T.Y.BSc SEMESTER V HORTICULTURE UNIT: I SERICULTURE By Mr. Vinodkumar Kushwaha Department of Botany SATISH PRADHAN DNYANASADHANA COLLEGE, THANE (W)

SERICULTURE

Sericulture:- “Cultivation of silkworms which finally produces SILK.” Importance of silk: Most elegant textile naturally produced animal fibre. Known as “Queen of textiles” Bcoz , high absorbance,light weight, soft touch,high durability. Low capital intesive.

The silk worm have unique lifecycles. Their life cycles consist of four stages: egg larva: silkworm pupa: cocoon silk moth

First Stage: Egg 1st stage of silkworm’s life cycle. Size of egg is about ink dot. Egg remains dormant until spring arrives

Second Stage: Larva Size increase upto 1/8th of an inch & extremely hairy. They feed tender mulberry leaves & tough leaves Larval stage is about 27 day they sheds their hair and gains smooth skin.

Third Stage: Pupa In this stage larva spina silk threads round it, to protect it self from predators. Colour of pupa depend upon what the silkworm eats. It can range from white to golden yellow. They take 2-3 weeks for pupa into adult moth.

Fourth Stage: Silk Moth Once adult moth comes out from pupa ,and find a member of opposite sex for mating. Males larger then female and more active. Flap their wings to attract female. within 24 hrs of mating ,male moth dies, female lays eggs, after she dies as well.

Begin Again! Silk moth lay eggs to start the lifecycle again.

TYPES OF SILK WITH HOST PLANT Mulberry Silk- Mulberry plant 90% 0f silk obtained from mulberry plant.

Non Mulberry Silk- 1. Tasar Silk – Asan, Arjun leaves 2.Eri silk- castor leaves 3.Muga silk- Som and Soalu leaves 4.Coan Silk-Pine, cypress,Juniper,oak leaves castor leaves Arjun leaves

Pine tree Som tree

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