Sericulture has great potential to alleviate poverty and unemployment in the areas where sericulture has not been introduced. High altitude belts of the J & K, like Kargil where scope of other agricultural crops is limited due to short growing seasons, sericulture has the scope to be introduced for long term basis to ensure the livelihood security and better socio-economic status of the people from this tribal region. To see how economic activities in Kargil district can be given right focus, a study on silkworm rearing cum demonstration program was launched by CoTS, SKUAST-K, Mirgund at high altitude Kargil-Ladakh during July-August 2018 and 19. In order to assess the feasibility and sustainability of sericulture in the region, a popular bivoltine silkworm double hybrid (FC2 x FC1) was procured from Nodal Silkworm Seed Agency, NSSO, CSB, GoI, Bangalore which was reared for two consecutive years in three different border villages of Kargil viz, Akchamal, Mangbour and Shilikchey. Although prior to this, small scale silkworm rearing trails were conducted at Kargil during 2012-13, 2015-17 and 2018-19 by CoTS, SKUAST-K, Mirgund and CSRTI, CSB, Pampore respectively and have reported encouraging results which laid the basis of this study for further expansion and strengthening of sericulture activities in new far flung border areas of Kargil.. As such, the present investigation was aimed to test the validity of the results obtained in previous study trails for commercialization and popularization of sericulture in the region. The results obtained in the current investigation were encouraging and revealed highest hatching percentage of 98.70 and 97.80 during the year 2018 and 2019 respectively. Average Cocoon yield of 48.20 and 47.40 Kg/100 DFLs' was obtained during 2018 and 19 respectively. Average Single Cocoon Weight (SCW) and average Single Shell Weight (SSW) of 1.78g and 0.38g was obtained during 2018. whereas in 2019 it was 1.76g and 0.39g respectively. Average Shell Ratio (SR%) of 21.34% and 22.15% was also obtained during the year 2018 and 19 respectively. Hence, results of the present investigation attest the validity of the previous study trails conducted in the region from time to time and established that sericulture can be promoted at high altitude Kargil region of Ladakh on sustainable basis, the prospectus of which are underlined in the study.

In the present study, susceptibility of the mulberry pest G. pyloalis to the pathogens of silkworm, Bombyx mori was ascertained. The survey was carried out at the three locations viz. Mulberry farms of College of Temperate Sericulture, Mirgund and two mulberry farms of Sericulture Development Department, J&K located at Mirgund and Tulsibagh, Srinagar. The plantation is ravaged by different pests and diseases and as many as 11 major and 10 minor insect pests have been reported from Jammu and Kashmir (Sharma and Tara, 1985; Khan et al., 2004). Under temperate conditions, G. pyloalis (Walker) causes severe damage to mulberry crop and is considered as a major pest of mulberry in Jammu and Kashmir (Fotadar et al., 1998). Zeya et al. (2003) reported 20-25 percent damage to mulberry foliage in Kashmir is due to G. Pyloalis during July to October. The survey study showed high infestation of G. Pyloalis during the month of October, 2017 and 2018. The maximum infestation of 73.03% was observed at SDD Tulsi Bagh followed by 45.20% at SDD Mirgund and 32.99% at CoTS Farm. During the study various stages of G. Pyloalis were found infected with the Microsporidian and Nuclear Polyhedral Virus whereas Fungal and bacterial pathogens were not observed during the present study. The mean incidence of Microsporidian and NPV was observed as 4.22% and 5.99% percent respectively during October, 2017. In the present study, susceptibility of the mulberry pest G. Pyloalis to the pathogens of silkworm, Bombyx mori was ascertained so that management strategies are taken accordingly