• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.37-44
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• 2021

Mulberry silkworm is classified into uni, bi and multivoltine based on the frequency of diapause incidence. The variation in the incidence of diapause in bivoltine silkworm provides a unique opportunity to study the process of evolution of adaptive plasticity towards seasonal variations. The diapause expression in bivoltine silkworm is highly variable and is determined by environmental factors experienced by the maternal generation. Diapause in natural populations is functionally associated with the overwintering mechanism that facilitates survival in harsh winter conditions. In contrast, under standard commercial rearing conditions, the domesticated bivoltine silkworm is known to enter diapause in every generation. This paper presents a short review of the literature dealing with the role of temperature, photoperiod, diapause hormone and its receptor in diapause induction. Also, we briefly review the incidence of non-diapause eggs in bivoltine silkworm under controlled conditions.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2003

The present investigation was carried out to study the possible cause for reciprocal difference in silkworm hybrids. By utilising the polyvoltine race Pure Mysore (PM) and newly evolved breeds (CSR2, CSR5, CSR16 and CSR17), the direct and reciprocal crosses of polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine and also bivoltine hybrids were studied. The hybrids of polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine (direct) are superior to their reciprocal crosses in respect of cocoon yield, cocoon weight and filament length. The reciprocal crosses of polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine are superior to their direct crosses in respect of fecundity and short larval duration. No significant differences were observed in the characters like cocoon shell ratio, raw silk percentage, denier, reelability and neatness in both polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine direct crosses and their reciprocals. The expression of cocoon characters as a function of sex revealed that direct crosses (polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine) showed higher cocoon weight, pupal weight, shell weight and longer filament length in females than the reciprocal crosses (bivoltine ${\times}$ polyvoltine), where as these characters in males were almost the same in both direct and reciprocal crosses, indicating that the sex-linked genetic factor played a more important role. it was clear that difference in cocoon yield observed in reciprocal crosses of polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine was due to the low cocoon and shell weight in females which was turn due to presence of early maturity genes (Lme) linked with sex-chromosome (X) which effect on larvae period of the silkworm. In bivoltine hybrids, i.e., both direct and their reciprocals crosses, all the characters viz., hatching percentage, larval duration, survival, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio, raw silk percentage, filament length, denier, reelability and neatness did not show any significant difference (except number of eggs laid by moth) which could account for presence of same maturity genes (Lm) in both direct and reciprocal crosses. it was clear that reciprocal differences occur when the hybrids are prepared from the parental strains with different voltinism.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.273-277
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• 2004

Variation in the size of the silk filament will determine the uniformity and quality of the silk reeled. In the present study, an attempt has been made to study the filament size variation in 6 multivoltine parental breeds and 9 multivoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine hybrids in all three seasons of a year. All multivoltine breeds and multivoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine hybrids showed variation in filament size throughout its length from the outer layer to inner layer. Results of the present study indicated that the size of the filament decreased from outer to inner layer. The decrease in filament size was sudden in some breeds/hybrids whereas it was gradual in other. Relationship between filament length to that of slope, average filament size to slope, and maximum filament size to slope was determined based on regression analysis. Regression analysis revealed significant positive correlation between slope vs average filament length (r=0.92$^{**}$) in multivoltine${\times}$bivoltine hybrids. Among parental breeds, 96C showed lowest slope of the curve (b-value: -0.00428) and 96A showed highest slope of the curve (b-value: -0.00269). Among 9 hybrids, PM${\times}$N $B_4$ $D_2$ recorded lowest slope value (b-value: -0.00328) and BL24${\times}$N $B_4$ $D_2$ showed highest value for slope of the curve (b-value: -0.00234). The breed 96C, which showed lowest slope value can be utilized for future breeding programmes to breed strains with less size deviation. Three multivoltine${\times}$bivoltine hybrids viz., PM${\times}$N $B_4$ $D_2$, 96E${\times}$CSR19 and BL67${\times}$CS $R_{101}$ , which showed less slope values (b-values: -0.00328, -0.00300 and -0.00297 respectively) can be utilized for commercial exploitation to produce uniform silk.k.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.181-187
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• 2004

Polyvoltine silkworm breeds/hybrids play an important role in tropical sericulture. In the process of synthesizing more potential polyvoltine hybrids(polyvoltine${\times}$bivoltine) of superior quantity and quality, the Andhra Pradesh State Sericulture Research and Development Institute (APSSRDI) has developed 8 promising polyvoltine breeding lines (SDMG2, APM16, APM15, APM14, APM5, RM2, APM3, APM13). In order to study their hybrid vigour and performance, these breeds were crossed with 4 potential bivoltine testers (SDD1, SDD2, SDD3, APS8), and 32 different hybrid combinations were prepared and evaluated for their mid parent heterosis (MPH) and better parent heterosis (BPH) of silk productivity. Since silk is the ultimate product required for commercial purpose, based on silk productivity and its heterosis, three superior polyvoltine hybrid combinations namely RM2${\times}$APS8 (24.3%), APM3${\times}$APS8 (12.4%) and APM15${\times}$SDD2 (10.8%) were adjudicated as potential heterotic hybrid combinations of superior silk yield and hence recommended for further large scale field trails and commercial exploitation.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2001

Ten newly evolved bivoltine hybrids of silkworm (Bombyx mori L) were evaluated with control hybrid KA${\pm}$NB4D2 during three seasons of a year for their seasonal performance. Analysis of variance and other statistical methods were employed and the performance was observed in respect of 10 quantitative traits. The results showed significant genotype${\pm}$environment interaction with respect to four quantitative characters viz. fecundity, yield/10,000 larvae, filament length and raw silk (%). Environmental effects were significant for nine characters out of ten characters evaluated. A 105${\pm}$J2 and B${\pm}$NB4D2 were considered as highly adaptable hybrids to local conditions with high mean for maximum characters studied and found suitable to rear in all seasons.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.191-195
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• 2003

The impact of antibiotic (Norfloxacin) administration ,at different concentration (50 ppm and 100 ppm) on commercial characters of bivoltine $({CSR_2}{\times}{CR_4})$ and the cross breed race $({BL_67}{\times}{CSR_101})$ was studied. The result indicated that antibiotic administration with different concentrations significantly improved the rearing and cocoon parameters like larval duration, larval weight, growth index, single cocoon weight, single shell weight and shell ratio. The post cocoon parameters like average filament length, non-breakable filament length, raw silk percentage, raw silk recovery percentage, denier, reelability and neatness were recorded significantly higher in antibiotic treated batches. The better performances of these parameters were recorded with the increase of antibiotic concentration.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.197-202
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• 2003

The hot climatic conditions prevailing particularly in summer are not conducive to rear these high yielding bivoltine hybrids throughout the year, In order to select efficiently the breeds with high temperature tolerance, it is very important to analyze critically the impact of high temperature on many silk yielding attributes of silkworm races. Keeping the above in view, the present study was undertaken to determine the effect of high temperature $(36 {\pm} 1^{\circ}C)$ and high humidity $(80 {\pm} 5% Relative Humidity)$ on the rearing performance of pure races, foundation crosses, single hybrids and double hybrids of bivoltine silkworm, Bombyx mori L. The robust bivoltine breeds, CSR18, CSR19, 8HT and 5HT, eight foundation crosses, eight single hybrids and eight double hybrids involving these breeds were chosen as materials in this study.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2004

Studies on heterotic expression in the silk productivity of 66 thermo-tolerant bivoltine hybrids reared under high temperature $(36{\times}1^{\circ}C)$ and low humidity (60${\times}$5%) conditions revealed that manifestation of heterosis was highly significant for majority of the quantitative traits contributing to more cocoon productivity. Observations were made on 8 economically important traits such as fecundity, pupation rate, cocoon yield, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio, cocoon filament length and raw silk. Analysis of variance results revealed great deal of variability indicating significant (P < 0.001) variations. Out of 66 hybrids, 7 hybrids exhibited positive heterosis for seven traits and 4 hybrids expressed significant hetero-beltiosis for 6 traits, out of 8 traits evaluated. Based on results, the hybrids ${SR_1} {\times} {SR_5}and {CSR_2} {\times} {SR_5}$ are adjudged as most promising ones and can be exploited commercially in tropical climates to increase the cocoon productivity.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2007

Three newly authorized bivoltine silkworm hybrids namely, $CSR2{\times}CSR4$ (productive single hybrid), $(CSR6{\times}CSR26){\times}(CSR2{\times}CSR27)$ (productive double hybrid) and $CSR18{\times}CSR19$ (robust single hybrid) were chosen for the present study. These hybrids were subjected to different temperature and humidity treatments i.e., $25{\pm}$1^{\circ}C and RH $65{\pm}5%$ (control), $30{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, with combinations of low relative humidity (RH $65{\pm}5%$) and high RH ($85{\pm}5%$) at different stages during rearing and spinning of silkworm larvae. The larvae of after 3rd moult were subjected to different thermal and humidity stress till the assessment of cocoon traits. The comparative rearing and reeling performance clearly indicated that the deleterious effect of high temperature and high RH was more pronounced for the majority of traits such as cocoon uniformity, cocoon weight, shell weight, shell percentage, reelability, filament length, raw silk percentage raw silk recovery denier and waste percentage on silk weight than other temperature and RH treatments and this effect was almost similar for all three silkworm hybrids studied. The present investigation clearly indicate that the deleterious effect of high temperature and high RH was more pronounced on rearing and spinning of silkworm larvae than other temperature and RH treatments and similar effect was noticed for all the three silkworm hybrids studied. The cocoon characters can be improved by providing ideal environmental conditions even during spinning stage of larvae affected with high temperature and RH. The study also suggest that high temperature and low humidity has greater effect during rearing stage than spinning stage.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.59-63
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• 2003

In the present study, hybrid vigour in terms of heterosis and over dominance of newly evolved bivoltine hybrids and their reciprocals raised from the promising newly evolved bivoltine breeds were calculated for the important parameters like pupation, cocoon yield, cocoon weight, shell weight, shell ratio, raw silk percentage, filament length and neatness. Through there was no significant difference among the hybrids for the characters pupation, cocoon yield and cocoon weight, the magnitude of heterosis and over dominance were varied significantly for these characters. However, significant differences were observed between new hybrids and control hybrid for the characters like cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio, filament length and raw silk percentage. The results indicate that majority of new hybrids have shown higher heterosis and over dominance than control hybrid. The data also indicate that highest mean heterosis of all new hybrids was recorded for cocoon yield followed by filament length. Whereas highest mean over dominance was recorded for cocoon yield followed by cocoon weight. Negative mean heterosis and over dominance were recorded for the trait cocoon shell ratio. Based on the results, the importance of three hybrids viz., CSR2 ${\times}$ CSR4, CSR2 ${\times}$ CSR5 and CSR3 ${\times}$ CSR6 and their reciprocals (CSR4 ${\times}$ CSR2, CSR5 ${\times}$ CSR2 and CSR6 ${\times}$ CSR3) which exhibited significant heterosis and over dominance, for commercial exploitation was discussed.