The standard operational values a muga crop is planned and assessed against. The gap between seed and commercial effective rate of rearing — 30 % against 50 % — is the central constraint of the whole system: the seed crops that feed the commercial crops are the ones that fail most.
Standard parameters
| মাপকাঠি | Standard operational value |
|---|---|
| Average fecundity | 170 – 180 eggs per female |
| Weight of 1 DFL | 1.30 – 1.40 g |
| Hatching | 85 % |
| Effective rate of rearing | Seed 30 % | Commercial 50 % |
| Cocoons per DFL | Seed 30 | Commercial 50 |
| Cocoons per 100 DFLs | Seed 3,500 | Commercial 5,000 |
| Shells per kg (CPC) | About 2,200 |
| Raw silk per 100 DFLs | 1 kg |
| Raw silk per acre | 8 kg (20 kg / ha) from 800 dfls in two crops |
| Reelable percentage | 50 % |
| Single cocoon weight | Male 5.0 g | Female 6.5 g |
| Single shell weight | Male 0.42 g | Female 0.48 g |
| Silk ratio | Male 8.40 % | Female 7.38 % |
Note the inversion in the last two rows: the female cocoon is heavier and carries more
shell, but the male has the higher silk ratio — 8.40 % against 7.38 %.
Shell weight and silk ratio are not the same quality signal and should not be substituted
for one another when grading.
Cocoon quality by crop season
| Crop season | Cocoon wt. (g) | Shell wt. (g) | SR (%) | Filament length (m) | Denier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb – Mar (Chotua) | 5.00 | 0.40 | 8.00 | 275 | 5.00 |
| Apr – May (Jethua) | 7.00 | 0.60 | 8.77 | 425 | 5.80 |
| Jun – Jul (Aherua) | 6.00 | 0.50 | 8.33 | 325 | 5.40 |
| Aug – Sep (Bhodia) | 5.50 | 0.43 | 8.18 | 300 | 5.20 |
| Oct – Nov (Kotia) | 8.00 | 0.70 | 8.75 | 450 | 6.00 |
| Dec – Jan (Jarua) | 6.50 | 0.55 | 8.46 | 350 | 5.60 |