Socio-economic and psychological profile characteristics of silkworm rearers and seed cocoon rearers in southern Karnataka, India

Sericulture contributes to rural livelihoods in Karnataka, but comparative evidence on the socio-economic and psychological profiles of silkworm rearers and seed cocoon rearers remains limited. This study assessed and compared the profile characteristics of 120 respondents, comprising 60 silkworm rearers and 60 seed cocoon rearers, selected from Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Ramanagara, and Chamarajanagara districts of Southern Karnataka. An ex post facto research design was adopted, and data were collected through personal interviews using a structured interview schedule during May and June 2025. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were used to examine the selected characteristics and their relationship with performance. Most respondents in both groups were middle-aged, educated up to high-school level, and members of medium-sized families. Silkworm rearers were predominantly in the medium-income category, whereas the largest proportion of seed cocoon rearers belonged to the low-income category. Medium levels were generally observed for occupation, social participation, extension contact, marketing orientation, management orientation, cosmopoliteness, mass-media exposure, economic motivation, extension participation, and deferred gratification. Deferred gratification had the strongest positive correlation with performance (r = 0.691), followed by extension contact (r = 0.547), economic motivation (r = 0.467), and annual income (r = 0.460). Education and social participation were not significantly related to performance. The findings provide a basis for tailoring extension and capacity-building interventions to the differing profiles of the two groups.