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Guwahati: The state government has roped in Gauhati University to improve the production of muga silk, the demand for which is high but availability is declining owing to several reasons.
The State Transformation and Innovation Aayog (SITA) has entrusted Gauhati University with the task of improving production and encouraging the youth to participate in muga production.
SITA vice-chairman Ramen Deka reviewed its ongoing project entitled ‘An Approach for Enhancement of Muga Silkworm Production in Assam’ with its implementing partner Gauhati University Institute of Science and Technology on March 16.
When Business Northeast spoke to Deka, who is also the Head of the Department of Bioengineering and Technology at Gauhati University, he informed that people at the grassroots level do not get as much money as the owner of a showroom.
Secondly, muga larvae are a target of different birds and farmers are required to put up large nets around the trees, leading to an increase in input cost, he added.
Climate change is another problem that is affecting the cultivation of muga silk.
“Recently, during the time when people were complaining of air pollution, we could not grow muga larvae at all. It is because the muga larvae feed on mulberry leaves. But these leaves are covered with pollutants. So, the larvae are dying,” pointed out Deka.
Climate change also causes excessive heat and rain in Assam and that is not conducive for the larvae growth.
Another reason for the low production of the silk is the various types of diseases of the larvae caused by bacteria, fungi and viruses. This way, they become weak and susceptible to harm caused by external conditions. “If these kinds of diseases are affected than the entire field is affected, It is very difficult to control such diseases,” Deka informed.
Deka confessed that this was actually not his field of operation. But scientifically they never had such an opportunity to work for muga silk production. The team felt the need to look into the immunological aspect and help the field persons.
So, they tied up with the Assam Agricultural University (AAU) in Jorhat and Central Eri Muga Research and Training Institute in Ladoigarh. They bought 1,000 muga eggs worth Rs 5,000 to self-help groups. The self-help groups are conditioned to return to the department 10% of it. With that they have planned to help another self-help groups.
The main motive is to expand the muga at the field level. That is being done by the AAU.
Laboratory works are being done at Gauhati University to create a disease-resistant variety. For this, they found the disease-creating organism from the muga itself. “We tried to find which silkworms have sustained diseases in spite of all this,” Deka said.
The research team is also repeatedly in search of bacteriophages which are viruses that infect and kill bacteria from nature. The team will apply those viruses to kill those bacteria which affect silkworms. Deka confirmed that these viruses are very specific in their work that they will not affect the Muga but will only kill the bacteria being a bio bactericide agent.
They will also try to find out what is the immunological aspect to the disease-resistant variety. With all these, the muga larvae will be saved and the production will increase.
The areas selected for this are Titabor, Sibsagar and other areas in upper Assam. Each self-help group has 20-30 farmers associated with it.
Professor Palash Debnath of Assam Agriculture of the department of plant pathology further informed that they are providing certified seeds to the farmers. They want to increase the scope for the livelihood of the farmers. He also said that till now there was a lack of technical know-how. They are in the process to adopt new methodologies to remove diseases. “We are in process of creating a Muga belt covering areas like taking Dhakuakhana, Dhemaji, Silapathar and North Lakhimpur area,” said Debnath.
The project is for five years. Debnath informed that their practice has increased the muga production significantly.
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