The multivoltine bl24 X nb4D2 is multiplied by the National silkworm seed project, a unit of the central silk board (CSB) and so far three crops have been reared in the districts, CSB officials here said.

CSB has identified 25 farmers in selected sericultural villages of Madamangala, Mugalabele, Ankathatti Mageri, Sulukunte of Kolar district for trial rearing of the hybrid silkworm under the post authorisation discipline (PAD) programme.

M Ramesh, a rearer of the silkworm in Madamangala told PTI the strain yields 60-65 kg of cocoon per 100 DFLs (disease free layings) as compared to the 50 kg from the earlier variety PM X nb4D2.

Ramesh said as against the 9.5 kg of cocoon required for a kilogramme of silk in the older strain, the bl24 variety with just 7.5 kg of cocoon yields one kg of silk.

CSB officials here said rearers were able to earn more and also the cocoon gives about 900 metres of silk filament while reeling as compared to the 700 metres in the earlier cocoons, which helps the rearers to earn more.

Silk board officials said a high level committee comprising senior officials from central silk board as well as department of sericulture are supervising and monitoring the rearings in the districts.