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Central Silk Board, Minisitry of Textiles, Government of India, Bangalore
Mayurbhanj, Odisha

Techniques of Rearing Silkworm

Rearing of Eri Silkworm

Rearing room:

Rearing should be conducted in well ventilated and fly proof rearing room with 4ft. all around verandah.

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Disinfection
  • Wash the rearing room and appliances with 0.05% bleaching powder solution before rearing.
  • Keep the appliances inside the rearing room and seal the cracks on the walls of the room.
  • Fumigate with 5% formaldehyde solution under high humid condition.
  • Open the room after 24 hours.
  • Disinfect the rearing house at least 3 days before and soon after the rearing.
Races:

Borduar white, Genang local, Nongpoh pale cream, Kokrajhar red.

Season:

Rearing can be conducted throughout the year except in dry/hot weather.

Egg incubation:

Incubate the dfls at 24-26 0C and 80-90% relative humidity.

Brushing
  • Wash hands with 2% formalin solution and then with water.
  • Brush newly hatched worms on tender leaves during morning hours.
  • Rear maximum 300 nos. of 5th instar worms per 3 ft. x 3 ft. diameter tray.
Feeding
  • Feed 1st instar worms on tender, 3rd and 4th instar on semi-matured and 5th instar on matured leaves.
  • Feed the worms 5 times a day with castor or kesseru leaves.

Bed cleaning:

Resort to bed cleaning daily.

Ripe worm collection
  • Ripe worms become yellowish white and start roaming for selection of site for cocoon formation.
  • While picking up the matured worms and rubbing in between fingers, a sound of hollowness is produced. Such worms are collected and put to cocooning mountages (Chandrakaies).

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Source:

1. Package of practices of Muga, Eri and Mulberry Sericulture for North Eastern region of India, 2005, Central Muga Eri Research & Training Institute, Lahdoigarh, Jorhat, Assam.

2. Directory of Sericulture Technology 2008, Karnataka State Sericulture Research and Development Institute, Bangalore- 560 062.