Phases of Sericulture: Moriculture and Grainage
Sericulture is fundamentally divided into an agricultural component (growing host plants and rearing caterpillars) and an industrial component (reeling and weaving silk yarn).
Mulberry silk accounts for the vast majority of commercial silk production, complemented by vanya (wild) silks including Tasar, Eri, and Muga.
- Moriculture: Cultivation of high-yielding mulberry varieties (V1, S36) under irrigated conditions to provide succulent, protein-rich leaves
- Grainage (Egg Production): Scientific production of disease-free layings (DFLs) of silkworm moths (Bombyx mori) in certified government grainages
- Non-Mulberry Silks: Muga (golden silk native to Assam), Eri (castor host plant), and Tasar (oak and asan host trees)
Silkworm Rearing and Cocoon Formation
Silkworm larvae hatch from eggs and undergo five developmental instars, feeding voraciously on chopped fresh mulberry leaves over 24 to 28 days.
At the end of the fifth instar, mature larvae climb onto specialized spinning frames (chandrike or mountages) to spin protective silk cocoons.
- Chawki Rearing: Dedicated rearing of delicate 1st and 2nd instar young worms under controlled humidity (80% to 85%) and temperature (26 to 28°C)
- Late-Age Rearing: 3rd to 5th instar worms reared on shoot-feeding racks requiring ample fresh leaf biomass and ventilation
- Cocoon Spinning: Caterpillars extrude liquid fibroin protein coated with sericin gum from salivary spinnerets, spinning a continuous filament of 800 to 1200 meters over 3 days
Cocoon Harvesting, Stifling, and Silk Reeling
Cocoons are harvested on the 5th or 6th day after spinning commences and taken to government-regulated cocoon markets.
To prevent the pupa inside from emerging as a moth and breaking the continuous silk filament, cocoons undergo stifling (hot-air drying or steaming) prior to reeling.
- Stifling: Hot-air drying kills the pupa humanely and dries the cocoon shell for long-term storage without filament damage
- Boiling and Brushing: Cocoons are softened in hot water to dissolve sericin gum and locate the outer silk filament thread
- Reeling: Multi-end or automatic reeling machines unwind filaments from 6 to 8 cocoons simultaneously, twisting them into high-grade raw silk yarn
Official source
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Central Silk Board - Ministry of Textiles ↗Related on KisanPe
Common questions
What plant leaves do commercial silkworms eat?
Commercial silkworms (Bombyx mori) feed exclusively on the fresh leaves of the mulberry plant (Morus alba).
How long does a silkworm take to spin a cocoon?
A mature silkworm takes approximately 48 to 72 hours (2 to 3 days) to completely spin its protective silk cocoon.
What is stifling in the sericulture process?
Stifling is the process of exposing cocoons to hot air or steam to kill the pupa inside, preventing it from emerging as a moth and breaking the continuous silk filament.
General guidance, not personal advice. For your farm, ask your local Krishi Vigyan Kendra or agriculture officer.
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