• Dr R S UMAKANTH

The life cycle of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. comprises four stages viz. egg, larva, pupa and moth. The silkworm eggs are of two types, reproductive and hybrid seed. The silkworm egg production is a major activity in the sustenance of sericulture as it produces both eggs used for commercial silk production and eggs for production for seed cocoon production. This sector serves as the backbone of the sericulture industry. The Central Silk Board which functions under the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India has established the National Silkworm Seed Organization (NSSO) to manage basic seed farms, silkworm seed production centres, cold storage plants, and silkworm seed technology laboratory. Egg production is a major activity for harvesting quality and healthy cocoons which are scientifically managed and have been certified by ISO: 9001-2005. Mulberry and non-mulberry eggs are produced by government-owned and controlled silkworm seed production centres known as grainages. Grainage is a term derived from “graine” a French term which means seed in English. Production of pure breeds for seed purposes, hybrids of multixbi, bixbi for commercial purposes is undertaken where it has a wide network of centres in the country's south, north, east and west zones. The quality and health of eggs produced are responsible for the successful harvest of the cocoon crop and production of high-quality silk, Karnataka is the highest silk producer among the sericulture states and is popularly known as the silk bowl of India.

silkworm, egg, NSSO, grainage, hybrid, cocoon, silk.

"National Silkworm Seed Organisation (NSSO) : Role and functions for sustainable Indian Sericulture Industry", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 6, page no.K275-K284, June-2024, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2406A33.pdf

"National Silkworm Seed Organisation (NSSO) : Role and functions for sustainable Indian Sericulture Industry", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 6, page no. ppK275-K284, June-2024, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2406A33.pdf