Determination of appropriate rearing period and roof covering material for silkworm rearing by heat requirement and dew point temperature

The aims of this study are to determine the appropriate rearing period and roof covering material according to the heat requirement of the silkworm grown in the house and the temperature of the dew point temperature. A house of 20 000 capacity with natural ventilation and 2 different roof system was planned. The starting dates of silkworm rearing season were selected as 27 April and 1 May. Starting from these dates, the heat requirement of the 27-day silkworm rearing period was determined according to the heat and moisture balance method. Monthly average temperature and relative humidity with 80% probability for April and May were determined as 17.2 °C and 21.5 °C with 63.2% and 58.7% respectively. When started rearing silkworm on 1th May in the flat reinforced concrete ceiling silkworm house, the heat requirements in the 5 larvae periods were 1203.31, 1018.19, 833.06, 647.94 and 1780.68 W h-1 respectively. In the uninsulated galvanized sheet metal covered silkworm house, breeding stars on 1th May, the heat requirements in the 5 larvae periods were 1718.35, 1453.99, 1189.63, 925.27 and 1978.78 W h-1 heat respectively. When compared the heat requirement of a flat reinforced concrete ceiling with that of an uninsulated galvanized steel, it was found that the heat requirement of a flat reinforced concrete ceiling was lesser 29.97% in the 1-4th and 10% in 5th larval stages. It was determined that rearing period beginning 1 May and flat reinforced concrete roof were more suitable