User:Anila/Sandbox

STEPS INVOLVED IN SERICULTURE

INCUBATION The eggs are kept at room temperature (26 degree Celsius) and the humidity level is maintained at 85%-90% for 10 days. The eggs are lemon yellow when laid, they will soon turn darker and later become dark blue. BLACKBOXING It is done just before hatching when eggs turn from cream to blue colour. The next day they are exposed to diffused light so that the larvae hatch uniformly in response to photic stimuli. BRUSHING The process of transferring the newly hatched silkworms to rearing trays is called brushing. They are transferred carefully using feathers. Put paraffin paper on the bottom of the rearing tray.

FEEDING •	Collect fresh, tender, succulent mulberry leaves and chop it into 0.5 to 1.0 sq. cm. •	In the initial stage use the 2nd and 3rd full blown leaves below the glossy leaf and gradually as the worms grows, use medium leaf for feeding the worms. •	During summer, sprinkle water on the leaf and cover with wet gunny cloth. •	Use the leaf plucked in the morning for afternoon and night feeding. •	Use the leaf plucked in the afternoon for morning feeding of the next day. •	Sprinkle the chopped leaves over the hatched larvae on the egg card. •	After 10 minutes, transfer the worm along with the leaves into the rearing tray with a soft feather.

Environmental condition, Spacing and feeding o	Keep 4 nos. wet foam pads around the rearing bed and then cover with another paraffin paper to maintain the required humidity. o	Use ant wells to prevent ant etc. from coming to the rearing bed. o	Maintain optimum temperature and humidity, regulate the spacing and feeding dose for the healthy growth of the silk worms o	Remove the paraffin paper cover and the foam pad from the rearing tray every morning before feeding. o	After ½ to 1 hour, depending upon the drying up of the rearing bed, give fresh feed to the worms maintaining specific bed area and put wet foam pad & paraffin paper as before. o	Always use feather while handling  silkworm. o	Remove the wet foam pad and even the paraffin paper if humidity becomes 90-95% during rainy season.

Bed Cleaning o	Clean the bed once in the 1st instar prior to 1st moult i.e. on 3rd day. o	Clean the bed twice in the 2nd instar, first after resumption of feed after 1st moult and second prior to the settling of worms for 2nd moult.

Moulting and Care

o	Worms settle for 1st moult on the 3-3 1/2day and for 2nd moult on the 2 to 2-21/5day (moulting duration 18 to 20 hours) o	Remove the top paraffin papers and the wet foam pads when the worms start settling for moult. o	Give light feeding till all the worms settle for moulting. o	Reduce bed thickness to give adequate spacing for quick drying of the left over leaf. o	Above steps enable the moulting worms to settle uniformly. o	Resume feeding when above 95% of the worms are out of moult. o	Use tender leaf for the 1st to 2nd feeds after the moult.

WEIGHING OF SILKWORMS After every moult, five larvae are selected randomly and weighed. And their average weight is calculated.

SPINNING The process by which silkworm produces cocoon is called spinning. A spinning apparatus is prepared using cardboard and a strip of thick paper. The strip of paper is stuck on the cardboard in a spiral manner. The larvae are introduced into the spinning apparatus. The cocoon spinning process takes about three days. The silk is actually the hardened silkworm saliva. To create silk silkworms secrete a fluid from its salivary glands that is pushed through special openings called spinnerets present on their lips. The fluid hardens and turns into a thread of silk which the silkworm uses to make the cocoon around its body. The silkworm moves its head in figure 8 patterns as it spins the cocoon. The entire cocoon is made by a single thread which can be around 3000 feet long. REELING The process of unwinding of continuous filaments from cocoon in the form of yarn is known as reeling. STIFLING OF COCOONS It is a method of killing the pupae inside the cocoon without in any case interfering with the structure of silk shell. Cocoons are boiled (with the caterpillar inside) to loosen the silk. Stifling helps to prevent the emergence of adult.

DEFLOSSING The process of removal of floss is called deflossing. Reeling operation A person finds the end of the thread and places it on a winding bobbin. Then a reeling machine unrolls the cocoon, winding the silk from cocoons to make one silk thread.

RAW SILK Raw silk is the silk that contains sericin which protects the silk fibre during processing. Once raw silk is washed out in soap and boiling water, the fabric that is left is soft lustrous and up to 30% lighter. This fabric is usable silk. The amount of usable silk in each cocoon is small and about 2500 silkworms are required to produce a pound of raw silk.

EMERGENCE OF MOTH Prior to the emergence of moth healthy cocoons are selected and preserved in trays. They are kept in a preservation room with cross ventilation. The room should be maintained at a temperature of 25 degree Celsius, relative humidity of 70% -80%, under 12hr light and 12hr dark condition. Complete darkness should be maintained on the previous day of emergence to avoid irregular emergence of moths. Silk moths usually emerge early in the morning.

PAIRING Only healthy and active moths are taken for pairing. After one to two hours of emergence, the male and female moths of respective combinations are allowed for 3.5 to 4 hours of pairing. Females are usually less active than males, they have a fatter abdomen and rest with their tail segments extended, emitting a pheromone to attract male.

DEPAIRING At the time of depairing male and female moths move away sideways so that the moths are separated easily without causing injury to reproductive organs.

LAYING Moths are placed on egg sheet and covered with cellules and kept in dark condition for oviposition. The females will lay eggs in a neat circle within the confines of the cellule. Eggs are yellow when laid .Fertile eggs turn grey. Throughout the process of pairing, depairing and oviposition, optimum temperature of 24- 26 degree Celsius and relative humidity of 70%-80 % should be maintained.