FAQ
Host Plants
A. Muga Host Plants
1.What are the primary food plants of Muga silkworms?
Som (Persea bombycina) & Soalu (Litsea monopetala).
2.What are the secondary food plants of Muga silkworms ?
Dighloti (Litsea salicifolia), Mejankari (Litsea cubeba), Gondhsaroi (Cinnamomum glanduliferum), Patihonda (Cinnamomum obtusifolium) etc.
3.What are the different genetypes of Som?
There are 51 genetypes (PB 001-PB 051) of Som. Ampotia (PB 001 & PB 002), Nahorpotia (PB 003), Jampotia (PB 004), Belpotia (PB 005), Kothalpotia (PB 006) are common genotypes of Som classified bas.
4. Which are the most preferred genotypes?
Nahorpotia (PB 003) & Kothalpotoia (PB 006) are the most preferred diploid genotypes.
5.Which is the planting season for Som plantation?
Monsoon (May – September).
6. What is the recommended spacing for Som plantation?
3m x 3m spacing.
7. What is the age of seedling / sapling for plantation?
10 – 12 months old.
8. What is the pit size for plantation of Som seedling / sapling?
Depth x Length x Breadth = 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm.
9. What kind of land is suitable for Som plantation?
High slope, well drained and rich in soil humus with a pH of 5.2 to 6.5 for Som plantation.
10.What is the gestation period of Som for seedling plantation?
3 – 4 years.
11. What is the dose for application of FYM in 1 – 5 year plantation?
0.5 cft/pit.
12. What is the dose for application of FYM in matured (above 5 years) plantation?
1 cft/pit.
13. What is the dose for application of NPK for 1 to 5 year of Som plantation?
N:P:K @ 50:25:25 kg/ha/year.
14. What is the dose for application of NPK in Som (above 5 years) plantation?
N:P: @ 100:50:50 kg/ha/year.
15. What are the seasons of application of manuares and fertilizers?
Pre and Post monsoon.
16. What method is used for application of manures and fertilizer?
Ring method.
Pruning
17. What is pruning?
Pruning involves methodological removal of sceondarybranches to give continuous spurt to the plant for producing new foliage resulting in improving the leaf yield.
18. How to prune the plants?
Plants are purned by using pruning saw.
19. What are the advantages of pruning?
To get more number of quality foliage suitable for different larval stages.
Pruning gives proper shape, height to the plant ensuring uniform availability of sunlight and good aeration for quality and quantity foilage.
Pollarding
20. What is pollarding and the recommended height for Muga host plant?
Methodologial removal (90% biomass) of the tree trunk (Transverse section at 45° angle) at the height of 6 ft for proliferation of branches and maintaining convenient height.
21. When pollariding is practiced?
Pollariding is done after 5-6 years of plantation.
22. In which season pollariding is done?
Pre and post monsoon season.
What is the pruning schedule of Som for different Muga crops for early instars rearing?
1st week of March for Aherua Crop (June-July) rearing.
1st week of April for Bhodia Crops (August-September) rearing.
1st & 2nd Week of July for Kotia Crops (October-November) rearing.
1st week of September for Jarua Crops (December-January) rearing.
1st & 2nd week of October for Chatua Crops (February-March) rearing.
1st week of December for Jethua Crops (April-May) rearing.
24. What is the pruning schedule of Som for different Muga crops for late instars rearing?
1st week of February for Aherua Crop (June-July) rearing.
1st week of March for Bhodia Crops (August-September) rearing.
1st & 2nd Week of June for Kotia Crops (October-November) rearing.
1st week of August for Jarua Crops (December-January) rearing.
1st & 2nd week of September for Chatua Crops (February-March) rearing.
1st week of November for Jethua Crops (April-May) rearing.
25. What should be the population of Som plant in a rearing farm?
1111 plants/ha or 450 plants/acre.
26. What is the leaf yield of Som?
18-20 MT/ha.
Propagation
27. How Som is propagated?
Sexual and asexual methods (Seeds and vegetative propagation methods).