Effect of Sole and Combination of Food Plants on Degumming of Cocoon and Physical Properties of eri (Samia ricini Donovan) Silk Yarn

The study revealed that castor fed worms registered for maximum yarn yield and size with minimum degumming loss and degumming period followed by kesseru fed worms. Though borpat fed worms registered lower values in respect of yarn yield with higher degumming loss and longer degumming period, the food plants had no significant effect on physical properties of the yarns viz, breaking load, tenacity, elongation percentage and imperfection. Interchange of food plants was found to have a decreasing trend in yarn yield and yarn size than sole food plants, however, there was no significant difference among the interchange combinations of food plants in respect of yarn yield and physical properties of the yarns viz., tenacity, elongation and imperfection.