4th International Conference on Agriculture - 2015
ECONOMICS OF CASTOR SEED AND ERI COCOON PRODUCTION WITH SELECTED CASTOR GENOTYPES Dr. S. CHANDRASHEKHAR Professor of Sericulture
University of Agricultural Sciences Bengaluru, India.
INTRODUCTION
India is the only country that produces all the commercially exploited silks viz., Mulberry, Eri, Tasar and Muga.
Among the non-mulberry silkworms, tasar and muga feed chiefly on the leaves of forest trees.
Attempts to increase silk production by non-mulberry silkworms have been confronted with certain limitations.
RAW SILK PRODUCTION IN INDIA
Type of Silk
MT
%
Mulberry
21,272 MT
74.73%
Eri
4,633 MT
16.27%
Tasar
2,404 MT
8.44 %
Muga
158 MT
0.55%
Total
28,467
100
The eri silkworm (Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval), also known as ‘Ahimsa Silkworm’, can be exploited for the silk of commerce with considerable ease.
The eri silkworm is the only vanya silkworm species domesticated completely and adopted to indoor rearing all through the year, accounting for in excess of 75% of vanya silk production.
Coupled with domestication, its affinity for feeding castor (Ricinus communis L.), which is cultivated in large areas in the country exclusively for oil seed production, has rendered eri silkworm rearing convenient.
Recinus communis L. (Castor), a minor oilseed crop can be linked with ericulture to maximize the returns if right choice of castor genotype is made. made. Castor genotype is made for dual purpose of ericulture and seed production. production.
Ericulture has got tremendous scope in castor growing areas without affecting seed production. production. It is important from the point of view income generating and employment. employment.
Castor can be exploited both for castor seed and leaf production which in turn helps in eri cocoon production. production.
Life cycle of Eri silkworm
COCOON
OBJECTIVES To record the castor seed and eri cocoon production in different castor genotypes. genotypes. To workout the economics of castor and eri cocoon production. production.
METHODOLOGY 1. Castor genotypes
Eight elite castor hybrids / varieties
2. Cultivation practices
Recommended package
3. Observations
Leaf yield & Seed yield
4. Statistical design
Randomized Complete Block Design
5. Eri silkworm breed
White - plain
6. Rearing practices
Recommended package
7. Observations
Cocoon shell yield
8. Statistical design
Complete Randomized Design
CULTIVATION OF CASTOR Eight genotypes of
castor seeds were sown at a spacing of
0.9 m x 0.45 m with plot size of 5.0 x 4.0 m and the crop was raised as per the recommended package of practices under irrigated condition with three replications. replications.
OBSERVATIONS RECORDED
LEAF YIELD Leaves Leaves were harvested @ 50% 50% defoliation. defoliation. Leaf Leaf yield was recorded at 90 days after sowing. sowing. Leaf Leaf yield/plot was calculated using the formula. formula. Leaf yield (kg/plot) = Total number of plants X Average leaf yield/ plant (kg)
SEED YIELD Seed yield/ha was calculated by using the formula:
Yield/ha (kg)
Yield/net plot (kg) = -----------------------------x -----------------------------x 10, 10,000 Area of net plot (m2)
The cost of castor seed and eri cocoon production among the eight selected castor genotypes and returns were worked out by taking the current prices of inputs and outputs. outputs.
F-test S. Em ± C. D. at 5%
Leaf yield (kg/5 Plants)
2.2
* 0.044 0.134
2.049 2 1.88 1.829
1.796
Kg / 5 plants
1.8
1.804 1.663
1.701
1.6 1.511
1.4
1.2
1 1. DCS-9
2. 48-1
3. Kranti
4. DCH- 5. GCH-4 6. DCH-32 7. DCS-85 177 Castor genotype
8. Local
10500
F-test S. Em ± C. D. at 5%
10000
9837
Leaf yield (kg/ha)
* 44.06 133.7
9500 9026 9000
8780
kg./ha
8619
8658
8500 8163 7983
8000 7500
7252
7000 6500 6000 1. DCS-9
2. 48-1
3. Kranti 4. DCH- 5. GCH-4 6. DCH- 7. DCS-85 8. Local 177 32 Castor genotype
F-test S. Em ± C. D. at 5%
Seed yield (kg/5 Plants) 0.45
* 0.003 0.010
0.393
0.4 0.35
kg/5 plants
0.3 0.25
0.275 0.243
0.23
0.233
0.232
0.247 0.213
0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 1. DCS-9
2. 48-1
3. Kranti
4. DCH- 5. GCH-4 6. DCH-32 7. DCS-85 8. Local 177
Castor genotype
F-test S. Em ± C. D. at 5%
Seed yield (kg/ha)
* 51.94 157.6
2000 1885 1800
kg./ha
1600 1400 1200
1322 1187
1167 1105
1119
1114 1023
1000 800 600 1. DCS-9
2. 48-1
3. Kranti
4. DCH- 5. GCH-4 6. DCH-32 7. DCS-85 8. Local 177
Castor genotype
Cocoon shell yield (kg/100 layings)
F-test S. Em ±
0.069
C. D. at 5%
0.207
9.5
9.237
*
9.07
9 8.5
8.284
kg./100 layings
8.02 8 7.5
7.338
7.222 6.915
7
6.651
6.5 6 5.5 5 1. DCS-9
2. 48-1
3. Kranti
4. DCH- 5. GCH-4 6. DCH-32 7. DCS-85 8. Local 177
Castor genotype
Total Cost of Production (Rs.)
F-test S. Em ±
* 134.5
C. D. at 5%
212.9
14200 14050 14000 13800
13710 13610
13540
13600
13560 13350
13400 Rs.
13275
13200 12970
13000 12800 12600 12400 1. DCS-9
2. 48-1
3. Kranti 4. DCH- 5. GCH-4 6. DCH-32 7. DCS-85 8. Local 177 Castor genotype
Gross Returns (Rs.) 35000
F-test S. Em ±
* 534.8
C. D. at 5%
847.1
30584 30000
Rs.
25000 21636 20000
19340
18580
18856
19594 18373
17613
15000
10000 1. DCS-9
2. 48-1
3. Kranti 4. DCH- 5. GCH-4 6. DCH- 7. DCS-85 8. Local 177 32
Castor genotype
Net Profit
F-test S. Em ±
0.020
C. D. at 5%
0.031
18000
*
16534 16000 14000 12000
Rs.
10000 7926
8000 6000
6244
5730
5040
5296
5098
4643
4000 2000 0 1. DCS-9
2. 48-1
3. Kranti 4. DCH- 5. GCH-4 6. DCH-32 7. DCS-85 8. Local 177
Castor genotype
SUMMARY
The study revealed that, high gross returns were realized by rearing eri silkworms on leaves of DCSDCS-85 (Rs. (Rs.30, 30,584/ha) 584/ha). /ha). The genotypes 4848-1 (Rs. (Rs.21, 21,636), 636), DCHDCH-32 (Rs. (Rs.19, 19,594) 594) and DCSDCS-9 (Rs. (Rs.19, 19,340) 340) were found next best and the least with Local genotype (Rs. (Rs.17, 17,613) 613).
Profit was more with DCSDCS-85 (Rs. (Rs.16, 16,534/ 534/ ha), However, it was less with Local genotype (Rs. (Rs.4,643) 643). Significant variation in B:C ratio was observed among selected castor genotypes when they were used for both castor seed and eri cocoon production. production.
B:C ratio was more with DCSDCS-85 (1.777: 777:1) followed by that in respect of 4848-1 (0.578: 578:1), DCHDCH-32 (0.468: 468:1), DCSDCS-9 (0.421: 421:1), DCHDCH-177 (0.391: 391:1) and Kranti (0.372: 372:1). However, B:C ratio was least with Local genotype (0.358: 358:1).
CONCLUSION It is inferred that castor genotype DCS-85 can be raised under rainfed condition for seed production and ericulture (@ 50% defoliation) to earn more gross return (Rs. 30,584 / ha), net profit (Rs. 16,534 / ha) and B:C ratio (1.777:1).
DCS-85 genotype could be used with cost effectiveness for dual purpose of castor seed and eri cocoon production under rainfed situation.
