• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2002

A new high yielding mulberry genotype, Victory-1 (V-1) was recommended to the field for irrigated areas by Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute (CSRTI), Mysore during 1996-1997. As K-2 and S-36 mulberry genotypes are already in the field, a study on the comparative performance of V-1, 5-36 and K-2 varieties, in terms of leaf yield, yield attributes, leaf moisture and moisture retaining capacity and their impact on silkworm rearing was carried out under Telangana conditions of Andhra Pradesh during 1999-2001. Among the three genotypes the leaf yield was found to be significantly (P < 0.01) higher in V-1 (64,130 kg/ha/yr) followed by S-36 (44,064 kg/ha/yr) and K-2 (23,990 kg/ha/yr). The maximum leaf moisture was also observed in V-1 (71.84%) compared to S-36 (66.86%) and K-2 (64%). The moisture retaining ability was more in V-1 (70.17%) followed by S-36 (66.20%) and K-2 (60.08%). The yield attributes were found to be significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced in V-1 over S-36 and K-2. Silkworm rearing results (bioassay) indicated a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in larval duration and improvement in larval weight, effective rate of rearing by number and weight, single cocoon and shell weights and shell ratio in the silkworm lots fed on V-1 variety followed by S-36 and K-2. Hence, in this study, V-1 was found to be superior among the three varieties studied.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2006

A breeding programme was initiated during 2001 to introduce sex-limited larval markings to a productive multivoltine breed - BL67 from an inbred sex-limited line, MY1 (SL) maintained at Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Mysore. Introgressive hybridization, recurrent backcrossing for six generations followed by sib-mating resulted in synthesis of a new multivoltine silkworm breed BL67 (SL) with sex-limited larval markings. The new breed was studied for combining ability by crossing with eight bivoltine breeds viz., $NB_4D_2,\;CSR_2,\;CSR_2 (SL),\;CSR_2,\;CSR_4,\;CSR_8,\;CSR_{18}\;and\;CSR_{19}$. General combining ability effects of the new breed showed its superiority over the popular Pure Mysore by expressing significant GCA effects for six out of twelve characters whereas the results are on par with the original multivoltine breed. The hybrid $BL67(SL){\times}CSR2(SL)$ excelled in several quantitative characters such as pupation rate (90.2%), cocoon weight (1.97 g), cocoon shell weight (40 cg), cocoon shell ratio (20.3%), filament length (918 m), denier (2.96), raw silk percentage (14.96%) and neatness (90 p). Studies on cocoon size variability revealed that the cocoons of $BL67(SL){\times}CSR2(SL)$ were found comparatively uniform showing less standard deviation of 6.55 and co-efficient of variation of 3.91 %. The suitability of newly developed breed for easy grain age operation and commercial exploitation with promising hybrid have been discussed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.31-39
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• 2015

Antheraea mylitta Drury (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) is a commercial silk producing forest insect of India, but it has never been experimented in Uttarakhand state in spite of the huge availability of its forestry host plants. This is the first study on A. mylitta in Uttarakhand. The goal of this study is to introduce forest based commercial rearing of A. mylitta, in tropical forest areas of Uttarakhand to reduce poverty among forest dependent people. In current study, we assessed the effect of seven forest tree species, rearing seasons, and their interactions on cocoon productivity of Daba (bivoltine) ecorace of A. mylitta in the New Forest of FRI, Dehra Dun during 2012 and 2013 and collected the data that was analysed by two-way completely randomized block factorial design. Post HOC Tukey's HSD test was carried out to compare the homogeneous pairs of means. We also carried out Evaluation Index analysis to rank the tested forestry host plants for better growth and development of A. mylitta under the climatic condition of Uttarakhand. Analysis of variance indicated that cocoon yield of A. mylitta differed significantly between rearing seasons (DF=1, F=88.24, p<0.05) and host plants (DF 6, F= 368.63, p<0.05); however, their interactions were found insignificant (DF=6, F=0.99, p>0.05). In first rearing season of July-August, there was higher cocoon yield than the second season of September-November. Results indicated that Terminalia alata fed larvae showed significantly higher cocoon yield (164.11 cocoons/300 larvae); followed by, T. tomentosa (148.89 cocoons), T. arjuna (140.00 cocoons) and Lagerstroemia speciosa (129.47 cocoons) fed larvae. Whereas, Lagerstroemia tomentosa fed larvae that was used by the first time in India, showed lowest cocoon yield (48.81 cocoons), followed by T. chebula (72.53 cocoons) fed larvae. Cocoon yield of T. tomentosa and T. arjuna fed larvae of A. mylitta did not differ significantly with each other.