• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 2003

Oviposition and egg laying is an important physiological and behavioural event in the life cycle of the silkworm, Bombyx mori (L). Oviposition and egg laying is dependent on a number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors viz., neural, hormonal, environmental, physical, behavioral etc for the perpetuation of population. Although, the virgin female moths have fully developed embryos but active egg laying begins under the influence of mating which provides essential copulation stimulus for oviposition. After mating drastic biochemical changes occurred that incites egg laying under the influence of optimum environmental conditions. Weight of pupae as well as larval density has significant role on oviposition and egg laying behaviour in the silkworm wherein high pupal weight and inadequate rearing space affects not only the biology, morphology and physiology but also the oviposition and egg laying. Surface topography, plane of inclination, mating length, age of male moth, temperature and photoperiod etc has significant effect on reproductive physiology of silkworm. An attempt has been made in this review article to elucidate briefly the works carried out on mating behaviour, direct and indirect copulation stimulus, vitellogenesis, influence of environmental factors besides effect of weight of pupae and or pharate adult and larval density on oviposition and egg laying behavior in the silkworm, B. mori and its significance in silkworm seed production.

• 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.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.134-139
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• 1997

To elucidate genetical and biochemical characters of the white egg strains preserved in National Sericultural and Entomology Research Institute(NSERI), RDA of Korea, the genetic segregation ratios in egg colours were investigated by crossing test, and egg pigment precursors were also analyzed by paper chromatography and UV-spectrophotometer scanning. The result obtained by crossing test between the white egg strains and normal one illustrated that the most of white egg strains showed typical segregation ratio of white egg-2(w-2), while maternal inheritance which can be seen in white egg-1(w-1) was not found in any white egg strains. Paper chromatographic analysis showed that egg extracts of all the white egg strains contained 3OH-kynurenine, while kynurenine which is known to existed in white egg-1(w-1) could not be detected at all. From the results of these experiments, it was found that all the white egg strains preserved in NSERI were classified as the white egg-2(w-2) strain.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.93-98
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• 2005

Studies on extended egg preservation schedule from 120 days to 180 days was taken up with 20 germplasm accessions of mutant silkworm genetic stocks of Bombyx mori L. Statistical analyses of the data collected over three trials revealed no significant changes both in the qualitative and quantitative traits of the genetic stocks between treatment (6 months egg preservation) and control (4 months egg preservation), except for fifth instar larval duration in TMS-61, TMS-62, TMS64, TMS-31 and TMS-34 shell weight in TMS-62, TMS-64 and TMS-66. Thus, the results indicate that extended schedule of 6 months egg preservation can safely be adopted, which will reduce the cost of conservation and minimize the genetic erosion owing to reduced crop cycle.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.79-87
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• 2004

The silkworm rearing and growth parameters of 63 multivoltine silkworm accessions under extended period of egg preservation at 5$^{\circ}C$ from 30 days to 45 days were studied. The results indicate that, nine accessions did not respond to extended period of egg preservation at low temperature and the remaining 54 accessions responded to the treatment and three rearings were conducted for comparision with the control; to estimate the effect of prolonged egg preservation at low temperature. The non-parametric tests statistics (Wilcoxon tests) was adopted for comparing the mean performance of treated batches (45 days) over the control (30 days). Highly significant variability was found among the accessions for all the parameters under study. The genetically controlled morphological characters were not altered in the treated batches, which were found to be on par with that of control. However, the total larval duration varied significantly over the control in 51 accessions. Similarly, the fifth age larval duration of 27 accessions showed decreasing trend compared to control. Altogether 41 accessions were found to be tolerant to long-term cold preservation upto 45 days, without showing any significant variation for morphological as well as essential quantitative traits. These accessions may be recommended for long-term egg preservation schedule up to 45 days, which will reduce the cost of conservation of these silkworm germplasm.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.45-50
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• 2007

Ethanol extract of 20 botanicals in 3 concentrations i.e., 2.5%, 5% and 10% were evaluated for their efficacy to improve reproductive performance of mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mod L.) through feeding botanical enriched mulberry leaves during $2^{nd}$ day of $4^{th}$ age as well as $1^{st}$ and $3^{rd}$ day of $5^{th}$ age larvae. The preliminary screening was done by ranking the botanicals based on influence in most important reproductive contributing parameters such as single cocoon weight, effective rate of rearing, pupation rate, fecundity and recovery of eggs/kg cocoon. Five botanicals viz., Asparagus recemosus, Achyranthes aspera, Tribulus terrestris, Withania somnifera, Parthenium histerophorus ranked first were further evaluated at 8% 5% and 3% concentrations to confirm their effectiveness and standardize effective concentration. Among the rearing parameters, mature larval weight, shell ratio and number of cocoons/kg were not significantly influenced by the treatments. However, reproductive parameters such as effective rate of rearing (wt), pupation rate (%), fecundity (No.) and egg recovery (g)/kg cocoon were significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the botanicals. Higher fecundity and egg recovery were obtained on treatment with Withania somnifera irrespective of concentrations. However at 5% concentration, pupation rate, fecundity as well as egg recovery were found significantly higher than that of other concentrations, confirming its effectiveness for improving reproductive efficiency.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.135-139
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• 2001

Experiments were held in Egypt to test a new Package of practices for commercial cocoon production, including adding secondary macro and micronutrients to the mulberry garden, disease free rearing regime, low temperature rearing in young instars and natural mounting fur silkworms. This package for seed silkworm rearing lead to increase in fecundity by 67-121eggs (15.12-26.22%) and yield of standard boxes per 1 parent egg boxes by 57-58 egg boxes(48.33-51.66%) respectively in comparison th the traditional cocoon production technology.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 1973

It was found that the diapause in the silkworm egg is induced by the action of the diapause hormone secreted from the suboesophageal ganglion, and "esterase A" affects protein metabolism in oocyte and egg. In this connection, some changes in protein metabolism of silkworm egg according to embryonic developments could give some information on the diapause, using Ouchterlony Test. Antigenicity of the protein of silkworm egg was detected through antigen-antibody interaction among the extracts of rabbit blood. Furthermore, existence of the specific antigen was also detected according to embryonic development, using the adsorption test. The results were obtained as follows: 1 Detection of antigenicity The antigenicity of silkworm egg was ascertained by inoculating it into a rabbit, but positive results were shown in most of the silkworm eggs tested, whereas the antibody specific to a certain antigen was not detected. 2. Detection of the common antigen It was demonstrated that most of the antigen could incite the common antibodies, but the specific antibody formation was not detected in a few antigens, even though the nonspecific antibody formation was displayed. 3. Detection of the specific antigen It is suggested that there are the specific antigens detectable in each treated eggs by the adsorption test.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2005

Mating is an essential behavioural social event in the life cycle of silkworm, Bombyx mori (L.) for the perpetuation of population. A number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors and events of significant importance are involved in successful mating and egg deposition by an adult silk moth which besides biochemical, physiological and environmental factors also includes attraction of reproductively competent male and female moth for mating, duration and frequency of mating, age of moth at the time of mating, reuse of male moth in the production of eggs etc. An attempt has been made in this review article to elucidate briefly the behaviour of male towards female moth after eclosion, impact of duration and frequency of mating on egg deposition and oviposition, reuse of mated male moth in the production of quality and quantity eggs etc. in the silk-worm, B. mori and its significance in silkworm seed production.

• 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.