DISINFECTION & HYGIENE

……INSIDE A SERICULTURE FARM

Experiment 6
 INTRODUCTION
• Disinfection is the important necessary step to ensure healthy and successful silkworm
rearing.
• It aims at total destruction of disease causing pathogens.
• Several bacteria, virus, fungi and protozoans cause silkworm diseases.
• These pathogens released by diseased silkworms easily accumulate and spread in the
environment. They can survive for long periods under congenial conditions.
• The spores of pathogens like fungi are very light and easily carried by wind and can
spread from one rearing house to another.
• There are no curative methods for any silkworm diseases, therefore, prevention of the
disease is the best cure.
• Prevention of the disease is ensured by proper disinfection and maintenance of
hygiene.
 Chemical Disinfectants used in Sericulture:

• FORMALINE
• BLEACHING POWDER
• SLAKED LIME
• CHLORINE OXIDE
 Chemical Disinfectants used in Sericulture:
1. Formalin
• It is commercially available as 36% formaldehyde solution.
• A mixture of 2% formalin + 0.05% detergent is an effective solution that can be used for
disinfection purpose.
• Formalin is effective only if the rearing house can be made airtight.
2. Bleaching powder.
• For an effective disinfection, a high grade bleaching powder with 30% active chlorine
content must be used.
• A 2% bleaching powder in 0.3% slaked lime solution is used for disinfection as spray.
• It should be stored in sealed bags away from moisture.
• Under wet and contact conditions the action of bleaching powder is very effective.
Therefore, surface and the walls should be drenched with this solution.
 Chemical Disinfectants used in Sericulture:
3. Slaked lime:
• Slaked lime is a very effective bed disinfectant, especially against virus.
• It absorbs moisture and can be used to regulate bed humidity and maintain hygiene.
• Application of lime dust in combination with bleaching powder in and around rearing
houses and premises improve hygiene in the environment.
4. Chlorine dioxide:
• Chlorine dioxide is marketed as ‘Sanitech’ and is an ideal disinfectant for sericulture.

• The disinfectant available at 20,000 ppm concentration is a strong oxidizing agent.

• It is stable and can be activated at the time of disinfection.
• It has a characteristic odour and non-corrosive at the suggested dilution.
 Requirements for Disinfection

• DETERGENT • WEIGHING SCALE,

• SPRAYERS: • GAS MASK,
• Rocking sprayers/Gator
• METAL PANS,
• Power sprayer or
• ROOM HEATERS,
• Multipurpose pump
• HAND GLOVES &
• BUCKETS
• MUSLIN CLOTH.
• MEASURING JARS
 Rocking sprayer/Gator

Features:
• The pump barrel and pressure
chamber made of brass/PVC
• Easy operation by hand - to and fro.
• Can throw up to a height of 20 - 25
feet from the ground
• Supplied with standard lance.
• Use in the garden, agriculture,
horticulture, sericulture and other
crops for spraying pesticides,
washing and cleaning using water.
 Multipurpose sprayer

Features:
• Easy to fill, easy-clean and leak-free tank.
• Has a spray gun made of brass with a non-
metallic handgrip for ease of operation.
• The swivel nozzle provides excellent spraying
accuracy.
• Suitable for spraying both liquid fertilizers
and liquid pesticides in crops and indoors for
fumigation.
• It is simple and efficient.
• The advanced design of this unit allows for
spraying fluids in all directions
 Power Sprayer

Features:
• A power sprayer is an equipment used in
sericulture to spray disinfectants in the
plantation fields or rearing houses.
• In the field, it might be used to spray
pesticides, fungicides, insecticides, and other
substances.
• It uses electricity.
• Some models includes rechargeable standby
batteries that can be recharged using an
external charger.
• The body is usually made of a durable,
translucent plastic
Maintaining Hygiene in a Rearing House

Period Disinfection
Personal hygiene
Hygiene in the neighborhood
Disinfection of Rearing House
 Process of Disinfection

Step 1: Cleaning of rearing houses and appliance

• Immediately after the completion of the silkworm rearing and disposal

of the cocoons, all the refuse of the rearing including dead larvae
and pupae should be gathered in one place inside the rearing
house.
• Disinfect the rearing house including this debris with 5% bleaching
powder solution and later dispose the debris by burning or burying
2 ft deep.
• Disinfection process should start 4-5 days prior to brushing.
• However, the eggs may be incubated in a separate disinfected room.
 Process of Disinfection

Step 2: Calculate the floor area

Floor area = Length x Breadth ( of the floor)

Example: Length = 20ft, Breadth =15ft
Area = 20x15 = 30 sq ft = 28 m2
 Process of Disinfection
Step 3: Estimation of quantity of disinfectant required
The total quantity of disinfectant can be calculated by calculating:
a. Solution required for spraying inside the rearing house
b. Solution required to disinfect appliances inside the rearing house= 25% of a.
c. Solution required for spraying outside side the rearing house= 10% of a.
d. Total solution required =a+b+c.
On an average, 2 lt/sq mt or 185 ml/sq ft floor area is required.
Example: For a rearing house with floor area 28 m2
Quantity of disinfectant required would be
a. 28 x 2= 56 lt of solution is required for disinfection inside the rearing house
b. b. 56x 25%=14 lt solution is required for disinfection of appliances.
c. 56 10% = 5.6 lt solution is required for disinfection outside the rearing house.
d. Total solution required = 56+14+5.6= 75.6 lt =75 lt.
 Process of Disinfection

Step 4: Preparation of Disinfectants

Following disinfectants or their combinations is used in sericulture:

1. 2% bleaching powder in 0.3% slaked lime, or
2. 2.5% sanitech (Chlorine dioxide) in 0.5% slaked lime, or
3. 2% Formaline + 0.05% detergent solution.
 Process of Disinfection

Step 4: Preparation of Disinfectants

1. 2% bleaching powder in 0.3% slaked lime
20g bleaching powder and 3 g slaked lime mixed in 1L is 2% solution.
To prepare 75 L solution,
75x20=1.500 kg bleaching powder + 75x3=225 g of slaked lime is required.
 Process of Disinfection
Step 4: Preparation of Disinfectants
2. 2.5% sanitech (Chlorine dioxide) in 0.5% slaked lime
Preparation of 2.5% sanitech (Solution A):
Preparation of 1L Sanitech: Add 2.5 g of activator crystals to 25 ml of sanitech solution, stir and allow for 5
minutes to stand. Colour changes to light yellow.
Preparation of 0.5% slaked lime (Solution B):
Mix 5 g of slaked lime powder in water and make it up to 995 ml of water.
✓ Mix solution A and Solution B.
To prepare 75 L of sanitech :
In 0.5% slaked lime solution,
Solution A: In 75 x 25ml = 1.875 L sanitech concentrate solution, add 75 x 2.5g =187.5 g activator.
Solution B: 75 x 5 =375 g slaked lime. Mix and add 75-1.875 L=73.125 L water
 Process of Disinfection

Step 4: Preparation of Disinfectants

3. Preparation of 2% Formalin solution + 0.5 % detergent :
One part of 36% formaldehyde solution in 17 parts of water.
Add 0.5 g detergent per liter of Formalin for disinfection.
To prepare 75 L of 2% Formalin,
Formalin required: 75/17=4.17 L.
Take 4.17 L Formaldehyde solution and add 75 - 4.17 = 70.59 L of water.
Add 75 x 0.5 g = 3.75 g of detergent.
 Process of Disinfection

Schedule for applying the disinfectant

Disinfection of rearing house and appliances should be made twice before

rearing
➢ First spray is with 5% bleaching powder (immediately after the
completion of previous crop) and
➢ Second spray with 2.5% Sanitech (Chlorine di-oxide) solution just 2 days
before the next crop.
 Schedule for applying the disinfectant
Order of
Day Details of work
work
After the completion of Collection and burning of diseased larvae and melted and
1
previous rearing flimsy cocoons.
Flaming the floss of rotary mountange and disinfection by
2
fumigation
3 First disinfection of rearing house and appliances
5 days before brushing 4 Cleaning and washing of appliances
5 Sun drying of appliances
4 days before brushing 6 Disinfection of rearing with 0.3% slaked lime (optional
3 days before brushing 7 Second disinfection of rearing house and appliances.
Dusting disinfectant in front of rearing house and to the
2 days before brushing 8
passage
9 Open the windows of rearing house for ventilation
1 day before brushing 10 Preparation for brushing
Cleaning & Hygiene
 Bed Cleaning

• Remove the unhealthy larvae, if any and put them into 2% bleaching powder
in 0.3% slaked lime solution.
• Don’t spill the bed refuse on the floor of the rearing room while cleaning the
bed.
 Personal Hygiene in a Rearing House
• Wash hands and feet with disinfectant solution before entering in to the rearing
house.
The hands and feet should be washed with alkaline soap first and then dipped in
disinfectant solution (2.5% Sanitech/ Serichlor in 0.5% slaked lime solution or 2%
Bleaching powder in 0.3% slaked lime).
• Wash hands in disinfectant solution and water after picking of diseased worms,
after bed cleaning and before feeding.
• Pick the diseased worms every day into a basin with lime powder and bleaching
powder mixture and dispose off carefully by burning or burying at a distant
place.
• Keep the rearing room clean and well aerated during silkworm rearing.
 Disinfecting the Bed
Vijetha, Vijetha Green and Ankush are the
silkworm body and rearing seat disinfectants
for the prevention of silkworm diseases.

How to use?

- Take the powder in a thin cloth/sieve.

- Dust over the silkworms @ 5 g/square feet
after every moult and once on 4th day of final
instar after bed cleaning.
 Schedule and quantity to be dusted (for 100 dfls)
g/sq.ft bed Quantity required for
Dusting time Disinfectant
area 100 dfls (L)
After III moult before Vijetha/Vijetha
5 900
resumption of feeding Green/Ankush
3rd day of IV instar* Vijetha supplement 3 600
After IV moult before Vijetha/Vijetha
5 1200
resumption of feeding Green/Ankush
2nd day of V instar* Vijetha supplement 3 1300
Vijetha/Vijetha
4th day of V instar 5 3000
Green/Ankush
6th day of V instar* Vijetha supplement 3 1800