Rearing performance of tropical Tasar silkworm (Antheraea mylitta Drury) on Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) and its commercial silk properties

Abstract

Tasar silkworm, Antheraeamylitta Drury (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) is one of the commercially exploited non-mulberry silkworms mainly reared outdoor on many wild plants. The ecorace of tasar silkworm occurring in cashew (Anacardiumoccidentale L.) plantations of Puttur was identified as A. mylitta KE-02. Pooled egg, larval and pupal period of tasar silkworm upon indoor rearing on cashew recorded were 6.43, 28.69 and 25.36 days, respec-tively, with the effective rate of rearing of 40 %. The average cocoon weight, pupal weight and shell weight recorded were 6.24 g, 5.30 and 1.18 g, respectively. The high shell ratio of 22.26 %, shows a healthy trend for high yielding tasar rearing on cashew. The commercial silk properties of cashew reared cocoons were assessed in comparison to silk properties of cocoons reared on Terminalia paniculata. Average filament length, average non-breakable filament length, denier, strength and elongation were found 547.2 m, 1231.6 m, 8.92 D, 1.57 gpd and 16.9 %, respectively on cashew and 518.2 m, 161.94 m, 9.13 D, 1.73 gpd and 18.7 % , respectively on T. paniculata. The present study has documented the biology of tasar silk worm on cashew and also the commercial silk properties of cocoon reared on cashew at preliminary level.