Four oak tasar technologies developed at the Regional Sericulture Research Station, Imphal, which carries the institute’s oak tasar mandate.
Oak tasar technologies (RSRS, Imphal)
| # | Technology | Year | Brief description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Use of PET bottles as uzi trap | 2000 | Waste PET water bottle with a 3 cm hole in the middle and a funnel cut from a second bottle inserted as the entry, baited with concentrated sugarcane syrup and water in a 3:7 ratio. Each trap covers 8–10 plants at 4 × 4 ft spacing; trapped flies die inside. Simple, user-friendly and cost-effective, with 50 % improvement over the control. Bait must be prepared the same day the traps are set. |
| 2 | Sodium hypochlorite seed treatment against tiger band disease | 2000 | Egg surface disinfection in 0.2 % sodium hypochlorite for 30 minutes at room temperature (25–28 °C), preceded by washing of the room and appliances with 5 % bleaching powder solution three to four days earlier. Raises yield to 38–42 cocoons per dfl against 28–30 in the control. |
| 3 | Establishment and popularisation of breed C27 | 2005 | Oak tasar breed with average fecundity of 155 eggs, 65 % hatching, a larval duration of 40 days, cocoon weight 7.06 g, shell weight 0.75 g, silk ratio 10.28 and filament length 650 m — a 33 % improvement over the control. Establishment at REC Palampur in progress. |
| 4 | Raising and maintenance of block plantation of Quercus serrata | 2009-10 | Seedlings raised in polythene tubes for quick establishment of oak tasar plantations, ensuring a consistent supply of quality leaf for rearing. Commercialised; under on-farm testing. |