author(s)
KP Sahana, KG Banuprakash, KS Vinoda and Fatima Sadatulla

abstract
The study was conducted to evaluate the performance of three fabricated self mountages viz., spiral, square and zig-zag mountages on various cocoon parameters in comparision with ribbon, plastic collapsible and bamboo mountages by using two different silkworm hybrids viz., the cross breed (CB) (PM x CSR₂) and the double hybrid (DH) (Krishnaraja). The results revealed that, the cocoon parameters viz., single cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, floss weight and cocoon shell ratio did not vary significantly except the pupal weight with respect to cross breed. Whereas, all the cocoon parameters showed non significant results in case of double hybrid. However, the relatively maximum cocoon weight was observed in spiral mountage (1.90 g) for CB and bamboo mountage (2.13 g) for DH; cocoon shell weight was higher in bamboo mountage (0.336 g) for CB and spiral mountage (0.498 g) for DH; the floss weight was found less in spiral mountage (0.350 mg) for CB and bamboo mountage (0.250 mg) for DH; cocoon shell ratio was recorded relatively higher in ribbon chandrike (19.46%) for CB and zig-zag mountage (26.10%) for DH; significantly higher pupal weight was observed in bamboo mountage (1.50 g) which was found on par with spiral mountage (1.49 g) for CB and it was found relatively higher in plastic and square mountage (1.50 g) for DH. Among the fabricated self mountages subjected for evaluation spiral mountage and zig-zag mountages were exhibited better performance as that of bamboo mountage.