Design, development and assessment of a regulation system for environmental conditions in sericulture housing :

Abstract

This report presents a comprehensive design, development and assessment of a regulation system for temperature, humidity and light intensity in Sericulture housing based on environmental and silkworm data. Sericulture culminates in the production of high-quality silk threads, high quality manure as well as high-protein foods to supplement animal diets. In the due course of sustaining the sericulture industry in Uganda, various challenges are faced by the farmers mostly centered around climatic and environmental conditions variations with the most significant being temperature, Humidity, light intensity and aeration. There is need to effectively monitor, manage and regulate environmental conditions considering humidity fluctuations, temperature and light intensity variations, and the rudimentary management and regulation methods of these conditions in Uganda. The growth of silkworms is directly correlated with temperature; large temperature fluctuations are detrimental to silkworm development. Additionally, humidity has a direct and indirect impact on silkworm rearing. The growth and quality of the cocoons produced by silkworms is mostly determined by the combined influence of temperature and humidity. It has a direct impact on the silkworm's physiological processes. Unlike temperature and Humidity, light intensity does not directly affect the silkworms. Due to their photosensitivity, silkworms prefer to crawl toward the direction of light. They dislike total darkness except at spinning level. Development and actualization of a regulation system that is self-regulating was aimed at improving the quantity and quality of cocoon produced. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the potential of the system based on environmental and silk worm data to regulate, manage and adjust the environmental conditions of temperature, Humidity, and light intensity to desired and optimum values. The developed system was set up within a housing prototype that contained two chambers thus conditioned and unconditioned chambers. Silkworms were reared in each and tests carried out on the cocoons produced in each chamber. There were differences in the quality and quantity of cocoon produced, with the regulated and conditioned chamber having better cocoon quality compared to the unconditioned chamber