Q.Write an account of muga silk: the silkworm, its host plants, the characteristics of the silk, and its economic and cultural significance.

Assam produces two special non-mulberry (vanya) silks. Muga silk comes from Antheraea assamensis, is a natural golden silk endemic to Assam (GI-tagged 2007), and is reared semi-domesticated on Som (Persea bombycina) and Soalu (Litsea polyantha). Eri silk comes from the fully-domesticated Samia ricini reared on castor and kesseru; becaus …