• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Sericultural Science Conference
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• 1997.06a
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• pp.51-72
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• 1997

Diapause hormone (DH) is a neuropeptide hormone which is secreted from the suboesophageal ganglion (SG) and is responsible for induction of embryonic diapause of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. DH is isolated from SGs and determined to be a 24 amino acid peptide amide. The cDNA encodes the polyprotein precursor from which DH, pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) and three other neuropeptides are released and become matured. The C-terminal FXPRL-NH2 sequence of DH is essential but not sufficient for expression of full activity. Recently, we have isolated a unique hydrohobic peptide (VAP peptide) with a slight diapause egg induceing activity from organic solvent extracts of the male adult heads of the silkworm. The VAP peptide itself has no diapause inducing activity, but enhances DH activity through reducing ED50 value and the threshold concentration of DH. The DH-PBAN gene is composed of 6 exons interrupted by 5 introns and is expressed in 12 neurosecretory cells of the SG. The incubation of eggs at 25$^{\circ}C$, which induces embryonic diapause in the progeny, caused DH-PBAN mRNA content to increase at 5 different stages in the life cycle. By contrast, a 15$^{\circ}C$ incubation only induced expression of the gene at the late phrase adult stage. The temperature-controlled expression of DH-PBAN gene is closely correlated to the incidence of diapause, indicating that DH-PBAN gene expression is the initial event leading to diapause induction. DH acts to stimulate trehalase activity in developing ovary to bring about hyprglycogenism in mature eggs, a prerequisite metabolism for diapause initiation. Using in vivo and in vitro systems, DH is clearly shown to induce trehalase gene expression in developing ovaries. New protein synthesis is not needed for this process, but a Ca2+-dependent proteinkinase seems to be involved. Quite recently, we have sucessfully applied a new and potent trehalase inhibitor (Trehazoline) to reudce glycogen content in developing ovaries. The eggs deficient in glycogen were also able to enter diapause as the natural eggs do, so that we could provide the new egg system to reconsider the diapause associated metabolism other than the glycogen-sorbitol metabolic system.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2015

Tropical Tasar culture is forest and agro-based activity that covers agricultural and industrial activity. Tasar silk is produced by the silkworm, Antheraea mylitta which is polyphagous in nature. A large number of pests are reported to attack both the host plant as well as silkworm. As the rearing is conducted outdoor silkworms are exposed to attack of various pests during their life cycle. Eocanthecona furcellata (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is the major predator of tasar silkworm during young age rearing. Both nymphs and adults of the stink bug suck the heamolymph of silkworm leading to death. The present work was undertaken to study the life cycle of E. furcellata on larvae of vapourer tussock moth which is a major pest of tasar host plants. The incubation period, nymphal duration and total developmental period from egg to adult was $8.0{\pm}0.45d$, $16.0{\pm}3.24$ and $22.0{\pm}4.20d$, respectively. Pre-oviposition, oviposition and longevity of male and female stink bug was $3.20{\pm}0.38$, $17.60{\pm}1.86$, $42.40{\pm}1.94$, $37.00{\pm}3.18d$, respectively. Analysis of the data revealed no significant difference in life cycle of the predator when provided silkworm and vapourer tussock moth larvae as hosts. Which clearly indicates that E. furcellata can multiply on vapourer tussock moth larvae during non rearing periods. Adoption of recommended pest control measures for defoliators of tasar host plants during non-rearing periods will help in reducing the incidence of host plant pests and also in reducing the incidence of stink bug during rearing season. During the study it was also observed that larvae semilooper, boll headed caterpillar and nymphs of leaf hopper serve as alternate/secondary hosts to E. furcellata during non rearing seasons.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.107-110
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• 2001

Variations in protein and nucleic acid concentrations were observed in 24 hrs old eggs and hatched larvae of Nistari strain, Bombyx mori, exposed to starvation. Three starvation treatments of 24,48 and 60 hrs were given separately from 0 hr old fifth instar larvae. Biochemical variations were studied in the resultant hatched larvae of one time starved parent, while the eggs obtained from parents receiving starvation in two successive generations were considered for the study. In hatched larvae, protein levers in 24 hrs starvation groups remained significantly higher over control (never starved) while the same was found to be lower in 48 and 60 hrs starvation individuals. The RNA concentration remained significantly higher in all the treated lots. However, DNA content was not found to be significantly altered in hatched larvae after exposure to feeding stress. Protein, RNA and DNA concentration of 24 hrs old eggs produced by all the starved groups of Nistari, which had deceived two consecutive starvation during parental generations, showed higher concentrations of these biomolecules over control. Hence, starvation induced alterations in protein and nucleic acids in eggs and hatched Iarvae are indicative of a preparatory phase adopted by the insect to acclimatise itself and its progeny to stress situations.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.69-75
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• 2009

Daba ecorace of Antheraea mylitta Drury (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), the semi domesticated Indian tropical tasar silkworm being reared outdoor; the egg and silk yields are dependent of genotype environment interaction. The insufficient maintenance and multiplication of its P4 seed stock need a coherent as well as scientific strategy to safeguard breed potential, being commercially applied ecorace. The sort-out lines of P4 stock studied over five generations highlighting on commercial trait up gradation suits for a tropical crop season, revealed enhanced performance. The line with high pupal parents (T2) shown improved fecundity (12.9%) and the line with high shell parents (T3) recorded higher shell weight (40.0%) and silk ratio (24.1%). While, the line of high pupal female and high shell male (T4) reveal enhancement in fecundity (9.0%), egg hatching (14.1%), shell weight (50.0%), silk ratio (35.2%) and absolute silk yield (52.0%) indicating the need and role of varied basic seed stock lines. The approach could improve economically vital egg fecundity and cocoon shell weights besides balancing them in same line for commercial operation. The progressive show of lines (T1 to T4) along successive generations (G1 to G5), in spite of passing through seed crop (Jul-Aug) and commercial crop (Sep-Nov) seasons emphasize their compatibility. The study infers that the strategic plan of combining preferred parental phenotypes, methodical selection for desired commercial trait(s) through generations with best possible genotype environment interaction has enriched P4 stock with elevation in needy trait(s) besides assuring choice of suitable lines for seasons and regions and timely replenishment of basic seed of Daba ecorace.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.24-30
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• 1987

To investigate suitable breeding system for the improvement of economic characters of the sexlimited dark egg colour strains, the four kinds of breeding methods which are represented as sibmating, repeated backcrossing, multi-backcrossing every other generation, and repeated hybridization were detected from the P to the F6. 1. Pupation ratio was varied between the four kinds of breeding methods and decreased gradually in order of repeated hybridization, mult-backcrossing every other generation and sib-matinv, and repeated backcrossing. 2. Repeated backcrossing, multi-backcrossing every other generation, and repeated hybridization with the exception of sib-mating were consiered as available breeding methods to improve single cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight and cocoon shell ratio of the sex-limited dark egg colour strains. 3. As for the responses of the economic characters form the P to the F6, pupation ratio was fluctuant and unstable, on the other hand single cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight and cocoon shell ratio increased remarkably in the F2, but in the subsequant generatios the increasing rate of each characters were fluctuant irregularly. 4. After the original sex-limited dark egg colour strains were bred under the corresponding breeding methods, from the P to the F6 the economic characters were approached to the level of normal breeding silkworm lines'. 5. It came to the consideration that the autosomal fragment which was translocated on the W chromosome had no physiologically significant effect on the expression of the economic characters because the Expression index (E) of the sex-limited dark egg colour strains was similar to that of normal silkworm lines. 6. From the results, it comes to the conclusion that the useful breeding methods to improve the economic characters of the sex-limited dark egg colour strains will be a line separation including fixation of the characters.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.9
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• pp.43-47
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• 1969

This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of gamma ray on the eggs of later stage in late fall rearing season. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The duration of larval stage was simmilar to that of control in any dose. The silkworm growth was uniform in does of 4,000 gamma ray, but in does of 8,000r 16000r was irregular. There were not malformed silkworms but many small silkworm. 2. Mortality of silkworms was very high 8,000r and over; virus diseases of 87.6 per cent, flacherie of 5.9 per cent and complication of 6.5 per cent. 3. The more the dose of gamma ray became, the lighter the weight full grown silkworm and matured silkworm became. 4. The uniformness of cocoons was registered in dose of 2,000r and the cocoons were irregular or small in dose of 16,000r

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.35-37
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• 1986

To reduce the number of rearing season required for preservation of multivoltine silkworms which do not produce diapause eggs, the optimal egg stage, temperature, and period of cold storage were examinede using hatchability as an indicator of viability. Multivoltine silkworm starains MR, SPT, and HM were used in the study. 1. The hatchability of multivoltine silkworm eggs (MR and STP) preserve at 5$^{\circ}C$ for 30 days was 80% for the eggs chilled from 2 days after oviposition but less 5% for those chilled from 7 days after ovipostion. 2. When 2 day-old eggs of multivoltine silkworm (HM) were preserved between -2.5$^{\circ}C$ to 7.5$^{\circ}C$ for 15 to 60 days, $0^{\circ}C$ and 2.5$^{\circ}C$ showed the highest hatchability with 91% at 30 days and 61% at 60 days storage, respectively. 3. From these results, it can be concluded that by preserving 2 day-old eggs at 2.5$^{\circ}C$ for 50 to 60 days, rearing seasons required for preservation of the multivoltine silkworm can be reduced to half per year.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.55-72
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• 1983

These studies were done to find out any difference, ultrastructural, physical or chemical, between the shells of diapausing and non-diapausing eggs of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. 1. From the electron-microscopic observation, the egg shells have four distinctive layers. In addition to the four layers, the shells in the diapausing eggs has another layer with low electron density on its surface. 2. The permeability of the egg shell to hydrochloride was much lower in diapausing egg than in non-diapausing egg. Also the permeability changed in the opposite directions with the egg age: the diapausing eggs decreased while non-diapausing ones increased. 3. The permeability increased when the diapausing egg shell was treated with HCl. When they were treated with ether, however, the increase in permeability was much smaller. It seems there was an ether soluble material involved in the content of the egg shell. 4. The diapausing eggs were also much more resistant to desiccation than the non-diapausing ones. The former, when treated with HCl or chilling, became less resistant to desiccation. 5. The positive histochemical response of the egg shell to PAS-Alcian blue and protein stainings suggests presence of abundant proteins and carbohydrates in the egg shell. On the other hand, the staining response to lipid was more positive in the inner layers than in the outer layer of the shell. 6. The egg shell adhesives seems to be mucopolysaccharides produced by colleterial glands, since the oviposited eggs showed a positive responses to carbohydrate and negative to lipid-staining chemicals, but not the mature oocytes in the ovarioles. 7. There were two bands on the electrophoretic pattern of the SH proteins extracted from the egg shells both in the diapausing egg and non-diapausing one: a slow moving major component and a fast moving minor one. However, the electrophoretic mobility showed a difference in the minor components between them. It is evident that the fast moving minor one of non-diapausing egg ran a little further than that of diapausing egg. 8. In amino acids analysis, no significant differences were found in their composition between diapausing and non-diapausing egg and SH proteins contain relatively more glycine and less cystine.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.157-163
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• 2008

Infection of pathogenic microsporidia, Nosema bombycis and Nosema mylitta (Chakrabarti and Manna, 2006) decreased egg production, fecundity, hatching % and increased sterile eggs in heavily infected mulberry silkmoth, Bombyx mori L. On an average a disease free moth laid upto 442.67 eggs with high hatching % (99.53) and less sterile eggs ($0.47{\sim}2.00%$). While an infected moth laid less number of eggs ($7.00{\sim}412.00$) with low hatching % ($32.437{\sim}98.643$) and high sterile eggs ($2.143{\sim}129.571$). Fecundity of disease free laying was highest (468.714) during season-1 then gradually decreased during season- 2 (414.000) to season- 3 (404.285). But fecundity of an infected laying was highest during season-2 and hatched eggs were lowest during season-2. Higher inoculums concentration of N. mylitta infected to 5th stage larva of mulberry silkworm drastically decreased the fecundity in season - 3 and lower inoculums concentration of N. bombycis decreased the fecundity in season-1 and 3. Season-3 was most effective season to decrease the fecundity and increase sterile eggs when both temperature and humidity were fluctuated from the optimum level.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.6
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• pp.28-30
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• 1966

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the method of discrimination of male and female depending upon the specific gravity of pupa in silkworm varieties which are being recommended in Korea at present. The results obtained are as follows: 1. The specific gravity of silkworm pupa existed between 1,000 and 1,100. 2. Female pupae went to the bottom of salt water(NaCl), around 1,020 of specific gravity, while male pupae came near to the surface of salt water. 3. Salt water of around 1,020 specific gravity was not harmful to the pupa, egg laying ability and moth emerging ability. 4. The effect of salt water on the other useful characters will be assigned to the next chance, and also the device of cocoon cutting machine is being studied.