Experimental investigation on Traditional Method of Muga Silkworm (Antheraea assamensis Helfer) Rearing in Chawrekia, Majuli, Assam (India)

Muga silkworm rearing (Antheraea assamensis), endemic to the Brahmaputra Valley, is an ancient, agro-based cottage industry. Responsible for producing the highly coveted, golden-yellow muga silk—which boasts a Geographical Indication (GI) tag—the practice is a vital livelihood source for indigenous communities in Assam. The silk is renowned for its durability, shimmering texture, and natural golden tint. The entire muga culture cycle is managed through a specialized, seasonal, and outdoor-based sequence. Muga silkworms are semi-domesticated and arboreal. They feed primarily on the leaves of two aromatic host plants:Som (Persea bombycina): Predominantly found in Upper Assam, used for yielding high-quality reeling cocoons.Sualu (Litsea polyantha): More common in Lower Assam, primarily used for producing seed cocoons. Because the caterpillars cannot be reared indoors full-time, farmers manage them through 5 to 6 continuous generations every year, which align with both commercial and seed-producing cropping seasons :Commercial Crops:Jethua (May - June)Katia (October - November)Seed and Pre-seed Crops:Jarua (Dec-Jan), Aherua (June-July), Chotua (Feb-March), and Bhodia (July-August). These are raised specifically to carry the genetic line to the next season. Traditional rearing practices farmers apply generations of local ecological knowledge to nurture the caterpillars. Mugasilkworm (Antheraea assamensis) rearing is actively practiced in Chawrekia Village in the district of Majuli. This paper highlighted about the traditional method of rearing of Muga Silkworm (Antheraea assamensis) in the Chawrekia village of Majuli river island.