Impact of Coupling Duration on Fecundity and Fertility of Muga Silkworm (Antheraea assamensis Helfer) During Grainage Operation

Quality seed production is considered the backbone of the sericulture industry. Eggs are the primary and fundamental component of Muga culture, so the production of quality eggs is imperative. For successful production of cocoon crops, an adequate quantity of good-quality eggs is essential. In the case of silk moth mating, the time varies from 5 to 8 hours, which is generally termed as the coupling period. The temporal aspects of mating in terms of duration may also impact the number of eggs laid, the pattern of egg laying, and their viability. The present investigation intends to find out whether the duration of the coupling period has any relation with the fecundity and fertility of silk moths. The study was conducted with the Muga Silkworm (Antheraea assamensis Helfer) in Baisakhi and Bhodia seed crops. The experiment reveals that total fecundity almost remains the same above 5 hours of coupling duration, but fertility is directly proportional to the coupling duration and reaches a maximum (85%) at 7-8 hours of coupling duration. It is also observed that coupling duration of more than 8 hours also affects the fecundity of Muga silk moths, but fertility remains the same as the control batch or the 7-8 hour batch.