ABSTRACT

Silkworm cocoonsare an insect engineered multi-layered bio-material constructs that holds a matchless position in textile as well as bio-medical industry. We have investigated the structure and morphology of muga silkworm Antheraea assamensis cocoons that are endemic and semi-domestically reared in the Brahmaputra valley of Assam and other neighboring regions of North-east India. Further, the contribution of obtained structural features toward the mechanical properties of cocoon and silk fibers are quantified and discussed. We identified the nonwoven fiber architecture in the muga cocoons with continuous silk filaments conglutinated in the sericin matrix and calcium oxalate crystals on the outer surface. The measured properties of the cocoon structure fall between those of domesticated bombyx mori (mulberry) and other wild cocoons (temperate and tropical tasar cocoons). The study also highlights the feeble and low compactness nature of muga cocoons that requires a meticulous breeding program aiming at genetic improvement of muga silkworms in the form high-yielding and compact cocoons with better characteristics for commercial utilization.

摘要

蚕茧是一种昆虫工程的多层生物材料结构，在纺织和生物医药行业中占有举足轻重的地位。我们调查了阿萨姆邦布拉马普特拉河谷和印度东北部其他邻近地区地方性和半国内饲养的 muga 蚕Antheraea assamensis茧的结构和形态。此外，量化和讨论了获得的结构特征对茧和丝纤维机械性能的贡献。我们确定了 muga 茧中的非织造纤维结构，其中连续的丝丝在丝胶基质中粘合，外表面有草酸钙晶体。茧结构的测量特性介于家蚕的那些之间（桑树）和其他野生茧（温带和热带 tasar 茧）。该研究还强调了 muga 茧的脆弱和低密实性，需要一个精心的育种计划，旨在以高产和紧凑的茧的形式对 muga 蚕进行遗传改良，并具有更好的商业利用特性。