Vol. 11, Special Issue 4 (2022)

Author(s):
Shabnum Fayaz, NA Ganaie, KA Dar, Asif Rafiq Rather and Ishfaq Ahmad Bhat

Abstract:
The present study “Evaluation of Locally Available Mounting material for Spinning of Cocoons” was carried out at College of Temperate Sericulture, Mirgund, SKUAST-K during spring 2021. The ripe silkworms (Bombyx mori L.) were mounted for spinning cocoons on six different mounting materials, namely Plastic collapsible mountage (control), Mulberry shoot mountage, Dried grass mountage, Typha grass mountage, Maize straw mountage and Wicker willow shoot mountage. Among newly designed mountages Maize straw mountage recorded least larval mortality of 3 percent which was at par with plastic collapsible mountage (control) with the mortality percentage of 2 percent. Cocooning percentage was recorded maximum (97%) in case of Maize straw mountage which was at par with plastic collapsible mountages (control) with the value of 98 percent. During the course of present study Maize straw mountage was also found to record least defective cocoon percentage of 5 percent. Among newly designed mountages Maize straw mountage showed better results for most of the cocoon parameters viz., single cocoon weight (1.8g), single shell weight (0.430g), cocoon shell percentage (23.8%), Silk productivity (6.14cg) and pupation rate (93.11%). From the studies conducted, it is inferred that maize straw can be used as an alternative mounting material for spinning cocoons by silkworm larvae with good success that sericulture farmers can get good renumeration for their produce.