Genetic Improvement of Some Traits in Four Strains of Silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

A breeding plan was carried out on four commercial strains of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) 101, 102, 103 and 104 to improve some important traits. Genetic gain or response to selection $({\Delta}G)$, heritability of cocoon shell weight (CSW) and specific combining ability effects were estimated to determine the strains that can be improved. Strain 101 had lowest heritabitity, ${\Delta}G$ and viability. Strain 102 was acceptable in selection response but its viability was low. Therefore these two strains were not suitable for more selection. As a result, only lines 103 and 104 were chosen for further improvement. Intra population selection based on independent culling level method practiced from third to sixth generation for both productive and viability traits simultaneously. While CSW and CW had increasingly enhanced during primary generations, they went slightly up after third generation. According to negative genetic correlation, viability decreased during primary generations, but after third generation that paid attention to balanced development of both productive and viability traits, viability increased so that the pupation rate reached to $91\%$ in 103 and $97\%$ in 104 for last generation $(G_8)$.