Essential Steps: Sericulture and Moriculture Processes and Care
We have already discussed sericulture in detail in another article. So, in this article, we will discuss sericulture in brief with an emphasis on moriculture.
What is Sericulture?
Natural fibres are obtained from plants and animals. Cotton, jute and flax are all plant fibres. While wool and silk are animal fibres. We get silk from silk moths or ‘silkworms.’ The rearing of silkworms for obtaining silk is called ‘sericulture’. Thus, the meaning of sericulture or silk farming is the cultivation of silkworms or silk moths to produce silk. Sericulture is a very old occupation in India. India is the 2nd largest producer of silk in the world after China and Karnataka is the largest producer of silk in India.
We get silk fibre from silk-worm cocoons. Rearing silkworms for their silk cocoon to get silk fibre is very ancient. According to one legend, the story of silk began in 2640 BC. Si-Ling-Chi, a Chinese Empress, was walking around her garden while sipping a cup of tea when the cocoon of a silkworm fell into her cup. The cocoon soon began to unravel revealing a long silken fibre. When she looked up, she saw a Mulberry plant with several other cocoons hanging from it and many silkworms crawling around. This led her to conclude that the cocoon had come from the silkworm caterpillars.
For 2500 years, the Chinese kept the art of making silk to themselves. They sold silk fabric but refused to reveal the secret of how the fabric was made. Despite their secrecy, the knowledge of how to make silk reached Korea and India in 200 BC and 140 BC respectively.
Mulberry plants and mulberry leaves play an important role in sericulture. As female silkworms lay eggs on the leaf of mulberry plants and feed on the leaves as well. High yielding mulberry plants are chosen for mariculture. Proper maintenance and preservation of mulberry plants are required for good yield.
What is Moriculture?
Sericulture is dependent on moriculture. The cultivation of mulberry plants to obtain feed for silkworms and to obtain silk is called moriculture.
The first time mulberry plant cultivation was carried out was in 2800 BC by the chin–nong. The raw silk industry is based on moriculture and sericulture. To increase silk production and cocoon production moriculture is an important process. Moriculture techniques have been improved with time to reduce production costs in sericulture.
Approximately 4,00,000 hectares of farmland is used for the cultivation of mulberry plants. Each hectare of the land yields approximately 12000 – 15000 kg of mulberry leaves. Presently, the production of mulberry leaves has been increased due to advanced techniques of cultivation of mulberry plants. Morus alba, Morus indica, Morus latifolia, morus nigra are the main four species of mulberry plant which are found in India.
Optimum Climatic Conditions for Moriculture
Mulberry plants may thrive under a wide range of climatic conditions. 24 to 28 ℃ temperature is suitable for optimum growth of mulberry plants. Although they give average yield at 18℃ - 24℃ temperatures as well. It grows well in places that have an annual rainfall of 600 – 2500 mm. It requires 350m3/ha water every ten days. Sunshine is the controlling factor of the growth of mulberry plants. It requires 9-13 hours of sunshine per day.
Soil Conditions for Moriculture
Clayey and loamy soils are suitable for mulberry plants. Soil should be deep, fertile and porous with good water holding capacity. The ideal pH for its best growth is 6.2 – 6.8. Land preparation for mulberry plant cultivation involves deep ploughing up to a depth of 30 – 35cm.
Cultivation of Kanva – 2 of Morus indica is common in India for moriculture. Apart from Kanva – 2, S-36, S-54 etc. are also belongs to M. indica and are used for moriculture.
Spacing of Mulberry Plants
The spacing of mulberry plants depends on the soil conditions. For black and heavy soils, 90 × 90 cm spacing. While for sloppy soil of hilly areas 120 × 60 cm spacing.
Harvesting of Mulberry Leaves from the Plant
Let the mulberry plants grow up to an optimum extent. After their optimum growth, mulberry leaves can be harvested and can be used as feed for silkworms. Mulberry leaves must be harvested at the right time as fully grown mulberry leaves contain less moisture than partially grown leaves. Leaf picking and branch cutting are the methods that are used in the harvesting of mulberry leaves. Another well-known harvesting method of mulberry leaves is whole shoot harvesting.
Fertilizers used in Moriculture
It requires two doses of fertilizer in one season. Suphala fertilizer is used after two months of planting the mulberry saplings. During this time, weeding is also done. The second time weeding is done after 2 – 3 months of planting.
Preservation of Leaves
Mulberry leaves must be kept in a basket full of moisture. The basket should be lined with a clean and wet cotton cloth. It should also be covered with a wet and clean cloth. When preservation of mulberry leaves is done in bulk then preservation chambers are used. Moist and green mulberry leaves are suitable for feeding the silk moths. The leaves should be heaped loosely and periodically turned. By doing this aeration is provided to leaves for better preservation. Optimum temperature and humidity are required for the preservation of mulberry leaves.
Thus, we can conclude, moriculture is a method of cultivation of mulberry leaves to feed silk moths to produce silk. It is a subset of sericulture. It employs many people as well.
This ends our coverage on the topic “Sericulture and Moriculture”. We hope you enjoyed learning and were able to grasp the concepts. We hope after reading this article you will be able to solve problems based on the topic. If you are looking for solutions to NCERT Textbook problems based on this topic, then log on to the Vedantu website or download Vedantu Learning App. By doing so, you will be able to access free PDFs of NCERT Solutions as well as Revision notes, Mock Tests and much more.
Fertilizers and Preservations Used
Fertilizers are applied on the ground/ soil or directly on the tree every 7-10 days to ensure optimal growth and development of the mulberry tree.
Pruning of Mulberry trees is important to keep them from growing into a bush, this is not needed or is less required in case it is grown in pots. Covering of Mulberry fruits is needed because birds love to feed on its fruits.
The mulberry leaves should be kept in a basket full of water. The basket should be lined with a clean, wet cotton cloth. It should also be covered with a damp, clean cloth. If you want to store a large number of mulberry leaves, use a storage room. Moist green mulberry leaves are suitable for feeding silk moths.
FAQs on Sericulture and Moriculture Explained for Students
1. What is the primary difference between sericulture and moriculture?
The primary difference lies in their focus. Moriculture is the agricultural practice of cultivating mulberry plants, which serve as the food for silkworms. Sericulture, on the other hand, is the process of rearing silkworms to produce raw silk. Essentially, moriculture is the prerequisite for sericulture, as the quality and quantity of mulberry leaves directly impact the health of the silkworms and the quality of the silk produced.
2. What are the main stages in the life cycle of a silkworm?
The life cycle of a silkworm, which is crucial for sericulture, consists of four distinct stages:
- Egg: The cycle begins with tiny eggs laid by the female silk moth.
- Larva: The eggs hatch into larvae, commonly known as silkworms. This is the only feeding stage, where the worm consumes large amounts of mulberry leaves and grows rapidly.
- Pupa: After maturing, the larva spins a protective cocoon around itself using a single, continuous thread of raw silk from its salivary glands. Inside this cocoon, it transforms into a pupa.
- Moth: The pupa develops into an adult silk moth, which emerges from the cocoon to reproduce, starting the cycle anew.
3. Why is moriculture so essential for successful sericulture?
Moriculture is fundamental to sericulture because the most commercially valuable silkworm, Bombyx mori, is a monophagous insect, meaning it feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves. The nutritional quality of these leaves directly influences the silkworm's growth, cocoon weight, and the quality of the silk filament. Without a well-managed and healthy mulberry cultivation, a viable sericulture industry cannot be sustained.
4. What are the main types of silk produced through sericulture?
There are four major types of commercially produced silk, each from a different species of silkworm:
- Mulberry Silk: The most common and commercially valuable type, produced by the Bombyx mori silkworm which feeds on mulberry leaves.
- Tasar Silk: Produced by silkworms that feed on the leaves of Arjun and Asan plants.
- Eri Silk: Also known as peace silk because the moth is allowed to emerge before the cocoon is processed. These silkworms feed on castor leaves.
- Muga Silk: A wild silk known for its natural golden lustre, produced by silkworms that feed on Som and Soalu plants.
5. How is silk fibre extracted from the cocoon?
The process of extracting silk fibre from the cocoon is called reeling. The cocoons are first boiled in water or treated with steam. This serves two purposes: it kills the pupa inside and softens the gummy sericin that holds the silk filament together. After softening, the end of the filament is carefully located, and the single, continuous thread from several cocoons is unwound together to create a single strand of raw silk, which is then reeled onto a spool.
6. From a chemical perspective, what is silk made of?
Chemically, silk is a natural protein fibre. It is primarily composed of two main proteins: fibroin and sericin. Fibroin forms the structural core of the silk fibre, providing its strength and texture. Sericin is a sticky, gum-like protein that encases the fibroin filaments, holding them together in the cocoon. During the reeling process, most of the sericin is washed away to reveal the lustrous fibroin fibre.
7. What are the ideal conditions for cultivating mulberry plants?
For successful moriculture, mulberry plants require specific conditions. They thrive in loamy to clayey soil with good moisture-holding capacity and a pH ranging from 6.2 to 6.8. The plants need ample sunlight and a temperature range of 20°C to 30°C. While they are drought-resistant to an extent, regular irrigation is necessary to ensure a continuous supply of tender, nutritious leaves for the silkworms.
8. What are the common challenges and diseases faced in sericulture?
Sericulture farmers face several challenges, primarily from diseases that can wipe out entire silkworm populations. Key diseases include:
- Pebrine: A parasitic disease caused by a microsporidian.
- Flacherie: A bacterial or viral infection that affects the digestive system of the larva.
- Muscardine: A fungal disease that causes the silkworm's body to become hard and brittle.
9. Why is the branch cutting method sometimes preferred over individual leaf picking?
The branch cutting method is often preferred for several practical reasons. Firstly, leaves attached to the branch stay fresh for a longer period, providing better nutrition to the silkworms. Secondly, this method requires less labour compared to picking individual leaves, thus reducing operational costs. Finally, harvesting by cutting branches acts as a form of pruning for the mulberry plant, which can promote healthier growth and better leaf quality in subsequent harvests.
10. Why is sericulture considered an important agro-based industry?
Sericulture is a significant agro-based industry, especially in rural economies, due to its high potential for generating employment with low initial investment. It provides income to farmers, reelers, weavers, and many others in the value chain. As it is based on cultivating mulberry plants, it promotes afforestation and is considered an eco-friendly practice. The final product, silk, has high global demand, making it a valuable source of foreign exchange for producing countries like India and China.
