NUCLEUS AND BASIC SEED PRODUCTION OF … 3/Session 3... · NUCLEUS AND BASIC SEED PRODUCTION OF TROPICAL TASAR SILKWORM (ANTHERAEA MYLITTA D.) IN PRIVATE ... and State Departments

1

NUCLEUS AND BASIC SEED PRODUCTION OF TROPICAL

TASAR SILKWORM (ANTHERAEA MYLITTA D.) IN PRIVATE

SECTOR

K. Sathyanarayana, Soumen Nandi1, Md. Shamshad Alam

2 and

Rajendra Khandai2

Central Silk Board, Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India,

Bangalore - 560068, Karnataka, India 1Basic Tasar Silkworm Seed Organization,

Central Silk Board, Bilaspur - 495 001, Chhattisgarh, India 2Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN),

B. Deoghar - 815 353, Jharkhand, India

(Corresponding Author: [email protected])

ABSTRACT

Continued support and focus on tropical tasar in India by the Central Silk

Board (CSB) and State Departments of Sericulture (DOS) besides other

developmental agencies in recent times lead to major expansion plans,

which increased stakeholder base. This also resulted in increased demand

for quality tasar silkworm seed (egg) within the schedule, which has been a

major constraint. Increasing demand for the tasar silkworm seed, especially

basic seed warranted roping in the private sector to augment efforts of Basic

Tasar Silkworm Seed Organization (BTSSO) of CSB through its Basic Seed

Multiplication and Training Centres (BSM&TC) and Pilot Project Centres

(PPC) under DOSs. While, CSB in association with some reputed NGOs

brought in the business sense among tribals through the concept of private

graineurs, as a step ahead, it also piloted nucleus seed cocoon production, its

preservation and processing to produce basic seed through producer groups/

co-operatives besides nucleus seed production. Process that lead to the

private sector taking up basic and nucleus seed production, modalities of

operation, quality certification, capacities of preservation/ production etc.,

over a period of time are detailed. Production levels which were in the range

of 86000 dfls of basic seed per year during the initial period to 2011-12 rose

to around 2 lakh dfls after 2012-13 when the activity was taken up on

scientific lines and technically adopted by BTSSO. Similarly, nucleus seed

production rose from 8720 to 64120 dfls. Other production and productivity

parameters in the nucleus and basic seed in private sector is also compared

2

over the said period. Issues in the basic and nucleus seed production costing

and policy support extended is also discussed, besides the future strategies

to be adopted.

Key words: Tasar Silkworm Seed, Private Sector, Quality Certification,

Preservation, Technical Adoption

Introduction:

In India, Vanya silks in general and Tropical Tasar in particular contributes

most towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals in terms of

women empowerment, poverty alleviation and environmental protection. It

offers significant scope for providing sustainable livelihoods to the poorest

of poor people in Central Indian Tribal belt and few other adjoining areas.

Its role in improving tribal socio-economic condition besides generating

substantial rural employment is evident from the studies of Goel et. al.,

(1993), Suryanarayana & Srivastava (2005) and Reddy R.M. et. al., (2010).

Of the two segments, the pre-cocoon segment consist augpreparation of

tasar silkworm eggs, rearing of tasar silkworm, harvesting of cocoon and

marketing of the same. The post cocoon segment involves the production of

yarn from cocoons, weaving of fabrics and marketing of fabrics and yarn.

Tasar silkworm rearing is mainly carried out outdoors. The insect Anthereae

mylitta D. is rearerd on host plants like Terminalaia arjuna and T.

tomentosa, mainly available in the tropical forests in East and Central India.

Due to huge demand-supply gaps, scope for creation of sustainable tribal

livelihoods and unexplored potential for Tropical tasar, the sector has

gained attention of development agencies, policy makers and political

circles in recent times. This led to massive expansion plans by the Central

Silk Board and State Sericulture Departments with convergence from other

developmental agencies, during last three plan periods. This in turn resulted

in higher demand for tasar silkworm seed, which remained a major

constraint. Tasar silkworm egg production depend on yield and quality of

seed cocoons, which vary based on outdoor rearing conditions, disease

prevalence and inconsistent reproductive performance of silk moth (Prasad

B.C. et.al., 2000) and hence, the generation of higher quantity seed cocoons

with superior quality and disease freeness are the focal points in seed

multiplication. The achievement of tasar silkworm egg production (grainage

operation) is inter-dependent of seed cocoon availability and their

3

preservation, emergence of parental moths, synchronized pairing and their

disease freeness (Reddy R.M. et.al., 2010b and Reddy R.M. et.al., 2009).

Seed Multiplication System in Tasar Sector:

Under the present seed multiplication system in tropical tasar, while Central

Tasar Research & Training Institute (CTR&TI), Ranchi is expected to

supply elite seed. Further multiplication to nucleus and basic seed is taken

up by Basic Tasar Silkworm Seed Organization (BTSSO) and its nested

units viz., Central Tasar Silkworm Seed Station (CTSSS) and BSM&TCs.

BTSSO has stretched out to its maximum installed capacities and further

scaling up may not be possible due to infrastructure and manpower

constraints. Pilot Production Centres in most of the tasar producing states

are yet to gear up to the raising demands, in spite of support from Catalytic

Development Programme (CDP) of CSB and also state plan schemes.

The varied onset of tasar crop rearing seasons (Reddy R.M. et.al., 2010a

and Reddy R.M. 2011), recurrent disease incidence in tasar silkworm

commercial egg, irregular reproductive behavior of tasar silk insect (Hansda

et.al., 2008), lack of technologies on tasar egg handling (Rath et.al., 2002)

and limited forward and backward linkages (Sathyanarayana et.al., 2009

and Sinha RK et al., 2009) have hampered the progression of tasar silk

industry. As indicated by Dwarakinath et al., (1994), sericulture

development demands competence in the areas of technical, extension and

managerial issues. Bhat et. al., (2006) and Amarnath et. al., (2007)

emphasized the role of private sector to cater the requirement of huge

quantum of commercial seed. While the private sector could meet the

commercial seed requirements in most of the states, increased demand for

basic seed has been a critical issue in the entire tasar silk value chain.

Further, due to ban on new recruitments in government sector which was

catering to basic seed needs, low motivation levels, poor service conditions

and shortage of resources, warranted the entry of private sector in this area

also. Financial viability of commercial tasar silkworm seed production is

proved beyond doubt (Sathyanarayana et al., 2016), who felt the need their

participation in basic seed production too.

Materials and Methods:

In view of the experience of seed rearers and private graineur groups

mobilized under the special Swarnajayanti Gram Swarojgar Yojana (SGSY)

4

Projects in Bihar and Jharkhand in seed cocoon processing, moth testing

and grainage operation, they were motivated to take up preserving nucleus

seed cocoons to produce basic seed locally. To start with rearers’ co-

operative buildings in 7 different locations in the project area were provided

with required facilities like thatched verandah in all the four sides of the co-

operative building, false ceiling, thin layer of sand bed on the RCC roof and

2-3 inches thick paddy straw over sand bed. The roof was soaked by

sprinkling of water daily once in the morning. 5.05 lakh Daba bivoltine

nucleus seed cocoons reared locally by the Adopted Seed Rearers on the

block plantations of T. arjuna with 6’ x 6’ spacing raised in private waste

lands in the vicinity of villages, were preserved during the period December

to June. The responsibility of preservation was directly with the Tasar Vikas

Samities (TVSs) under close supervision of PRADAN and CSB. During the

preservation period, Pebrine Assessment Team, constituted by CSB visited

the entire preservation site twice, assessed the disease levels and guided

TVSs. The preservation of cocoons was very successful, the preservation

loss was in a range of 3.1% to 4.4%.

Due to smaller size of the preservation and lack of space for processing,

infrastructure on scientific lines was established along with grainage

equipment and required working capital to be operated by the private

graineur groups lead by TVS. All the members were trained by the

BSM&TC scientists to take up the entire activity on scientific lines.

PRADAN trained the members on entrepreneurial and business linkage

issues to motivate the trained members to engage in basic seed production.

Only those members who were in engaged by the BSM&TCs in the basic

seed grainage operations were preferred.

The concept with initial hiccups picked up within two to three years i.e., by

2009-10 about seven buildings of Basic Seed Production Centres (BSPC)

were constructed under Special SGSY and NABARD-Tribal Development

Fund (TDF) projects. Due to capacity building and other backward &

forward linkages established, fecundity of the basic seed produced in these

grainages was in the range of 230 eggs to 260 eggs and hatching percentage

in the range of 85% to 95%, as there was no transportation loss. Also,

majority of the basic seed produced were within the recommended brushing

schedule (with hatching from 1st week of July to month end). The Major

steps followed in the process were as follows:

5

Procurement of nucleus/elite seed from BTSSO.

Nucleus/elite seed rearing in the isolated block plantations following

package of practices during the silkworm rearing by the trained

manpower.

Following disinfection and hygiene measures viz., regular use of lime

and bleaching on the ground, dusting of lime and bleaching on the

standing crop as well as on the worms directly during transfer of

worms throughout the rearing period, fumigation of co-operative

building for 72 hours after white-washing with lime and bleaching.

Larval and pupal testing before the purchase of seed cocoons and

sorting.

Business linkages for nucleus/ elite seed procurement, seed rearing by

identifying skilled seed rearers, disposal of nucleus/ basic seed and

crop monitoring/ buyback.

Quality Certification of Basic Seed Production Centres:

Of the eleven units where basic seed production was taken up, six locations

which were provided with seed multiplication infrastructure and grainage

equipment supported with nucleus seed rearers were certified under ISO

9008-2001 during the year 2012-13. The ISO Quality manual system of the

Basic Seed Production Units promoted by CSB and PRADAN denotes that

the quality of seed cocoons must be certified before procurement whether

the lot is suitable for preservation or not based on the percentage of pebrine

disease in the silkworm/pupae, i.e., less than 5% if it is found more than

special permission from the President of Co-operative is required with valid

reason. To ensure this, Quality Management System (QMS) norms in seed

rearer identification with isolated/ earmarked rearing patch, rearing field

disinfection and management as per devised schedule, seed cocoon

procurement, disinfection of the Basic seed preservation centre,

preservation of cocoons in the basic seed preservation centers, grainage

operation, records to be maintained at each basic seed production center

viz., daily record keeping, daily work maintenance and housekeeping,

customer feedback, visitor’s register, Asset register, stock register, etc.,

procurement and purchase of items in Basic seed preservation centers,

vendor assessment, skill matrix & training plan, internal and external audit

6

are followed. Non-conformance observed if any, was complied upon from

time to time.

Results and Discussion:

Basic seed production was taken up in makeshift arrangements of Rearers’

collectives with required modifications during the period 2007-08 to 2011-

12 and same was taken up in scientifically built BSPCs from 2012-13

onwards.

Details of number of TVS buildings where the nucleus seed cocoons were

preserved with numbers preserved and processed besides the number of

basic seed produced with incidence of pebrine in the lots are depicted in

Table-1. It may be noticed that 8 TVSs preserved nucleus seed cocoons with

minimum of 7 and maximum of 11 TVSs per year. An average of 6.55 lakh

nucleus seed cocoons were preserved, 6.271 lakh nucleus seed cocoons

were processed to produce with an average production of 1.23 lakh dfls of

basic seed/ annum. Average pebrine percentage over years was found to be

10% and in the range of 3 to 22%. Also, an average of 14,632 dfls of basic

seed was produced per TVS per year during the period under report.

Table-2 indicates the coverage of Basic Seed Production Centres during the

period 2012-13 to 2015-16 with nucleus seed cocoons preserved/ processed

with seed cocoons discorded and incidence of pebrine. It is inferred that the

average nucleus seed cocoons preserved/unit/operation increased from

77,914 to 1,43,695 and the basic seed produced/unit/year from 14,632 to

21,170, which indicates efficacy of the BSPC model. While around 13 lakh

nucleus seed cocoons are preserved during 2016-17, about 3 lakh dfls basic

seed is expected to be produced. However, pebrine incidence remained in

the same range, which shows that the pebrine incidence depends mainly on

the rearing management, disease freeness in the rearing patches and seed

cocoon quality at the time of procurement but not on the grainage operation.

While Fig-1 depicts the graphical representation of number of TVSs and

BSPCs involved in basic seed production, Fig-2 indicate the total quantity

of nucleus seed cocoons preserved, processed and Basic seed

produced/Year in TVSs vis-à-vis BSPCs. Similarly, Fig-3 & 4 gives a

comparative picture of average number of nucleus seed cocoons preserved,

processed and basic seed produced/unit per year and year-wise cocoon: Dfl

ratio, respectively. Fig-4 indicate that the cocoon:dfl ratio was in the range

7

of 4.23 to 7.18 in TVSs and 3.63 to 8.05 in BSPCs, with no significant

difference between them.

With the experience gained by the TVSs in basic seed production, producers

of Vanvasi Co-operative, Banka district in Bihar and Aven Co-operative,

Dumka district in Jharkhand took up nucleus seed production under

technical guidance of BTSSO from 2011-12. Table-3 depicts the

performance of these ISO certified BSPCs in nucleus seed production.

While these BSPCs preserved and processed maximum of 3.56 lakh,

minimum of 90000 elite seed cocoons and an average of 1.018 lakh

cocoons. While an average of 32063 couplings were obtained per unit/year

with 1854 cocoons discorded based on physical examination and 18,127

dfls of nucleus seed produced. Nucleus seed produced per year ranged

between 8720 dfls in 2011-12 to 64,120 dfls in 2015-16. Also, the

cocoon:dfl ratio which was 10.32:1 during 2011-12 was improved to 1.85:1

with an average of 4.97:1 indicates the quality standards followed by

BSPCs, which were comparable with BTSSO. This production capacity of

around 3 lakh basic seed and about 30000 dfls of nucleus seed every year

would reduce significant burden on the government sector and also

empower local community to intervene across all the nodes of tasar silk

value chain thereby increasing the primary producers’ share.

Policy interventions: In order to encourage the private sector, CSB has

implemented the following policy related decisions.

Uniform pricing of basic seed cocoons @ Rs.2/- per cocoon and

nucleus seed cocoons as per Grade-A cocoon price of Daba BV

cocoons for the year.

Uniform pricing of Rs.10/- for commercial seed and Rs.12/- for basic

and nucleus seed per dfl with uniform subsidy/incentives, if any.

Periodic monitoring of seed multiplication related activities including

disease assessment and certification of seed produced at various

levels.

Though remarkable achievements have been made under the Special SGSY

and NABARD-TDF Projects in Bihar and Jharkhand in roping private

participation in tasar seed multiplication in general and basic and nucleus

8

seed in particular, this need to be replicated in other tasar producing states

for empowerment of tribals involved in the tasar value chain.

References:

1. Amarnath S., Sathyanarayana K. and Khanna, R.P (2007): Tasar

Silkworm Seed Production in Private Sector under Special SGSY

Projects in Bihar and Jharkhand - A Breakthrough. Abstracts of

International Conference “Sericulture Challenges in the 21st Century”

(Serichal 2007) & the 3rd

BACSA meeting, 18 -21 September 2007,

Vratza, Bulgaria, pp 23-24.

2. Goel, A.K., B.N. Brahmachari, M. Thandapani and K. Thangavelu, 1993.

Socio-economic study of tasarculture. Indian Silk. 31(12): 38-42.

3. Hansda, G., R.M. Reddy, M.K. Sinha, N.G. Ojha and N.B.V. Prakash,

2008 Ex-situ stabilization and utility prospects of ‘Jata’ ecorace of

tropical tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury. Academic Journal of

Industrial Entomology. 17(2): 169-172

4. Prasad, B.C., R. Narain, N. Kumar, S.S. Rath, V.K. Verma, B.B.S. Negi

and K. Thangavelu, 2000. A new technology for female moth

preservation in tasar grainage. Indian Silk. 39(1): 15 & 24.

5. Rath, S.S., B.B.S. Negi, B.R.R.P. Sinha and K. Thangavelu, 2002. Low

cost incubator for Antheraea mylitta eggs: Efficacy of the devices.

Bulletin of Indian Academy of Sericulture. 6(2): 61-66.

6. Reddy, R.M., M.K. Sinha, G. Hansda and N.B.V. Prakash, 2009.

Application of parents by selection for basic and commercial seed

efficiency in tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury

(Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). Academic Journal of Industrial Entomology.

17(2): 169-172.

7. Reddy, R.M., M.K. Sinha and B.C. Prasad, 2010: Breeding perspective

for silk yield and quality in Indian tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea

mylitta Drury (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). Journal of Applied Science.

10(17): 1902-1909

9

8. Reddy, R.M., A.K. Sinha, Ram Kumar and B.C. Prasad, 2010a. Parental

combination and rearing season compatibility for silk yield in tropical

tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury. World Applied 48(4): 10-13.

Sciences Journal. 9(8): 855-859

9. Reddy, R.M., N. Suryanarayana, S. Rai and N.B.V. Prakash, 2010b.

Reproductive performance in relation to male and female pupal weights

and their combinations in tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta D.

Sericologia. 50(3): 403-412.

10. Reddy, R.M., 2011. Adoptability limitation and commercial feasibility

of silkworm rearing of Indian tropical tasarculture. Journal of

Environmental Sciences. 5(6): 530-535.

11. Sathyanarayana, K., S. Amarnath and S. Acharya, 2009. SGSY special

projects for tasar development in Bihar & Jharkhand: Initiatives &

impact. Indian Silk. 48(4): 4-8.

12. Sathyanarayana K., Soumen Nandi and Mohd. Shamshad Alam

(2016): Cost Benefit Analysis of Commercial Seed Production of Tasar

Silkworm (Antheraea mylitta D.) in the Central Indian Tribal Belt,

Sericologia. 56(1): 18-25.

13. Sinha R.K., M.N. Ramesha and K. Satyanarayana, 2009. PRADAN:

Lending a helping hand. Indian Silk. 48(4): 10-13

14. Suryanarayana, N. and A.K. Srivastava, 2005. Monograph on Tropical

Tasar Silkworm. Central Tasar Research and Training Institute, Central

Silk Board, Ranchi, India, pp: 1-87

********

10

Table-1: Basic Seed Production in Tasar Vikas Samiti Buildings Year No. of

TVSs

covered

Nucleus Seed

Cocoons

Preserved

Nucleus Seed

Cocoons

Processed

No.of

DFLs

produced

Pebrine %

2007-08 7 5,04,996 4,87,782 1,15,180 3 to 12 2008-09 11 6,14,738 5,94,098 1,03,275 7 to 22 2009-10 9 6,53,269 6,19,448 86,244 - 2010-11 8 7,58,375 7,14,820 1,67,390 9 to 15 2011-12 7 7,41,000 7,19,440 1,42,474 9 to 22

Total 42 32,72,378 31,35,588 6,14,563 3 to 22

Average/year

8 6,54,476 6,27,118

1,22,913

10 Minimum 7 5,04,996 4,87,782 86,244 Maximum 11 7,58,375 7,19,440 1,67,390

Average/TVS

77,914 74,657

14,632

Table-2: Basic Seed Production in Basic Seed Production Centres Year No. of

BSPUs

covered

Nucleus

Seed

Cocoons

Preserved

Nucleus

Seed

Cocoons

Processed

Discarded

before

testing

No.of

DFLs

produced

Average

pebrine

%

2012-13

7

10,63,100 9,27,500 22,564 1,41,177 4 to 22 2013-14

8

11,98,000 11,98,000 24,508 1,97,277 13 to 20 2014-15

8

13,92,600 13,92,600 51,823 1,73,081 17 to 24 2015-16

9

9,44,543 6,02,243 18,645 1,65,919 5 to 19 Total

32

45,98,243 41,20,343 1,17,540 6,77,454 4 to 24

Average/year

8

11,49,561 10,30,086 29,385 1,69,364 16 Minimum

7

9,44,543 6,02,243 18,645 1,41,177 Maximum

9

13,92,600 13,92,600 51,823 1,97,277 Average/BSPU 1,43,695 1,28,761 3,673 21,170

Table-3: Nucleus Seed Production in Basic Seed Production Units

Year No. of

BSPUs

covered

No. of cocoons

preserved/

BSPU

No. of

Couplings

obtained

Discarded

before

testing

No. of Nucleus

DFLs

produced

Pebrine %

2011-12 1 90000 21520 1102 8720 5 2012-13 1 128000 40845 1390 26870 9 2013-14 1 102000 30236 1257 19340 22 2014-15 2 138300 44803 2458 25964 18 to 20 2015-16 3 356000 119101 8622 64120 2 to 6

Total 8 814300 256505 14829 145014 5 to 22

Average/year 1.6 162860 51301 2966 29003 14 Minimum 1 90,000 21,520 1,102 8,720 Maximum 3 3,56,000 1,19,101 8,622 64,120

Average/BSPU

101788 32063 1854 18127

11

Fig-1: Yearly coverage of TVSs/BSPCs in Basic seed production

Fig-2: Nucleus seed cocoons preserved, processed and Basic seed

produced/Year

TVS

BSPC

12

Fig-3: Nucleus seed cocoons preserved, processed and Basic seed

produced/unit