Called ``Vijetha,'' the disinfectant developed by scientists of Central Sericulture Research and Training Institute (CSR&TI) in Mysore, can reduce the spread of diseases in silkworm rearing beds by about 80 per cent, CSR&TI director, RK Datta told PTI.

Dusting Vijetha over a silkworm rearing bed at periodic intervals kills pathogens like bacteria, virus and fungus and prevents their growth, he said.

The team of scientists that developed the disinfectant has won this year's National Technology Day Award for the product.

Currently available silkworm disinfectants are disease-specific but vijetha is effective against all common diseases like pebrine, muscardine and nuclear polyhedrosis, the scientists claim.

Effective under different environmental conditions, thenon-harzardous product increases the yield by 10-15 kilogram of silk per 100 disease-free ``layings'' (dfls) of silkworm eggs at an additional expense of Rs 90.

A silkworm lays 400-500 eggs in a single ``laying.'' If the moth is free from pebrine disease, which is transmitted from mother to offspring, the laying is called a dfl.