International Journal of Environment, Agriculture and Biotechnology

Vol-9, Issue-5; Sep-Oct, 2024

Peer-Reviewed International Journal
Journal Home Page Available: https://ijeab.com/
Journal DOI: 10.22161/ijeab

Plant based mounting materials use for spinning during

seed crop rearing by Adopted Seed Rearers (ASRs)
Amardev Singh

Scientist-C & Incharge, Silkworm Seed Production Centre, Udhampur, J&K UT.
amardevsilk@gmail.com

Received: 24 Aug 2024; Received in revised form: 25 Sep 2024; Accepted: 30 Sep 2024; Available online: 07 Oct 2024
©2024 The Author(s). Published by Infogain Publication. This is an open-access article under the CC BY license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Abstract— Adopted Seed Rearers (ASRs) or P1 seed farmers use locally accessible plants as mounting
materials for mounting the matured silkworms under the study they used viz., Dodonaea viscosa, Malotus
philipansis, Bambusa nutans, Eucalyptus globulus. Based on the data analysis, significant difference was
found when the matured silkworms were mounted on plastic collapsible mountages, which resulted in the
highest cocoon yield per 100 dfls (85.45 Kg) and also number of cocoons per kg.
Keywords— Mountages, plants, plastic collapsible mountage, Adopted seed Rearers.

I. INTRODUCTION conducted to find out reasons for this issue in the past, but
Sericulture can immensely support to reduce still majority of the sericulture farmers in J&K do not
poverty while increasing income of seed farmers in adopt sericulture technology it may be due to they
Udhampur district especially when the seed cocoon prices considered sericulture as subsidiary occupation . The
was enhanced at par with that of southern seed farmers. majority of seed cocoons producers depend on resources
The Adopted Seed Rearers (ASRs) in Udhampur district and use different types of plant based materials available
having small or marginal land holdings, bivoltine seed locally in their areas for making mountages during
rearing provides employment and income opportunities for spinning to mount mature silkworms, yet this has many
them. It is supplementary farming for Adopted Seed drawbacks, such uneven shape of seed cocoons, more
Rearers at present 213 active Adopted Seed Rearers numbers of defective cocoons, narrow space for
(ASRs) are involved in P1 seed rearing in three different ventilation, etc., which effect the quality of seed cocoons.
seed zones viz., Suntha, Thill and Hartaryan and the P1 SSPC, Udhampur provides technical guidance to ASRs
quality seed cocoons generated from ASRs are procured time to time and in last few years some selected ASRs
and utilized by SSPC, Udhampur for the production of were motivated to use plastic collapsible mountage for
double and single hybrid silkworm seed at SSPC, quality seed cocoon generations. In addition to support for
Udhampur. These seed farmers or ASRs seed cocoon spinning worms, the mountages should satisfy the
productivity is highest in the north-western states. requirements like, providing convenient and uniform space
Although the seed farmers in Udhampur produce seed with suitable dimension for spinning good sized cocoons,
cocoons, their knowledge level on how to use mounting discouraging formation of double cocoons and malformed
materials is insufficient, and it has been repeatedly cocoons, providing ventilation for drying up of the last
observed despite better silkworm rearing seed farmers excreta of the worm prior to spinning, enabling easy
make mistake at the time of mounting their matured mounting and harvesting (Shinde et al., 2012). Narrow
silkworms and lose their seed crop to some extent. space affects ventilation for spinning larvae and results in
Adoption of sericulture technology in the sericulture sector poor reelability of cocoons. The varied number of
is very low in Udhampur despite being a very productive defective cocoons depends on the material and structure of
district where more than 5000 sericulture farmers are the cocooning frame (Tazima, 1972). The number of
practising sericulture farming. Many studies have been defective cocoons was very less on self-mounting shindi

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Singh Plant based mounting materials use for spinning during seed crop rearing by Adopted Seed Rearers (ASRs)

branches than plastic mountages (Shinde et al., 2012) and losing a significant amount of their seed cocoon crop
the absorbent nature of the natural substrate probably during spinning due to production of defective or
reduced the number of defective cocoons like urinated deformed cocoons by employing inappropriate or incorrect
ones. The type of material used to design mounting mounting materials. Keeping in view, the present study
structure played a significant role in determining cocoon was undertaken to evaluate the comparative performance
and rawsilk quality (Naphade et al., 2011; Datta et al., of locally available plant based materials use by Adopted
2007; Chikkanna et al., 2009 and Pandey et al., 2007). A Seed Rearers with improved mountage i.e., plastic
mountage is basically a device for providing convenient collapsible mountage.
space for mature silkworms to spin cocoon and therefore
mountage or mounting material is the most important
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
component that supports the matured silkworm larvae for
spinning of cocoons comfortably (Singh, 1995, Mathur The present study was undertaken in the year
and Qadri 2010., Singh et al., 2012) and the process of 2022-23 during spring season at seed zones Suntha &
transferring the mature larvae is called mounting (Rajan et Hartaryan of Udhampur district. For seriposition five
al., 1996., Shinde et al., 2012). Thus the mountage or different types of locally available plant materials viz.,
mounting material is the most important device that Dodonaea viscosa, Malotus philipansis, Bambusa nutans,
supports the silk worm larvae for spinning of cocoons Eucalyptus globulus used by Adopted Seed Rearers
comfortably (Singh, 1995, Mathur and Qadri 2010., Singh (ASRs) along with ASRs who was motivated to use plastic
et al., 2012) and the process of transferring the mature collapsible mountages for mounting the matured
larvae is called mounting (Rajan et al., 1996., Shinde et silkworms their comparative performance on some
al., 2012). In the past many researchers found that if the important parameters were observed such as pupation
silkworm crop is healthy, wrong mounting methods, percentage, cocoon yield per 100 Dfls, single cocoon
spinning conditions and bad type of mounting material can weight (g), single shell weight (g), shell percentage, No.
result in inferior or poor quality cocoons and silk yarn of melted seed cocoons, no. of good seed cocoons and
leading to lower income to farmers (Rajan et al., 1996, number of seed cocoons per kg were recorded. Bivoltine
Singh and Kambli 1997). It has also been observed when pure race SH6 & NB4D2 procured from P2- Basic Seed
material and structure of the mountage are not proper, the Stations, Sheeshambara, Dehradun chawki reared by
reelibility of the cocoons is reduced and other features like feeding with improved mulberry variety S-1635 and
double cocoons, deformed cocoons and soiled cocoons get supplied to Adopted Seed Rerarers (ASRs) in seed zone
increased (Mathur and Qadri, 2010). In different Suntha & Hartaryan.The optimal temperature and relative
sericulture practising countries various types of mountages humidity of the mounting rooms was maintained
have been used such as rotary mountage in Japan throughout the period of mounting or seriposition (Jolly,
(Kutsumata, 1975., Rajan et al., 1996) bottle brush 1987, Mathur and Qadri, 2010). Thus in total 20 seed
mountage in Brazil (Singh et al., 1994).In China many farmers data were taken to evaluate the seed crop
types of mountages viz., Umbrella type, centipede type, performance, with 04 seed farmers each with separate
checkerboard type are being used at farmers level. All of mounting materials. Harvesting of seed cocoons was done
them are fabricated from rice straw, Wheat/paddy stray on 7th day from mounting, only after complete pupation by
and card board material which are economical and easily testing the hardening of the pupal skin (Rajan et al., 1996,
available (Sugun et al., 2000). Nevertheless, despite the Rahmathulla et al., 2007). The above said parameters were
favorable climate for raising bivoltine seed crop, the subjected to statistical analysis to draw logical conclusion
Adopted Seed Rearers (ASRs) in Udhampur district are for presenting the results (Table 1-2).
Plants materials utilised as mountages by Adopted Seed Rearers (ASRs) under the study areas.

Local
Name Scientific Name Family Photos

Santha Dodonaea viscosa Sapindaceae

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Singh Plant based mounting materials use for spinning during seed crop rearing by Adopted Seed Rearers (ASRs)

Kaamla Malotus philipansis Euphorbiaceae

Bans Bambusa nutans Poaceae

Safeda Eucalyptus globulus Myrtaceae

Demonstrations on use of plastic collapsible mountage at P1 seed zone

Use of plastic collapsible mountages by ASRs

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Singh Plant based mounting materials use for spinning during seed crop rearing by Adopted Seed Rearers (ASRs)

Seed Cocoon spun on Santha leaves Seed cocoons spun on Kamla leaves

Seed cocoons spun on Eucalyptus leaves

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION space. Others parameters did not show any significant
From the data (Table-1) it could be seen that there different except shell percentage which was recorded
was significant difference in yield per 100 Dfls (85.45 Kg) highest in Bamboo shootlets (19.69 %) Table-1. The
when the seed farmers use plastic collapsible mountage silkworm Bombyx mori L. is the main source of quality
when compared to other locally accessible plant materials silk. It requires specific atmosphere conditions and care in
used for spinning. The pupation percentage was also handling, during its various development stages. The
recorded highest in plastic collapsible mountage & quality and quantity of silk produced are highly related
Bamboo shootlets (90%). The improvement noticed in the with the care taken during rearing and kind of mountages
plastic collapsible mountage is may be to the design and provided to them during spinning (Ullal and Narsimhanna,
material used for fabrication of mountage and it is well 1987) besides other factors. Among the many factors that
suited to the behaviour of spinning larvae. Reddy et al., contribute to produce the quality cocoons at the end of
(2004) also advocated that plastic mountages are more spinning, the mounting material provided to the matured
durable, easily washable and can be thoroughly washed, larvae play a significant role (Yokohama, 1954; Tanaka,
dried and preserve safely. It occupies less space and is 1964; Alam et al., 1977; Barah and Samson, 1990; Singh
suitable for self-mounting and maintaining cocoon quality. and Kamble 1997, Haroon and Khan, 2004). Statistical
Geetha Devi et al., (2004) opined that an ideal mountage difference was observed among the different mounting
having many merits over conventional chandrike is the materials tested as number of seed cocoons per kg was
plastic collapsible mountage. According to Tazima (1972) recorded highest in plastic collapsible mountage (665
increase or decrease in the defective and good cocoons No’s) followed by Santha leaves (575 No’s), Bamboo
varies depending upon the materials and structure of shootlets (569 No’s), Kamla leaves (565 No’s) and
cocooning frame used for spinning. Wu Pangh-Chuan and Eucalyptus dried leaves (560 No’s) respectively. Number
Chen Da-Chuang (1988) suggested that a good mountage of melted cocoons were recorded highest in Kamla leaves
should be convenient for spinning cocoons with abundant (69 No’s) and least were recorded in Bamboo shootlets (59

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 Singh Plant based mounting materials use for spinning during seed crop rearing by Adopted Seed Rearers (ASRs)

No’s)). Numbers of good cocoons were recorded highest in plastic collapsible mountages (606 No’s) (Table-2)
Table-1. Performance of seed crop rearing using different plants based materials/mountage during spinning by Adopted Seed
Rearers (ASRs).
Single Shell
Mountage/ Mounting materials Pupation Cocoon Single Shell
Cocoon
used (%) Yield/100 Dfls Weight (g) %
Weigh (g)
Santha leaves 89.40 81.74 1.73 0.340 19.70
Kamla leaves 88.20 66.98 1.77 0.343 19.39
Bamboo shootlets 90.00 71.37 1.78 0.346 19.69*
Plastic collapsible mountages 90.00 85.45* 1.77 0.338 19.23
Eucalyptus dried leaves 88.80 68.03 1.78 0.343 19.21
Mean 89.28 74.72 1.77 0.342 19.44
CD@5% 0.427-NS 0.019* 0.140-NS 0.747-NS 0.013*
*The result is significant at p < .05., NS-Non-Significant.

Table-2. Performance of seed crop rearing using different plants based materials/mountage during spinning on melted, good
and numbers of cocoons per Kg.
Mountage/Mounting materials No. of melted No. of cocoons
No. of good cocoons
used cocoons per Kg
Santha leaves 59 516 575
Kamla leaves 69 496 565
Bamboo shootlets 57 512 569
Plastic collapsible mountages 59 606 665*
Eucalyptus dried leaves 62 498 560
Mean 61 506 587
CD@5% 0.1516-NS 0.2204-NS 0.001*
*The result is significant at p < .05., NS-Non-Significant.

IV. CONCLUSION that the seed farmers need to be aware about usage of
Locally available plant based materials is plastic collapsible mountage during the seed crop rearing
traditionally used by Adopted Seed Rearers (ASRs) in to produce quality seed cocoons.
Udhampur district as mountage, which gives space for the
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