Silkworm Egg Science

Book excerpt: In sericulturally advanced countries, the seed production technologies have been perfected to its highest level. Though, in India silkworm seed production is practiced since decades, it is yet to be standardized to its perfection. To meet the requirement of seed to Indian sericulture farmers, the country requires more than 30 crore disease free commercial silkworm seed. However, all the agencies in the country together produce only 24 crore disease free layings (Dfls) and thus there is production shortage of some six crore disease free layings. In this backdrop, this book is prepared with the objective to explain the various strategies to be adopted in the production of better quality and higher quantity of silkworm eggs. The book "Silkworm Egg Science: Principles & Protocols" tries to motivate and assist in its efforts to unveil secrete of the various existing problems related to silkworm egg to increase production, productivity and quality of cocoons. Spread over ten chapters, the book has wide coverage on disinfection and hygiene, egg production technologies, embryonic development, egg diapause and biochemical modulations, preservation of eggs, hibernation schedules, artificial hatching of eggs for rearing of silkworm in appropriate season, methods of incubation, adaptation to changing environment besides prevention and control of pebrine disease of eggs and pests to achieve sustained and quality silkworm eggs and stable cocoon crop. The technical components are meticulously incorporated in this book to make it fairly comprehensive reference material. The book is designed to address wide range of readers, experts, university teachers, students, researchers, technologists, policy makers and fulfill the hopes and aspirations of all those engaged in sericulture in general and egg production in particular. The information furnished in this book will be of immense importance not only to Indian sericulture but also to South Asian and African countries and will find an application at all levels of sericulture.