Silkworm

Preface
Acid treatment of silkworm eggs to block diapause in uni/bivoltine eggs for instant and
any time hatching has gained great popularity due to lts easy method of operation and
extremely dependable results. Even lhen, lailures take place because of the method not
being understood/adopted properly.
So {ar, in lndia, mostly multi-x bivoltine eggs were used {or commercial rearing which
involve no acid treatment. But the recent attempt to utilize bivoltine x multivoltine layings has
broadened the scope of acid treatment. ln addition, a large programme is being launched
to increase the bivoltine cocoon production which will also involve the acid treatment of the
eggs to be reared.
Until now, acid treatment was mostly restricted to Government Silk Farms and
Grainages. But a time has come when private graineurs should also take up the acid
treatmentof eggs. ltisinthiscontext,thisbookletisbeingpublishedtobringhomethecorrect
methods of acid treatment with precautions to be taken at every step which are often overlooked
leading to poor results.
Knowledge o{ acid lreatment remains incomplete without understanding the developmental
sequence in the eggs. So, in Part-ll of this booklet, physiology of the egg before and
alter acid treatment has been discussed.
It is hoped that the booklet will be usefulto allthose connected with seed technology
and commercial seed production.
Authors