Question

Write short notes on:

Sericulture

Answer 1

• Sericulture is the rearing of silkworms (moths) for production of silk. 
• Bombyx mori is the most commonly used variety of silkworm for this purpose. 
• The life cycle of silkworm consist of four stages namely egg, larva, pupa and adult.
• Thousands of eggs deposited by female moths are incubated artificially to shorten the incubation period. 
• Larvae hatching out of eggs are released on mulberry plants. 
• Larvae are nourished by feeding on mulberry leaves. 
• After feeding for 3-4 days, larvae move to branches of mulberry plant. 
• The silk thread is formed from the secretion of their salivary glands.
• Larvae spin this thread around themselves to form a cocoon. The cocoon may be spherical in nature.
• Ten days before the pupa turns into an adult, all the cocoons are transferred into boiling water. 
• Due to the boiling water, the pupa dies in the cocoon and silk fibres become loose. 
• These fibres are unwound, processed and reeled. Various kinds of fabric is woven from silk threads.