MUGA (Non-mulberry) cultivation in Cooch Behar

Image Gallery of Muga Silkworm Life Cycle shown below :-

Eggs

Muga Larvae ( I instar )

Muga Larvae ( II instar )

Muga worm ( III instar )

Muga worm ( IV instar )

Muga worm ( V instar )

Mature worms transformed to cocoons through intermediate stages <click here to view in detail>

Muga Cocoons

Muga Pupae

Female moth

Male moth

Mating pair

Female tied on kharika (oviposition device)

Female moth with eggs on kharika

Intermediate stages where mature worms are getting transformed to cocoons, then into Moth

Gravid worms placed on Jali
Worm ready to discharge silk
Hammock formation is on

Transformation into cocoon is over

Harvested Muga cocoons ready for market

Garlanding of Muga seed cocoons

Emergence of Moth from cocoon

Moths are ready for coupling Back to main Life cycle stage

Voltinism

In general, Muga Silkworm is multivoltine with 5-6 broods per year. The wild stock undergoes pupal diapause (quiscence) for 5-6 months from Sept. to March thus behaving a bivoltine. The crop cycle of the commercially exploited semi domesticated form is as under :

*Crop*	*Nature*	*Season*	*Month covered*	*Date of Brushing*	*Shell wt. (gms)*
JARUA	Pre-seed	Winter	Dec - Feb.	17-20 January	0.28
CHOTUA	Seed (P-1)	Early Spring	Mar - April	25-28 March	0.40
JETHUA	2nd. comm.	Spring	May - June	14-17 May	0.45
AHERUA	Pre-seed	early Summer	July	03-06 July	0.35
BHODIA	Seed (P-1)	late Summer	Aug - Sept.	22-26 August	0.33
KOTIA	Main comm.	Autumn	Oct - Nov.	11-15 October	0.57

Out of the above six crops, the Pre-seed & Seed crops i.e. Jarua, Chotua, Aherua & Bhodia are hazardous due to formidable climatic conditions as well as various biotic factors. However, these crops are important and rearing need to be continued for commercial egg production.

Constraints of Muga Seed Sector
The major constraints of the Muga seed sector in Cooch Behar are as under :-

Lack of pure line to identify high yielding ones.
Low fecundity coupled with low to very low hatching during the Aherua & Bhodia crop.
Weakly integrated seed multiplication chain at P2 & P1 level.
Frequent crop loss due to adverse climatic conditions affecting seed multiplication.
Inadequate local cold storage facilities for skipping rearing during adverse seasons.

MUGA HOST PLANTS

Som Plant
Status : Biological Name : Family : Local Name :	Primary food plant for reeling cocoons Persea Bombycina King Lauraceae Kaola

Soalu Plant
Status : Biological Name : Family : Local Name :	Primary food plant for seed cocoons Litsaea Polyantha Juss Lauraceae Shamal / Ban Kanthal

Colour polymorphism in Muga Silkworms

Muscardine diseased worm

Muscardine, the fungal disease is less prevalent in Muga culture. The disinfections of DFLs with 2% formaldehyde (HCHO) solution reduces the disease intensity by killing the fungal spores.

Blue colour morphs

Yellow-colour morph

Mature worms crawl down on the tree trunk - indication of their semi-domesticated nature

MUGA POST COCOON SECTOR

	38 (thirty eight) numbers of MRTM (Motorized Reeling cum Twisting Machine), 27 (twenty seven) numbers of MSM (Motorized Spinning Machine) and 10 (ten) numbers of Re-reeling devices have been supplied to the beneficiaries under CDP/UNDP and SGSY fund during last few years at Cooch Behar. The very machines are owned by individual reeler/ spinner as well as 2 (two) nos. of Mahila Samity and 4 (four) SGSY women groups. Most of the machines are functional and produced 1.85 Qntls. of Muga raw silk and about 1.00 Qntl. of spun silk respectively during 2004-2005. About 9.27 lakhs reeling cocoons are consumed during the process. .
Post cocoon operations
Extraction of Silk threads from Cocoons

Hot Air Drying Device (developed by CMER & TI, Lahdoigarh)

Traditional Spinning on charkha

Reeling operation in MRTM

Re-reeling device

Bobbins with golden motion

Reeling device for weft yarn (BANI)

Glamourous Muga raw silk

Muga based diversified products

MUGA SILK WEAVING ORGANISATION

Muga silk weaving is on

Considering its incresing demand in the market, Muga silk weaving has been introduced at Tufanganj I Block of Coochbehar district where 45-50% of total raw silk production is being converted into fabric by few skilful Muga weavers. Of late "Fabric PLUS" (web : fabricplusindia.com), a Mumbai based export concern has shown keen interest on development of Muga based product samples viz., furnishings, stoles, curtain panel, blends with muga ghicha/ spun yarn etc. here by involving the said weavers.

The diversified items have already generated significant impact in the global market as opined by "Fabric Plus". Besides, District Handloom Development Officer has recently organised a "Structured training Programme" for 1 (one) month on Muga silk weaving and design development for 15 nos. (fifteen) of interested handloom weavers throughout the district to popularise the avocation.	Plain Muga fabric weaved
Click here for fabric samples

Muga spells vibrancy Click for more Products

Click Link to view
Motion Page of Sericulture - Cooch Behar

~ o ~

Click to view Laying of Eggs

Click to view Maturing of Muga worms

Click to view Laying of worms

Click to view Cocoon Production by Muga worms

Click link to view Birth of Moth from Pupa

Click to view Manual Reeling

Click to view Mechanical Reeling

(keep patience while it takes some time to load)

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Muga (non-mulberry) Cultivation

Intermediate stages where mature worms are getting transformed to cocoons, then into Moth
Gravid worms placed on Jali	Worm ready to discharge silk	Hammock formation is on
Transformation into cocoon is over	Harvested Muga cocoons ready for market	Garlanding of Muga seed cocoons
Emergence of Moth from cocoon	Moths are ready for coupling	Back to main Life cycle stage