The mulberry silkworm belongs to the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, order Lepidoptera, and the silkworm family and species. Like other lepidopteran insects, the mulberry silkworm undergoes four stages of development: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (cocoon), and adult moth. The mulberry silkworm feeds on mulberry leaves only during the second stage, that is, during the larval stage.
Determining the appropriate period for the incubation and hatching of mulberry silkworm eggs is of paramount importance for increasing cocoon yield. However, the opinions of scientists and leading sericulturists of the Republic on this issue do not always coincide [1–8]. The main reason is that the timing of silkworm egg hatching depends on the emergence of leaves on mulberry trees.
When determining this period, the mean daily air temperature is taken into account [1–4], with temperature accumulation approximately beginning in January. Days when the air temperature falls below +5 °C are excluded from the calculation. When the accumulated temperature reaches 195–205 °C, the mulberry tree enters the stage of bud swelling and bud opening. This is followed by the emergence of leaves, which gradually intensifies.
According to the experience of sericulturists [5–8], the timing of leaf emergence in mulberry trees varies among individual farms, while leaf emergence begins at temperatures of +12.5 °C and above.
When the accumulated air temperature reaches 330–360 °C, 5–7 fresh leaves appear on the main branches of the mulberry tree. At this point, the optimal time for hatching the silkworm eggs and beginning silkworm rearing is reached.
Thus, the timing of silkworm egg hatching is determined based on the accumulated mean daily air temperature. Daily meteorological data, together with approximate ten-day weather forecasts for the given locality, are taken into account.
The results of experiments conducted by the Republican Scientific Research Center for Sericulture of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of Tajikistan, as well as production trials [8–9], demonstrated that silkworms hatched from eggs in accordance with the recommended guidelines produced a 20–30% higher cocoon yield.
The proposed recommendations are sufficiently clear and make it possible to determine the developmental stages of the silkworm correctly. At the same time, taking into account the development of the silkworm, sericulturists gradually and step by step increase the amount of feed in accordance with the required standards.
