What are the new techniques for planting mulberry and raising silkworms? A detailed explanation of the latest efficient methods
If you want to breed animals or plants, you must learn their breeding techniques. To raise mulberry silkworms, you can plant mulberry trees yourself. Let us take a look together at how to plant mulberry and raise silkworms.
Latest efficient new techniques for planting mulberry and raising silkworms
1. Establish and improve the management system
The mulberry silkworm industry is a production activity with a high technical content, such as the breeding and multiplication of improved silkworm eggs. Through unified breeding, unified management, unified inspection and quarantine, mid-term management of mulberry silkworms, later-stage harvesting, and entry into the market, a complete management system is needed to better improve production efficiency and competitiveness.
2. Scientific and standardized management
The development of the mulberry silkworm industry cannot be separated from scientific management and technology. On the one hand, the selection and cultivation of mulberry seedlings and the management of mulberry fields must be carried out strictly according to standards; on the other hand, strict management is also required during the rearing process, applying scientific technology.
1. Carefully select seedlings. The quality of mulberry leaves is the first guarantee for raising silkworms well. With quality as the center, highlighting the characteristics of high yield, high quality, and high resistance of seedlings, and using thick leaf flesh, abundant nutrients, high yield, and good quality as trait indicators, carry out the selection and development of new varieties. At present, the main excellent mulberry varieties promoted in our region include Guisangyou 12, Guisangyou 62, Teyou No. 2, Nongsang 12, etc.
2. Mulberry field management. Do a good job in mulberry field planning. The planting time, specifications, and methods of mulberry seedlings, as well as fertilizer and water management of the mulberry field, pruning of mulberry branches, clearing and disinfection of the field, intertillage and weeding, pest and disease control, and harvesting of mulberry leaves must all be carried out strictly according to requirements.
3. Co-rearing of young silkworms. Co-rearing of young silkworms is an emerging new silkworm rearing technique. It has the advantages of being easy to care for, disease-preventing, and high-yielding.
First, build a good co-rearing room with conditions such as heat preservation, moisture retention, air circulation, suitable light, and convenience for disinfection. The area and quantity depend on actual conditions. Second, do a good job in disinfection. Disinfect one week before rearing. First clean the silkworm room and the surrounding environmental sanitation, then carry out “two disinfections and one washing.” Third, do a good job in incubation and collection of newly hatched silkworms. During incubation, control temperature and humidity well. It is advisable to choose the morning for collecting newly hatched silkworms. Spread the silkworm eggs in a sterile silkworm tray, turn on the light for photosensitivity for 3 to 4 hours, and then collect the newly hatched silkworms. Fourth, master the techniques for young silkworms well. Co-rearing of young silkworms requires achieving the 15-character rearing method of “suitable temperature and humidity, excellent leaf quality, even silkworm seat, strict disease prevention, and uniform molting and rising,” that is, for young silkworms in instars 1 to 2, the temperature is controlled at about 23 to 25°C, and the wet-dry difference is ±2°C; at instar 3, the temperature is 26°C to 27°C, and the wet-dry difference is ±2.5°C; the mulberry leaves in the early stage should be selected as fresh and tender, without dew, and high-quality mulberry leaves under sufficient sunlight; young silkworms develop quickly, so the silkworm seat should be expanded and evened in time to ensure a certain silkworm seat area; remove excrement before molting, feed fully before sleeping, control daytime sleep, and prevent nighttime sleep; do a good job in disinfection in time. After the silkworms rise, before feeding, first use “Young Silkworm Disease Prevention No. 1” to disinfect the silkworm body, then add a net and give mulberry leaves, ensuring the healthy growth of young silkworms.
4. Rearing of grown silkworms. Silkworms in instars 4 to 5 are called the grown silkworm stage. To raise grown silkworms well, one should also follow the 15-character technical requirements of “good ventilation, good mulberry and full feeding, sparse silkworm seat, frequent disinfection, and batch cleaning,” pay attention to temperature and humidity regulation, and prevent high temperature and excessive humidity. The room should be kept ventilated, with the temperature controlled at about 25°C and relative humidity at 70% to 75%. Do a good job in silkworm seat sanitation to prevent the occurrence and spread of silkworm diseases. Every morning, use fresh lime to disinfect the silkworm body and silkworm seat. Remove excrement every day (no excrement removal is needed for indoor floor rearing). On rainy days, spread lime powder to control humidity and keep it dry. As the silkworms continue to grow, expand the silkworm seat in time to ensure that the silkworm seat area for each sheet of silkworm eggs (10 grams of newly hatched silkworms) reaches about 30 square meters by instar 5, providing a suitable environment for the growth of the silkworms. For mulberry leaves, try to choose fresh leaf quality and good texture. It is best to select and pick the 8th to 15th leaves below the terminal bud. Generally, pick leaves in the morning and evening (avoid picking leaves with dew). During instar 4, good mulberry and full feeding are required, and the amount of mulberry leaves needed is 65 to 70 kg per sheet. During instar 5, give mulberry leaves reasonably and improve the utilization rate of mulberry leaves. The amount of mulberry used during this period accounts for about 85% of the total mulberry used across all instars (about 400 kg per sheet). Each feeding amount should be just enough to be eaten up by the next feeding. Earnestly do a good job in disinfection and disease prevention, taking “prevention first” as the policy, adopt comprehensive prevention and control during the rearing period, and enhance the silkworm body constitution.
3. Increase professional technical training
The development of the mulberry silkworm industry requires science and technology to be matched with management in order to better improve production efficiency.
1. Strengthen technical training
Carry out various forms of technical training, select professional technical backbones to conduct centralized training for households that plant mulberry and raise silkworms, cultivate mulberry silkworm science and technology demonstration households, use points to drive areas, and comprehensively improve overall quality and professional technical levels.
2. Increase service awareness
Municipal and county-level mulberry silkworm management departments organize various forms of rearing technical guidance work, such as opening mulberry silkworm technical service hotlines and establishing mulberry silkworm technical service centers, compile experience and techniques in management into booklets according to actual conditions, and distribute them free of charge to each rearing point, truly solving difficult problems in the rearing process for them.
3. Establish a development model driven by enterprises and supported by the government
Local government departments should fully give play to awareness of guidance and service, and truly embody the concept of putting people's interests first. Rely on leading mulberry silkworm enterprises, give play to the radiating role of using points to drive areas, and drive the industrialized development of mulberry silkworms; the government should vigorously support them, provide relevant subsidies for seedlings, independent large silkworm rooms, young silkworm co-rearing households, etc., and increase the momentum for the development of the mulberry silkworm industry; set up agency purchasing points, supervised by industry and commerce and relevant departments, unify purchase prices, maintain order in the silkworm cocoon market, and protect the interests of silkworm farmers.
4. Increase the utilization of comprehensive benefits
At present, the development of a single mulberry silkworm industry is already far from being able to adapt to increasingly fierce market competition. It is necessary to accelerate the development and utilization of silkworm and mulberry by-products, such as using mulberry branches for mulberry branch edible fungi and processed paper materials, silkworm excrement for organic fertilizer, silkworm pupae for medicinal use, and mulberry fruit for food, drink, and health care, etc., to maximize the comprehensive benefits of the silkworm and mulberry industry.
Tips for saving mulberry in silkworm rearing
Under normal circumstances, for every 1 kg of silkworm cocoons produced, 15 kg of mulberry leaves are needed. After adopting measures to save mulberry use, each sheet of silkworm eggs can save about 50 kg of mulberry, while the yield and quality of silkworm cocoons are not affected at all. The measures for saving mulberry use are:
1. Mulberry leaves should be reasonably picked, transported, and stored. Try to pick leaves in the morning or evening, transport them as they are picked, load them loosely, and transport them quickly. After the picked mulberry leaves are loosened, place them in a mulberry storage pond or mulberry storage room and store them reasonably to prevent wind blowing or pile heating and deterioration, which would cause waste of mulberry leaves.
2. Ensure the temperature of the silkworm room. The suitable temperatures for grown and young silkworms are 24°C and 25°C respectively. Within the suitable temperature range, silkworms have a strong appetite, reducing leftover and poor mulberry leaves, and also improving the conversion rate of leaves to silk.
3. Prevent mulberry leaf wilting. During the young silkworm stage, use heated bed rearing and plastic film mulching rearing to help preserve heat and moisture and keep mulberry leaves fresh. During the grown silkworm stage, after feeding, properly close doors and windows. Wait until the silkworms have eaten about 70% of the mulberry leaves, then open doors and windows for ventilation, which can effectively prevent mulberry leaf wilting.
4. Promote fewer-feeding rearing and whole-branch rearing. Labor-saving silkworm rearing techniques such as flat-and-three-dimensional once-a-day rearing for young silkworms, twice-a-day rearing for all instars, and whole-branch rearing for grown silkworms not only improve silkworm rearing efficiency, but also help silkworms eat mulberry, saving about 5% of mulberry leaves compared with ordinary rearing.
5. Planned mulberry use and quantitative feeding. Formulate standard mulberry amounts according to different silkworm periods by instar, by day, and by feeding. Achieve “silkworms eat fully without waste, save mulberry without starving silkworms.” At the beginning and end of each instar, the amount of mulberry eaten by silkworms decreases, so feed an appropriate amount of leaves at this time. During the peak feeding period of instar 5 silkworms, let the silkworms eat fully, but the maximum daily mulberry amount should be controlled within 110 kg.
6. Add molting hormone to the feed. When about 5% of silkworms show ripeness, use 1 vial of molting hormone per sheet, dilute with 25 kg of water, mix with 20 kg of mulberry leaves, and let the silkworms eat it all at once. This can prompt the silkworms to mature uniformly, and each sheet can save about 10 kg of mulberry leaves.
How can mulberry leaves grow quickly?
Add 1 to 2 ml of fermentation liquid per jin of water, spray it on the mulberry leaves in the mulberry field, spray 2 to 3 times a month, and adding 0.2% potassium dihydrogen phosphate has a better effect. It is suitable to spray until the mulberry leaves are all wet but not dripping. Mulberry leaves grow quickly, and the leaves are oily green and thick, which can increase yield by 20 to 25%. It can also reduce pests and diseases.
Antibiotics cannot be used within 6 hours before and after using the fermentation liquid of Huoli 99 fermentation agent. No matter how long the fermentation liquid is stored, as long as it still has a sweet alcoholic koji aroma, it can be used. If it smells foul, it cannot be used.
What emergency measures should be taken after silkworms suffer pesticide poisoning?
1. Quickly open doors and windows or carry the silkworms to a ventilated place, spread sand-separating material, add a net and remove excrement, and give fresh mulberry leaves.
2. Quickly identify the source of the poison, cut off the source of the poison, and avoid poisoning again.
3. Detoxification treatment: for young silkworms, spray the body with clean water; for grown silkworms, rinse them in clean water for two minutes, then remove and dry them in the shade. Some may revive, and then feed them fresh leaves; all toxic utensils should be washed with alkaline water and then exposed to the sun. After organophosphorus poisoning, those that can still eat leaves may be appropriately fed atropine.
4. For lightly poisoned silkworms and revived silkworms, strengthen nutrition, give suitably mature but slightly tender leaves, and adopt small-amount, many-feeding rearing. A small amount of sugar solution may also be added to the feed.
I previously saw others raising silkworms. They also planted mulberry trees themselves and would go pick mulberry leaves every day to feed the silkworms. They picked as many mulberry leaves as needed, so that the mulberry silkworms could eat fresh mulberry leaves every day. Pesticide application on mulberry trees must also be controlled, and silkworms must never be allowed to eat mulberry leaves with pesticide on them.