture and crude protein ensure healthy larval growth and high shell weight.
- Rearing house hygiene: Rigorous disinfection with bleaching powder and formalin prevents lethal silkworm diseases like Grasserie, Flacherie, and Pebrine.
Post-cocoon processing and silk reeling
- Stifling: Harvested cocoons are treated with steam or hot air to kill the pupae inside without breaking the continuous silk filament.
- Cooking and reeling: Cocoons are softened in hot water, and microscopic filaments from 6 to 10 cocoons are reeled together into raw silk yarn.
- Supported by the Central Silk Board under the Ministry of Textiles via training and infrastructure subsidies.
Official source
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Central Silk Board (Ministry of Textiles) ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What is the primary product of sericulture?
Natural raw silk filament harvested from protective silkworm cocoons.
What is moriculture in sericulture?
Moriculture is the agricultural cultivation of mulberry host plants to feed silkworm larvae.
Why are cocoons stifled before reeling?
To kill the pupa inside before it emerges as a moth and cuts the continuous silk filament.
How many days does a silkworm larva feed before spinning a cocoon?
Silkworm larvae feed for approximately 24 to 28 days through five growth stages (instars).
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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