This document discusses sericulture, the production of raw silk by raising silkworms. It provides definitions of sericulture and describes the history and origins of silk production in China and its introduction to India. It discusses the various species of silkworm used, including Bombyx mori, and the different types of silk produced. The stages of silk production from egg laying to cocoon harvesting are outlined. Common silkworm diseases and their management are also covered. Finally, it provides an overview of tools and materials used, the distribution and production of silk globally, and the advantages and disadvantages of silk.

1. Sericulture Slideshare
Rohit Barmate
Bsc. Agriculture Honours
University - IGKV Raipur CG. – 492006
Saheed Gundadhur College of Agriculture & Research Station KUMRAWAND, Jagdalpur,
Bastar Chhattisgarh – 494001.

2. Welcome

3. Contents
 Tools and materialsericulture definition
 History
 Silkworm
 Species of Silkworm
 Types of silk
 Silkworm species distribution
 Sericulture – stages of production
 Silkworm life cycle
 Disease and pest
 Management
 Toils and materials
 Technical division
 Rearing of silk
 Distribution of silk industry
 CSB
 Production
 Advantages of silk
 Disadvantages of silk

4. Sericulture:- definition
 The production of raw silk by raising silkworms.
 The production of silk and the rearing of silkworms for this purpose.
 Sericulture, or silk farming, is the cultivation of silkworms to produce silk.
Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, Bombyx mori (the
caterpillar of the domestic silkmoth) is the most widely used and intensively
studied silkworm.

5. History:-
 There is no authentic information regarding the origin and use of silk. The ancient literature gives
two views. According to one view, silk industry originated for the first time in India at the foot of
the Himalayas, and from there it spread to other countries of the world.
 The production of silk originated in Neolithic period China within the Yangshao culture (4th
millennium BC).
 Introduced sericulture in-
 World First- China
 According to Chinese legend, silk was first discovered in 2640 BC by Xilingji (Hsi-ling-chi), the 14-
year-old wife of China’s third emperor, Huangdi (Huang-Ti).
 India- Vishveshwaraiah(1913).
 Vishveshwaraiah, gave much importance to Sericulture in rural development. He hired the
services of Signor Washington Mari from Italy to organize and develop the silk industry in Mysore
in 1913. He made available 12 varieties of pure European and Chinese silkworm to conduct
experiments in Mysore State (now Karnataka).

6. Silkworm:-
 The silkworm is the larva( the active immature form of an insect)or caterpillar of the Bombyx
mori moth.
 A silkworm is the young form of a Chinese moth and it produces silk.
 Larva of a saturniid moth; spins a large amount of strong silk in constructing its
cocoon

7. Silkworm – Bombyx mori

8. Species of Silkworm
 Mulberry silkworm
 Tasar silkworm
 Muga silkworm
 Eri silkworm
 Oak silkworm
 Gaint silkworm

9. Types of silk
 Tasar – Old and Traditional silk; Rural areas
 Eri – Eastern parts of India
 Mulberry – Non traditional silk
 Muga – Golden silk

10. Order - Lepidoptera

11. Caterpillar

12. Differential silk

13. Caterpillar

14. Mulberry leaves

15. Silkworm Species Discription

16. Sericulture – stages of production
 The stages of production are as follows:-
 1-The silk moth lays thousands of eggs.
 2-The silk moth eggs hatch to form larvae or caterpillars, known as silkworms.
 3-The larvae feed on mulberry leaves.
 4-Having grown and moulted several times silkworm weaves a net to hold itself
 5-It swings its head from side to side in a figure '8' distributing the salivar that will form
silk.
 6-The silk solidifies when it contacts the air
 7-The silkworm spins approximately one mile of filament and completely encloses itself in
a cocoon in about two or three days. The amount of usable quality silk in each cocoon is
small. As a result, about 2500 silkworms are required to produce a pound of raw silk)
 8-The silk is obtained by brushing the undamaged cocoon to find the outside end of the
filament.
 9-The silk filaments are then wound on a reel. One cocoon contains approximately 1,000
yards of silk filament. The silk at this stage is known as raw silk. One thread comprises up
to 48 individual silk filaments.

17. Bombex mori

20. Disease Management of silkworm
 Practice disinfection of rearing appliances before use.
 During rearing, test the faecal matters, unequal/ lethargic/ unsettled/ irregular
moulters periodically.
 If pebrine spores are detected, reject the entire infected crop.
 Ensure the measures for destruction of diseased silkworm
larvae/cocoons/moths/eggs.

21. Pest management
 1. Uzi fly –
 Physical (using uzi trap)
 Biological
 Release Nesolynx thymus (a pupal parasitoid of the uzi fly) inside rearing house
on 2nd day of V instar.
 After mounting of all spinning worms transfer the same pouches near the
chandrikes.
 After harvesting of cocoons keep the same pouches near the manure pit.
 Two pouches are required for 100 dfls.
 Proper disposal of silkworm litter after cocoon harvest

22.  2. Dermestid beetles -
 Mechanical control: Collect the grubs and adults by sweeping or by
using a vacuum cleaner, destroy by burning or dipping in soap water.
 Chemical control:
 Store pierced cocoons in Deltamethrin treated bags ie., soak the bags
in 0.028% Deltamethrin solution (1 ltr : 100 ltr water) and dry in
shade.
 Spray 0.028% Deltamethrin solution on walls and floor of PC room
once in 3 months.
 Sprinkle bleaching powder (200 gm/sq.mt) all around inner wall of
PC room to prevent crawling of grubs from PC room.

23. Tools and materials

24. Technical division

25. Silkworm - Eggs

26. Cocoon - silkworm

27. Rearing of silk

29. A multi – sensor System of silkworm

30. Distribution of silk industry in India

31. Central silk board of India (CSB)

32. Production

33. Global production of silk - % share
China 83%
India 14%
Other 2%
Brazil 1%

34. Advantages of silk
 Lightweight, soft, smooth
 Drapes well
 Dyse and prints well
 Bright & colourful
 Resist soil, mildew and moth
 Comfortable
 Absorbent

35. Disadvantages of silk
 Expensive
 Stains with water
 Yellow with age
 Weakened by perspiration, sun, soap
 Need special care, dry cleaning
 Easy to wrinkle, love to stick on skin, but not burly,
easy to fade

36. Thank you....🐛