What are the methods to improve silkworm cocoon quality?
How to improve silkworm cocoon quality
In recent years, cocoon prices have continued to rise, greatly boosting farmers' enthusiasm for sericulture. The profitability of sericulture depends on the yield and quality of cocoons, especially cocoon quality. Based on years of practical experience, the author has summarized countermeasures for improving cocoon quality, for the reference of sericulture households.
I. Technical factors affecting cocoon quality
1. Severe mulberry pests and diseases are an important cause affecting cocoon quality. In recent years, pests such as red spider mites, mulberry pyralid, and mulberry tussock moth have occurred to varying degrees in different regions, reducing mulberry leaf quality, affecting the healthy development of silkworms, and further affecting cocoon quality; at the same time, disinfection and disease prevention work in rural areas has not been carried out comprehensively and thoroughly, allowing silkworm diseases to spread, resulting in an increase in defective cocoons such as thin-shelled cocoons and dead cocoons in the mounting frames.
2. Emphasis on expanding silkworm rearing while neglecting mulberry expansion. In some areas, silkworm eggs are forcibly allocated while the mulberry base is ignored, resulting in a serious shortage of mulberry leaves. Sericulture households generally feed silkworms molting hormone too early, causing cocoons to be small and thin, with short and fine silk filaments.
3. Sericulture techniques and facilities are inadequate, and scientific sericulture techniques centered on cooperative rearing of young silkworms have not been implemented. Most farmers have poor sericulture facilities, with no dedicated silkworm rooms, no disinfection pools, and some farmers even lack sufficient silkworm trays, let alone dedicated rooms for young silkworms. Conventional sericulture techniques are difficult to implement, resulting in low per-unit yield and no guarantee of cocoon quality.
4. Improvement of mounting frames and management during mounting need to be strengthened. Using excellent mounting frames and creating a good environment during mounting are important measures for improving cocoon quality. Because many cocoons are harvested prematurely, some are covered with plastic film after cocoon spinning, or doors and windows are simply not opened for ventilation, so the advantages of good mounting frames are not realized; some mounting frames are not replaced in time; some have poor management during mounting, with mounting too dense, causing an increase in inferior cocoons such as double cocoons, seriously affecting cocoon quality.
II. Countermeasures for improving cocoon quality
1. Reasonably determine the time for taking silkworm eggs out of cold storage, and effectively carry out mulberry fertilization and pest control. On the basis of carefully analyzing the patterns of climate change over the years and the current year's weather forecast, and based on data from previous years on the time of taking silkworm eggs out of storage and yield levels, determine the optimal date for taking silkworm eggs out of storage, so as to avoid the damage of high temperatures in the late spring silkworm season and low-temperature rainy weather in the late autumn silkworm season, and as far as possible select sunny days for the 5th instar and mounting period of each silkworm season. Improve mulberry pruning and cutting techniques, appropriately raise the cutting position, and promote early sprouting of mulberry buds in spring; carry out pest and disease control and fertilization management according to local and seasonal conditions to promote increased mulberry leaf production.
2. Strictly prevent silkworm diseases. The reason for the severe occurrence of silkworm diseases in recent years is that comprehensive and thorough disinfection was not carried out before, during, and after silkworm rearing. Therefore, training courses on scientific sericulture techniques centered on silkworm disease prevention and control should be held, comprehensive and thorough disinfection and disease prevention measures should be implemented in sericulture households, and losses caused by silkworm diseases should be minimized.
3. Strengthen cooperative rearing of young silkworms. Rearing young silkworms well is the foundation for high-quality and high-yield cocoons. In recent years, some regions have vigorously promoted cooperative rearing of young silkworms, with average per-unit yield increases of around 15%. As long as cooperative rearing techniques for young silkworms are comprehensively implemented, the per-unit yield and quality of cocoons can be greatly improved.
4. Ensure good mulberry leaves and full feeding. The length of silk filament per cocoon is an important indicator for measuring cocoon quality. Therefore, silkworms should be reared according to the amount of mulberry leaves available, with good mulberry leaves and full feeding and scientific rearing, so that the silk filament length of each cocoon reaches more than 1000 m.
5. Improve sericulture conditions. Sericulture facilities should achieve "four matching sets": first, in accordance with the requirements for standardized rearing of young silkworms, achieve matching dedicated silkworm rooms and tools for young silkworms; second, with the goal of eliminating pathogenic bacteria, achieve matching disinfection pools, silkworm excrement pits, and disinfection sprayers for sericulture disinfection and disease prevention; third, according to the needs of intensive production, achieve matching silkworm rearing stands, silkworm tools, and mounting frames; fourth, do a good job of matching mulberry varieties for young and mature silkworms with intercropped crops in mulberry fields, carry out rational intercropping, and improve mulberry leaf quality.
6. Vigorously popularize cardboard square mounting frames and do a good job of management during mounting. While selecting high-quality square mounting frames, mature silkworms should be mounted sparsely, and management during mounting should maintain a temperature of 23-25°C and humidity of 65%-75%. When mature silkworms have positioned themselves to spin cocoons and most have formed thin-shelled cocoons, open doors and windows for ventilation and moisture removal, turn and air the mounting frames 3 days after mounting, and strengthen ventilation. Harvest cocoons at the proper time.
I. Technical factors affecting cocoon quality
1. Severe mulberry pests and diseases are an important cause affecting cocoon quality. In recent years, pests such as red spider mites, mulberry pyralid, and mulberry tussock moth have occurred to varying degrees in different regions, reducing mulberry leaf quality, affecting the healthy development of silkworms, and further affecting cocoon quality; at the same time, disinfection and disease prevention work in rural areas has not been carried out comprehensively and thoroughly, allowing silkworm diseases to spread, resulting in an increase in defective cocoons such as thin-shelled cocoons and dead cocoons in the mounting frames.
2. Emphasis on expanding silkworm rearing while neglecting mulberry expansion. In some areas, silkworm eggs are forcibly allocated while the mulberry base is ignored, resulting in a serious shortage of mulberry leaves. Sericulture households generally feed silkworms molting hormone too early, causing cocoons to be small and thin, with short and fine silk filaments.
3. Sericulture techniques and facilities are inadequate, and scientific sericulture techniques centered on cooperative rearing of young silkworms have not been implemented. Most farmers have poor sericulture facilities, with no dedicated silkworm rooms, no disinfection pools, and some farmers even lack sufficient silkworm trays, let alone dedicated rooms for young silkworms. Conventional sericulture techniques are difficult to implement, resulting in low per-unit yield and no guarantee of cocoon quality.
4. Improvement of mounting frames and management during mounting need to be strengthened. Using excellent mounting frames and creating a good environment during mounting are important measures for improving cocoon quality. Because many cocoons are harvested prematurely, some are covered with plastic film after cocoon spinning, or doors and windows are simply not opened for ventilation, so the advantages of good mounting frames are not realized; some mounting frames are not replaced in time; some have poor management during mounting, with mounting too dense, causing an increase in inferior cocoons such as double cocoons, seriously affecting cocoon quality.
II. Countermeasures for improving cocoon quality
1. Reasonably determine the time for taking silkworm eggs out of cold storage, and effectively carry out mulberry fertilization and pest control. On the basis of carefully analyzing the patterns of climate change over the years and the current year's weather forecast, and based on data from previous years on the time of taking silkworm eggs out of storage and yield levels, determine the optimal date for taking silkworm eggs out of storage, so as to avoid the damage of high temperatures in the late spring silkworm season and low-temperature rainy weather in the late autumn silkworm season, and as far as possible select sunny days for the 5th instar and mounting period of each silkworm season. Improve mulberry pruning and cutting techniques, appropriately raise the cutting position, and promote early sprouting of mulberry buds in spring; carry out pest and disease control and fertilization management according to local and seasonal conditions to promote increased mulberry leaf production.
2. Strictly prevent silkworm diseases. The reason for the severe occurrence of silkworm diseases in recent years is that comprehensive and thorough disinfection was not carried out before, during, and after silkworm rearing. Therefore, training courses on scientific sericulture techniques centered on silkworm disease prevention and control should be held, comprehensive and thorough disinfection and disease prevention measures should be implemented in sericulture households, and losses caused by silkworm diseases should be minimized.
3. Strengthen cooperative rearing of young silkworms. Rearing young silkworms well is the foundation for high-quality and high-yield cocoons. In recent years, some regions have vigorously promoted cooperative rearing of young silkworms, with average per-unit yield increases of around 15%. As long as cooperative rearing techniques for young silkworms are comprehensively implemented, the per-unit yield and quality of cocoons can be greatly improved.
4. Ensure good mulberry leaves and full feeding. The length of silk filament per cocoon is an important indicator for measuring cocoon quality. Therefore, silkworms should be reared according to the amount of mulberry leaves available, with good mulberry leaves and full feeding and scientific rearing, so that the silk filament length of each cocoon reaches more than 1000 m.
5. Improve sericulture conditions. Sericulture facilities should achieve "four matching sets": first, in accordance with the requirements for standardized rearing of young silkworms, achieve matching dedicated silkworm rooms and tools for young silkworms; second, with the goal of eliminating pathogenic bacteria, achieve matching disinfection pools, silkworm excrement pits, and disinfection sprayers for sericulture disinfection and disease prevention; third, according to the needs of intensive production, achieve matching silkworm rearing stands, silkworm tools, and mounting frames; fourth, do a good job of matching mulberry varieties for young and mature silkworms with intercropped crops in mulberry fields, carry out rational intercropping, and improve mulberry leaf quality.
6. Vigorously popularize cardboard square mounting frames and do a good job of management during mounting. While selecting high-quality square mounting frames, mature silkworms should be mounted sparsely, and management during mounting should maintain a temperature of 23-25°C and humidity of 65%-75%. When mature silkworms have positioned themselves to spin cocoons and most have formed thin-shelled cocoons, open doors and windows for ventilation and moisture removal, turn and air the mounting frames 3 days after mounting, and strengthen ventilation. Harvest cocoons at the proper time.