Mulberry Silkworm Rearing
(CPT-123) (2+1)

Course Developer:

Dr. Shabir Ahmad Bhat

Assistant Professor (SS)

COTS Mirgund

Dr. Firdose Ahmad Malik

Assistant Professor

COTS Mirgund

Topic 1 - Biology of mulberry silkworm, popular bivoltine and polyvoltine breeds

  • Life cycle and various developmental stages of silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

  • Classification of silkworms based on voltinism.

Topic 2- Rearing House, appliance, disinfection and its importance

  • Rearing house and rearing appliances.

  • Hygrothermic conditions, their role in growth and development of silk worms.

  • Disinfection, methods and its importance.

Topic 3- Incubation of silkworm eggs, black boxing and brushing

  • Incubation of silkworm eggs.

  • Black boxing and its importance.

  • Brushing, types of brushing, their advantages and disadvantages.

Topic 4 - Silkworm rearing -young and late age rearing, environmental conditions, leaf selection, frequency, quantum of feeding, spacing and bed cleaning

  • Young age (chawki) silkworm rearing, care and requirement.

  • Late age silkworm rearing, care and requirement.

  • Environmental and nutritional requirements.

  • Importance of spacing and bed cleaning.

Topic 5 - Moulting, identification of mature worms and care during moulting

  • Moulting process and significance

  • Identification of moulting larvae and care during moulting.

  • Role of environmental condition and hormones during moulting.

Topic 6 - Mounting, identification of mature worms and mountages

  • Maturation of worms and their symptoms and behavior.

  • Identification of matured worms.

  • Mountages, types and their advantages and disadvantage.

Topic 7 - Cocoon harvesting, sorting, assessment of cocoon quality

  • Harvesting and deflossing.

  • Cocoon sorting and assessment.

  • Cocoon quality and role of environment condition on quality papameters.

Topic 8 - Nutritional requirement and their role in silkworm growth, development and silk production. Nutrient deficiency and its impact on silkworm biology, Nutrient supplementation

  • Nutrition and nutritional requirements.

  • Mulberry leaf and its importance in growth and development of silkworms.

  • Nutrient deficiency and its impact.

  • Feed utilization and conversion efficiency.

  • Leaf cocoon ratio

Topic 9 - Artificial diet, composition and its types

  • Artificial diet and types of diet.

  • Composition of artificial diet.

  • Preparation and importance.