Satellite Silkworm Breeding Station of bivoltine silkworm germplasm, to undertake the breeding programmes in coordination with Bivoltine Breeding Lab, CSR&TI-Mysore,to undertake field trials of breeds developed by CSRTI-Mysore, SSBS-Coonoor,to undertake silkworm and mulberry evaluation trials under All India Coordinated Experiments, to impart need-based trainings and Technical guidance to stakeholders of Dept. of Sericulture, Govt. of Tamil Nadu. Satellite Silkworm Breeding Station The Satellite Silkworm Breeding Station, Coonoor, was established by the British Govt. in 1908 for manufacturing surgical suture guts for soldiers of Second World War. During 1919 the station became Sericulture Demonstration Farm-cum-Guts Section. In 1943 by acquiring lands, the Demonstration Farm was
Smuggling of silkworm eggs into the Byzantine Empire Smuggling of silkworm eggs into the Byzantine Empire In the mid-6th century AD, two monks, with the support of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, successfully smuggled silkworm eggs into the Byzantine Empire, which led to the establishment of an indigenous Byzantine silk industry. This acquisition of silk worms from China allowed the Byzantines to have a monopoly of silk in Europe. Silk, which was first produced sometime during the fourth millennium BC by the Chinese, was a valuable trade commodity along the Silk Road. By the first century AD, there was a steady flow of silk into the Roman Empire.