Antijuvenoid Action of Terpenoid Imidazole Compound on Larval - Pupal - Adult Development of Silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

Precocious metamorphosis was induced in two popular bivoltine breeds i.e. YB and $NB_4D_2$ by an imidazole compound having anti-juvenile hormone activity. The chemical was administered by feeding treatment with mulberry leaf to freshly moulted (0-6 hrs) IV instar larvae. The dose of the chemical was found to be breed specific being 650 ppm for YB and 500 ppm for $NB_4D_2$. The chemical caused complete skipping up of the fifth instar larvae which is most susceptible to diseases. But IV instar was somewhat prolonged. As a result the total larval period was reduced by 4-5 days. However, some of the rearing and reeling parameters like cocoon yield, cocoon weight, shell weight, shell %, filament length and fecundity were reduced for that particular generation only. The effective rate of rearing (ERR %) was significantly increased in trimoulters during the most unfavourable August - September seed crop season. Number of cocoons / kg and number of male moth were significantly higher in trimoulters. These may be useful for preparation of $multi{\times}bi$ hybrid seed. Fine denier was also found in trimoulter cocoon which is the cause of getting fine silk filament from trimoulter cocoons. Normal mating behaviour and emergence pattern was recorded in trimoulters. Bivoltine trimoulter males also showed competence for mating with multivoltine females. These results suggest the possibility of getting trimoulter males during hot and humid seasons when rearing of bivoltine is almost impossible particularly in Eastern and North Eastern India.