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Ao | Angami | Sumi | Lotha | Konyak | Chakhesang | Zeliang | Yimchungru | Pochury

Chang | Khiamniungan |Kuki | Phom | Rengma | Sangtam | Kachari

The Castor and Kesseru plants are the two most important food plants for Eri silkworm rearing. The silkworm feed on these leaves gives good quality cocoon as well as pupae.

A. Plantation of Castor Plant:-

1. Select the land of flat and slightly slope.

2. Plough 2-3 times to a depth of 25-30 cm and level it.

3. Prepare pits at the size of 25 cm x 25 cm x 20 cm and between the pits spacing should be 1m x2m.

4. Apply 1 kg FYM (Farm yard manure) per pit and mix thoroughly with the soil.

5. During March- April & September- October sow 2- 3 seeds per pit.

6. Germination takes place within 7- 10 days.

7. After fifteen days of germination only 1 seedling should kept per pit and the remaining plant have to be removed.

8. Hoeing and weeding should be done at regular interval.

9. Chemical fertilizers NPK @ 60: 40: 20 kg/ hectare should be applied after one month of germination.

10. First harvesting can be done in about three months of sowing.

11. Plant protection measure:-

B. Plantation of Kesseru Plant:-

This leaves is considered as second best next to Castor leave for feeding of Eri silkworm. This plant seed remain viable for a short period of about 7 days and show poor germination; therefore seedlings are raised first in nursery.

I) Raising of Nursery:-

1. High and well drained land required. February- March is the ideal season for sowing of seed.

2. Plough the land for 2- 3 times.

3. Make a bed measuring 6m x 2m and raise it to 15cm high.

4. Apply 75 kg FYM and sand to each bed.

5. Expose the bed to sunlight for two weeks to kill the different types of germs and worms.

6. Apply 0.1% Endofil- M- 45 and 1% BHC (10%) solution at 20 litres of water per bed before two days of sowing for disinfection of prepared soil.

II) Seed Maintenance:-

1. February- March is the best season for collection of seed.

2. Store 1- 2 days under shade.

3. Soak the seed in water overnight.

4. Rub the soaked seeds with gunny cloth to rub out the outer covering.

5. Put the naked seeds in the water once again and the sinking seed should be select and throw away the floating seed because it is not viable.

6. Treat the seeds with Endofil-M-45 @ 2- 3gm/ kg of seeds.

7. Sow the seeds at the distant of 20cm row to row and 15cm seed to seed.

8. Make a shed to protect the Nursery bed from exposure, cover by dried banana leaves etc. technically known as Mulching.

9. Watering should be done at regular interval.

10. 90% germination will takes place within 18- 25 days.

III) Preparation of Plantation area:-

1. Select the land of high flat and well drained.

2. Plough the land to the depth of 20- 25cm and level it.

3. Prepare pits at the size of 30cmx 30cmx 30cm and spacing between pits be 2mx 2m.

4. Apply mixture of 1gm Endofil-M-45 and 10gm BHC (10%) with 3- 4 kg well decomposed FYM per pit.

5. August- September is the ideal season for transplanting the seedling from nursery to main plantation land.

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