• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.73-78
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• 2004

The impact of low concentration fluoride on toxification was studied by treating $3^rd$ instar silkworm larvae of Qiufeng${\times}$Baiyu (Fluoride resistant strain) and Jinshong${\times}$Haoyue (Fluoride sensitive strain). The $5^th$ instar silkworm larvae of Zhenong-l, Shu-12, Qiufeng ${\times}$ Baiyu, Chunhua ${\times}$ Qhiushi, Jinshong and Haoyue were fed mulberry leaves treated with sodium fluoride at different concentrations to determine its effect on fecundity. Harmful effects of low concentration fluoride at early instars on growth, development and economic characters of Bombyx mori are related to its resistance. Harmful effect on resistant strain Qiufeng${\times}$Baiyu manifested on prolongation of instar duration of 15 and 6% in 70 ppm, where as the sensitive breed Jinshong${\times}$Haoyue manifested with 100% mortality in 50 ppm. The impact of low concentration fluoride on fecundity resulted in considerable increase in formed eggs (9%) and laid eggs (9%) in Zhenong-l and Shu-12 among treated population over control. The present observations emphasis that fluoride apart from exhibiting harmful effects on silkworm growth and development, however, its low concentration do playa vital role in inducing some positive effect on fecundity and cocoon traits.

• 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.19 no.2
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• pp.215-219
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• 2009

The effect of mating duration and multiple use of male on fecundity and fertility was investigated in the hybrids of Silkworm, Bombyx mori L. One hour to five hours of mating duration did not affect egg laying (fecundity) significantly, while fertilization affected significantly. Below 50% fertility was noticed when mating duration was reduced to below two hours. Similarly multiple use of male caused significant reduction in fertility but not fecundity. Till fourth mating no significant reduction in fertility was observed, thereafter fertility reduced considerably.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.49-52
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• 2009

An in vitro and in vivo studies were conducted to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy of certain botanicals viz., rhizomes of turmeric (Curcuma longa) and leaves of amla (Phyllanthus emblica), asparagus (Asparagus racemosus), bael (Aegle marmelos), boerhavia (Boerhavia diffusa), garlic (Allium sativum) and basil (Oscimum basicilum) against bacterial pathogens viz., Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus sp. and Klebsiella cloacae, of silkworm, Bombyx mori. Asparagus and basil, amla and boerhavia, basil and bael at concentration of 20, 000 ppm showed higher antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus sp., Bacillus sp., K. cloacae respectively, both in vitro and in vivo studies.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.173-180
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• 2008

The influence of temperature and relative humidity in infection and cross-infection of Nosema bombycis and N. mylitta respectively in mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mori L. on larval mortality, multiplication of pathogens, larval weight and growth rate in three different seasons were studied. Seasons were selected in such condition, when very less fluctuations between minimum and maximum temperature and minimum and maximum relative humidity ($25{\sim}28^{\circ}C$ and $65{\sim}72%$ R.H) was observed i.e., season-1. Fluctuations between minimum and maximum temperature were less ($28.05{\sim}34.50^{\circ}C$) but R.H % was more ($55{\sim}81%$) in season-2. Fluctuations between minimum and maximum temperature and R.H % were more ($20.00{\sim}40.5^{\circ}C$ and $64.00{\sim}90.00%$) in season-3. Growth rate of microsporidian-infected silkworm is directly related to the prevailing temperature and relative humidity in silkworm. Silkworm can tolerate slight variation of temperature but slight variation of relative humidity disfavours the development of silkworm and favours the multiplication of pathogens.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.81-86
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• 2005

The mode of transmission, effect on fecundity, hatching and tissues specificity of a microsporidian $(Lb_{ms})$ recovered from Lamerin breed of the silkworm Bombyx mori L. was studied and compared with standard strain Nosema bombycis. Peroral inoculation of $Lb_{ms}$ or N. bombycis to zeroday of $4^{th}$ instar larvae of silkworm was the most suitable method for producing information on development of stage specific mortality, pupation and obtaining infected adults for transovarial transmission studies. It was observed that pupal mortality, the percentage of moths emerged and the percentage of moths infected were significantly high in N. bombycis infected batches as compared $(Lb_{ms})$ in all the three tested breeds of the silkworm. However no significant difference was observed in larval mortality. The fecundity and hatchability was not affected significantly in $(Lb_{ms})$ infected adults, however significant reduction in egg production, fecundity, hatchability and increased egg retention was observed in mother moths infected with N. bombycis. The $(Lb_{ms})$ is transmitted both horizontally and vertically at lower rate due to its low rate of proliferation. The trans ovarial transmission of $(Lb_{ms})$ to the $F_1$ progeny generation through eggs averaged only $61.33\pm5.10\%$ whereas N. bombycis was transmitted at $100\%$. The $(Lb_{ms})$ had low oral infectivity and low transovarial transmission in silkworm B. mori.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2005

While observing silkworm larval samples received from field, microsporidian spores formed within the haemocytes of silkworm haemolymph were observed. The spores of microsporidian sp. were purified and characterized for morphological characters viz., size, shape as well as serological affinity with different Nosema spp. (M$_{11}$ and M$_{12}$). The infectivity of the isolated spores to silkworm was also studied. The microsporidian sp. was found to be highly pathogenic to silkworm, B. mori. The isolated microsporidian sp. was designated as NIK-5hm, which formed ovocylindrical spore in the haemocytes of silkworm and differed in spore size (length, 4.55 $\mu$m & width, 2.10 $\mu$m) and shape from Nosema bombycis (NIK-ls), NIK-2r (Nosema sp. Mysore [3.6 & 2.8 $\mu$m]), NIK-3h (Nosema sp. M$_{11}$ [3.8 & 1.8 $\mu$m]), NIK-4m (Nosema sp. M$_{12}$ [5.0 & 2.1 $\mu$m]) and Lb$_{ms}$ (Nosema sp. in Lamerine breed of silkworm [4.36 & 2.14]). In immonological test (Latex agglutination test), the isolated microsporidian spores did not react with antibody sensitized latex particles of N. bombycis, M$_{11}$, M$_{12}$ and Lb$_{ms}$ and thus are different type of microsporidian sp., parasitic to silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.131-135
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• 2004

Oral supplementation with potassium permanganate (30, 50 and 100 $\mu\textrm{g}$) to fifth instar larvae of the ${CSR_2}{\times}{CSR_4}$ race of the silkworm, B. mori resulted in a significant increase in the glycogen content of the fat body and haemolymph trehalose. The protein content of the fat body is also significantly increased in all the potassium permanganate treated groups where as that of the haemolymph is significantly increased only in the 30 ${\mu}g4 fed group. The total lipids content of the fat body increased significantly in all the potassium permanganate treated groups. This indicates that the potassium permanganate may stimulate metabolic activity, there by influencing the biochemical contents in the fat body and haemolymph of the silkworm, B. mori.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.249-254
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• 2004

Dietary supplementation of sodium nitrate with different concentrations 50, 100, 200, 500, 700 and 1000 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of single, two, three and four feeds to fifth instar larvae of biovoltine NB$_4$D$_2$ race of the silkworm, B. mori resulted in significant increase in the food conversion, conversion rate and conversion efficiency $K_1$ and $K_2$. However, there were significant decrease in the food assimilation, assimilation rate and assimilation efficiency in the sodium nitrate treated groups as compared with that of the corresponding parameters of the carrier control. This indicates that the administration of sodium nitrate may stimulate metabolic activities, thereby influencing conversion of food into body weight in the bivoltine silkworm, B. mori.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2007

At present, multivoltine silkworm races reared five times per year involving huge manpower and rearing expenditure. Egg diapausing behavior is facultative in multivoltine and egg diapause was induced in selected multivoltine races by regulating temperature at $18^{\circ}C$, relative humidity 80% and photoperiod (6L:18D) in the late stage silkworm rearing. The maximum percentage of egg diapause induction was recorded in Rong Diazo, Diazo and MW13 showed 94%, 93% and 92% respectively, whereas the races A14DY and OS-616 showed minimum diapause induction 15% and 18% respectively. The diapause induced multivoltine eggs were preserved up to six months by cold preservation schedule normally adopted for bivoltine. After three and six months egg preservation, the diapause induced layings were released and observed for hatching percentage, all races showed above 82 % of hatching except the race AP12, which showed only 78 % of hatching. This methods reduce the crop cycle, gives strong safety backup and preventing the genetic erosion. This study helps formulating a new conservation method for multivoltine silkworm germplasm.