Question

Write a brief account of sericulture.

Answer 1

The rearing of silkworm for the production of silk is known as sericulture. Different types of silk can be obtained from various types of silkworm e.g: Bombyx mori (mulberry silk), Antherea assama (Assam silk) etc. Among these, the mulberry silkworm is the most commercially exploited. For obtaining silk from the silkworm, the silkworms are first cultivated and reared from the egg stage through the larval stages up to the pupa. The silkworms spin their cocoons during the pupal stage and these cocoons are formed of fibroin (silk). The cocoons are cultivated (during which the cocoons are boiled in hot water to kill the silkworm and remove the cementing sericin between the threads. The filaments are then reeled and the threads of silk are obtained. In this way, the silk is obtained.