Sericigenous fauna are animals that are capable of producing a natural and highly valued fibre called silk. According to Prasadet al.(2010), the word “Sericigenous” is derived from a Greek word “Seri” meaning Silk. Sericigenous fauna have a wide biodiversity, which can be primarily categorized as insect and non-insect groups. The non-insect group includes the Adriatic mussel (seashell Pinna nobilis and related species which produce silk referred to as sea silk) and a Madagascarian spider. The silk of non insect origin is of no importance to textile market as its use is limited in the area of optical instruments. The insect group includes all the silk spinning insects whether foraging on mulberry plant or other non mulberry plants; their silk is the one used in making garments. Therefore, Sericigenous resources include the silk producing animals and the associated plants they feed on. This paper reviews the sericigenous resources biodiversity that have so far been identified and documented and the efforts that have been put in place to conserve and utilize them sustainably. The emphasis here is laid on the Sericigenous insects, the silk moths, and their food plants.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Importance of Sericigenous Resources and Conservation
3. Description of the Extent of Sericigenous Resources Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization in the world
4. General Analysis of the Extent of Sericigenous Resources Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization in the world
5. Actualization: Practical case studies of Bombyx mori Conservation and Utilization in China, India and Uganda
6. Actualization: Practical Case Studies of Wild Silkworm Conservation and Utilization in the world
7. Discussions: Advantages and Disadvantages of Sericigenous Resources Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization
8. General Recommendations
9. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper aims to review the global biodiversity of sericigenous resources, focusing on silk-producing insects and their host plants. It examines the current status of conservation and utilization efforts, identifies the over-reliance on a single domesticated species, and explores opportunities for developing countries to integrate indigenous wild silk farming for sustainable socio-economic growth.
- Global biodiversity of sericigenous insect and non-insect groups.
- Comparative analysis of domesticated versus wild silkworm utilization.
- Practical case studies of sericulture in China, India, and Uganda.
- Challenges of monoculture and the necessity of conserving indigenous resources.
- Strategies for leveraging wild silk farming for poverty reduction and biodiversity protection.
Excerpt from the Book
Actualization: Practical Case Studies of Wild Silkworm Conservation and Utilization in the world
Wild silk farming has been developed to a great extent in India and wild silks are often referred to in India as “Vanya” silks. The term “Vanya” is of Sanskrit origin, meaning untamed, wild, or forest-based. Muga, Tassar and Eri silkworms are not fully tamed and the world lovingly calls the silks they produce as “wild silks”. India produces all the 4 commercially exploited wild silk varieties, namely; Tropical Tasar, Temperate/Oak Tasar, Eri and Muga and is the only country in the world producing all the 5 silk varieties, including Mulberry silk, because of the diverse climatic zones and abundant natural resources in the country (Prasad et al., 2010).
The tropical tasar silkmoth, A. paphia, is exclusively cultivated in India and the estimated annual production of tasar silk is 130 tonnes while the production of other types of wild silk exceeds 10,000 tonnes. Wild silk farming still has a long future because of its attachment to the tribal communities, socio-economic benefits and being forest based and enhancing environmental conservation. Historically, wild silk threads have been found and identified from two Indus River sites, Harappa and Chanhu-daro, dating to c. 2450-2000 BCE. This is roughly the same period as the earliest evidence of silk use in China, which is generally thought to have had the oldest silk industry in the world. The specimens of threads from Harappa appear on Scanning electron microscope analysis to be from two different species of silk moth, Antheraea mylitta (=A. paphia) and A. assamensis, while the silk from Chanhu-daro may be from a Philosamia (=Samia) species, Eri Silk, and this silk appears to have been reeled.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Defines sericigenous resources as silk-producing fauna and flora and outlines the scope of the paper, emphasizing the need for sustainable conservation.
2. Importance of Sericigenous Resources and Conservation: Discusses the economic and scientific value of silk, highlighting the distinction between domesticated and wild silk sources.
3. Description of the Extent of Sericigenous Resources Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization in the world: Provides an overview of the global diversity of over 500 wild silkworm species and the dominance of the domesticated Bombyx mori.
4. General Analysis of the Extent of Sericigenous Resources Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization in the world: Analyzes the risks of monoculture practices and the over-reliance on a limited number of silkworm varieties.
5. Actualization: Practical case studies of Bombyx mori Conservation and Utilization in China, India and Uganda: Documents the historical and current efforts to establish sericulture in these three specific nations.
6. Actualization: Practical Case Studies of Wild Silkworm Conservation and Utilization in the world: Explores the historical and modern significance of "Vanya" (wild) silks and their cultural and ecological relevance.
7. Discussions: Advantages and Disadvantages of Sericigenous Resources Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization: Evaluates the trade-offs in conservation, addressing cultural attitudes toward caterpillars and the potential for untapped rural resources.
8. General Recommendations: Proposes strategies for adapting silkworm races to climate change and searching for alternative food sources beyond mulberry.
9. Conclusion: Summarizes the need for deliberate research into indigenous species, particularly in Uganda, to ensure genetic diversity and sustainable development.
Keywords
Sericiculture, Sericigenous resources, Biodiversity, Bombyx mori, Wild silk, Vanya silk, Conservation, Sustainable development, Mulberry, Morus species, Antheraea, Silkworm farming, Genetic resources, Uganda, Textile industry.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this publication?
The publication examines the global extent of conservation and utilization of sericigenous resources (silk-producing organisms), focusing on the biodiversity of both domesticated and wild silkworm species.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The work covers the history of sericulture, the biological diversity of silk moths and their food plants, the risks of agricultural monoculture, and the potential for wild silk farming in developing nations.
What is the primary research objective?
The goal is to highlight the opportunities for developing countries, such as Uganda, to utilize indigenous sericigenous resources and diversify silk production methods beyond the traditional reliance on Bombyx mori.
Which scientific approach is utilized?
The paper employs a comprehensive review methodology, analyzing historical records, commercial data, and biodiversity assessments to contrast the status of wild and domesticated silkworm species.
What does the main body address?
It provides detailed chronologies of sericulture in China, India, and Uganda, while also cataloging various wild silkworm species and their corresponding food plants across different geographical regions.
Which keywords best characterize the work?
Key terms include Sericiculture, Biodiversity, Wild silk, Bombyx mori, Conservation, and Sustainable development.
Why is the conservation of indigenous wild silk moths considered critical?
The author argues that over-dependence on a single domesticated species (Bombyx mori) makes the global silk industry vulnerable to disease and environmental change, necessitating the preservation of indigenous genetic stocks.
What specific challenges are mentioned regarding sericulture in Uganda?
Challenges include a lack of prior deliberate research, limited access to silkworm eggs, political instability, and cultural attitudes that sometimes view caterpillars with fear, which hinders the introduction of new farming projects.
- Arbeit zitieren
- BSc, MS (Candidate) Cosmas Alfred Butele (Autor:in), 2012, Sericulture. The Extent of the Conservation and Utilization of Sericigenous Resources Biodiversity in the World, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/207282
