India is one of the biggest countries that makes silk. Silk is made in a special way. Tiny worms called silkworms make the silk. They make very good silk that looks very shiny and beautiful. The process of silkworm cultivation includes three steps.
Mori culture
Mori culture, the cultivation of mulberry trees, is a fundamental aspect of silk production. These trees serve as the primary food source for silkworms. Mulberry trees can be propagated through various methods, including seed sowing, root grafting, and stem grafting.
silkworm rearing
Egg Production: The female silk moth lays a batch of eggs, which are carefully collected and stored in a clean environment with optimal temperature and humidity. A formalin solution is used to disinfect the eggs.
Larval Feeding: Mulberry leaves are placed on a tray to feed the hatched larvae, a process known as brushing. Twigs are also provided for the caterpillars to spin their cocoons.
Cocoon Formation: As silkworms reach maturity, their bodies become translucent and shrunken. They begin the process of pupation by wrapping themselves in a cocoon using silk produced from their salivary glands. The silk solidifies upon contact with air.
Silk Reeling
The larvae inside a cocoon undergo metamorphosis and transform into pupae. To extract the silk threads, the pupae within the cocoons are killed using either dry heat or steam, a process that also helps to disentangle the threads.
After the insects are killed, the threads are unwound from the cocoons by specialized machines in a process known as reeling.
Silk rearing is the final stage where silk is harvested by removing the silk filaments from the dead cocoons. The resulting fiber is raw silk, which is then spun into silk threads and woven into silk cloth. Finally, the cloth is dyed to achieve various colors.
Silkworms thrive in temperatures between 20°C and 28°C. For optimal growth and productivity, the ideal temperature range is 23°C to 28°C. However, temperatures exceeding 30°C can harm the silkworms.
Silk consists of two proteins called sericin and fibroin. 80% of silk fibre made up of fibroin, and 20% of the silk contains sericin.
Sericulture, the cultivation of silkworms, is a thriving global industry with substantial commercial success. The rising affluence and evolving lifestyles of consumers have fueled a consistent and robust demand for silk.
Sericulture is a relatively straightforward practice, making it accessible to individuals who wish to engage in it either commercially or as a hobby. One of its most significant advantages is its capacity to create a substantial number of employment opportunities, surpassing many other agricultural sectors. With appropriate knowledge and training, anyone can readily enter the field of sericulture.
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