• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.199-205
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• 2004

With the main objective to know the feasibility of exploitation of F$_1$ hybrids in semi arid and arid climatic conditions of India, the present study was carried out by utilising RD$_1$ as female parent and six bivoltine silkworm breeds viz., CSR$_2$, CSR$_4$, CSR$_{5}$, CSR$_{17}$, CSR$_{18}$ and CSR$_{19}$ along with NB$_4$D$_2$ as male parents. Different hybrids exhibited their superiority for various economic characters during different seasons. Among F$_1$ hybrids, RD$_1$${\times}$CSR$_{5}$ was adjudicated as the best hybrid in terms of expression of significant positive hybrid vigour over mid parental value for five economic characters namely hatching %, cocoon yield, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight and filament size, highest multiple trait average evaluation index value of 56.77 and comparatively uniform cocoon size with coefficient of variation (CV%) of 3.80 and Standard Deviation (SD) of 7.99 during September - October 2003. Results of the present study revealed that the F$_1$ hybrid RD$_1$${\times}$CSR$_{5}$ can be successfully exploited on commercial in semi arid and arid climatic conditions in India. India.dia.

• 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.19 no.2
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• pp.249-253
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• 2009

Raily ecorace of Indian tasar silkworm is wild in nature and distributed abundantly in dense deciduous forest on Shorea robusta (Sal) in Bastar ($17^{\circ}4'$ and $20^{\circ}34'$ N, $80^{\circ}15'$ and $82^{\circ}15'$ E and altitude ranging from 150 to 1200 mMSL) forest ranges of Chhattisgarh, India. It is represented by about 20 populations. Out of those, eleven populations showed intra- as well as inter- population variability based on phenotypic expression and also in major economic traits viz. cocoon weight, shell weight, filament length and denier. Genetic diversity in these eleven populations was studied using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. The band profiles generated with eight ISSR primers have depicted variation in band size. All the primers exhibited polymorphism which is an indicative of the genetic variation in individual Raily silkworm. Among the populations, total polymorphism recorded was 76%. The population genetic aspects assessed through POPGENE software package are discussed in the paper. Nei's gene diversity (h) ranged from 0.194 to 0.337 exhibiting high heterozygosity. Relevance of the present study is of high significance in formulating conservation strategies and sustainable utilization of the economically important Raily ecorace of Antheraea mylitta.