Sericulture: Its Importance And Tools Used In Sericulture
The silkworm caterpillar constructs its cocoon by producing and encircling itself with a long, continuous fibre, or filament. When exposed to air, liquid secretions from two large glands within the insect emerge from the spinneret, a single exit tube in the head, hardening and forming twin filaments made of fibroin, a protein material.
Sericulture is the practise of raising silkworms for the purpose of producing silk for market. Bamboo equipment has traditionally been used in sericulture. Baskets for gathering mulberry leaves, trays for feeding larvae leavings, mountages for cocoon production, trays for cocoon storage, stifling baskets for steaming cocoons, and some woven mats are the most common uses of bamboo in sericulture.
What is Sericulture?
The sericulture process involves raising silkworms and extracting silk from them. Silk production is typically divided into two stages:
- The care of the silkworm from the egg stage to the completion of the cocoon.
- Mulberry tree production provides leaves for the worms to feed on.
The silkworm caterpillar constructs its cocoon by producing and encircling itself with a long, continuous fibre, or filament. When exposed to air, liquid secretions from two large glands within the insect emerge from the spinneret, a single exit tube in the head, hardening and forming twin filaments made of fibroin, a protein material. A second set of glands produces sericin, a gummy substance that holds the two filaments together. Because an emerging moth would break the cocoon filament, the larva is killed in the cocoon during the chrysalis stage by steam or hot air.
Tools Used in Sericulture
1. A bamboo rack for storing the trays containing the different stages of the insects. Ant pans should be placed at the base of the racks.
2. Several circular trays made of split bamboo for worms.
3. Several bamboo baskets for collecting mulberry leaves.
4. A knife for cutting leaves.
5. Chandrika, also known as cocooning, is a circular basket with a five-centimeter-wide spiral wall that allows worms to attach their cocoons to it.
Why Sericulture is Important?
- Sericulture is a rural agro-based industry with a high labor involvement and income generation potential.
- It is also appropriate for small and marginal farmers.
- Because silk is an expensive commodity that is mostly used by the wealthy, money is transferred from the rich to the poor.
- Sericulture offers self-employment opportunities to educated unemployed youth in a variety of industries.
- Sericulture activities yield a plethora of byproducts.
- Mulberry and silkworm have medicinal properties.
- Silkworm is used in genetic and biotechnological research.
- Silkworm produces products used in human medicine.
- All sericultural activities are village-based, preventing people from migrating from rural to urban areas in search of work.
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