Sericulture

INTRODUCTION :

Sericulture is the art and technology of raising silkworms for the production of raw silk. The word Sericulture is derived from the Greek word Sericos (meaning silk) and the English word Culture (meaning Rearing).There are several species of silkworms but the most extensively studied silkworm is Bombyx mori. It is an agro based cottage industry, but each person involved in it must have some technical knowledge about it. It requires enough patience, ability to adapt to new scientific development, etc.

STAGES INVOLVED IN THE LIFE CYCLE OF SILKWORM :

There are mainly four stages :

• Egg
• Larva / Silkworm
• Pupa
• Adult silk moth

STEPS INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION OF RAW SILK :

The silk moth lay thousands of eggs at a time. The eggs hatches out into Larvae or Caterpillar which feeds continuously on Mulberry leaves. Then after a month the silkworm stops feeding and starts to secrete silk fibre in the form of eight shape all around its body. Now the silkworm gets enclosed in a covering called Pupa. in about two to three days. After a weeks time the Pupa breaks the cocoon and come out as Adult silk moth. But to get continuous silk filament the cocoons are boiled and strands are collected which are then rolled into yarn. Yarns are then processed in factories to get silk clothes.

Silkworm feeding on Mulberry leaves

Adult silk moth laying eggs