• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 2015

An experimental rearing of tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury was conducted to study silkworm-food plant-interaction and thereby to search for an alternate silkworm food plant. The silkworm-food-plant-interaction was studied with six different food plant species viz. Terminalia tomentosa, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia belerica, Terminalia chebula of Combretaceae family and Lagerstroemia speciosa, Lagerstroemia parviflora of Lythraceae family. The rearing performance of silkworm on Lagerstroemia speciosa in terms of cocoons per DFL and silk ratio was found comparable with Terminalia tomentosa and Termonalia arjuna, the primary tasar silkworm food plant species. These three plant species also possessed better results in terms of physiological (leaf moisture content and net photosynthesis rate) and biochemical (Chlorophyll, protein, carbohydrate and crude fibre contents) characteristics to support silkworm rearing than Terminalia belerica, Terminalia chebula and Lagerstroemia parviflora. The correlation study between silkworm rearing performance and food plant's constituents indicates commercial perspective of Lagerstroemia speciosa as an alternate food plant for tasar silkworm rearing.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.135-144
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• 2014

Rearing of tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury is mainly conducted in outdoor on Terminalia tomentosa W. & A. a nature grown primary host plant available in forest and also on raised primary host plant Terminalia arjuna Bedd. Temperature, relative humidity and rainfall are the main environmental factors for occurrence of pests (parasites and predators) of tasar silkworm during I, II and III crop rearing in the tropical tasar producing zones. The present study was aimed to study the influence of abiotic factors on prevalence of tasar silkworm pests. The study was conducted at different agro-climatic regions viz., Central Tasar Research &Training Institute, Ranchi, Jharkhand, Regional Extension Centre, Katghora, Chattisgarh and Regional Extension Centre, Hatgamaria during 2010-13 covering 3 seed crop and 6 commercial crops. Data on incidence of tropical tasar silkworm endo-parasitoids like Uzi Fly, Blepharipa zebina Walker and Ichneumon fly (Yellow Fly), Xathopimpla pedator, Fabricius and Predators such as Stink bug (Eocanthecona furcellata Wolf), Reduviid bug (Sycanus collaris Fabricius) and Wasp (Vespa orientalis Linnaeus) was recorded Weekly. The meteorological data was collected daily. Data was collected from 4 different agro-climatic zones of tasar growing areas. Analysis of the data revealed a significant negative correlation between abiotic factors and incidence of ichneumon fly and uzi fly. Based on the 3 years data on prevalence of pests region-wise pest calendars and prediction models were developed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.123-127
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• 2012

An experiment was carried out to boost the production of tasar crops through application of secondary nutrients. Different combinations of secondary nutrients were prepared and its effect was studied on the yield and quality of leaves of tasar food plant Terminalia tomentosa W & A with 2.4 m ${\times}$ 2.4 m spacing and cocoon characters of tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury reared on them. Among different combinations of secondary nutrients, foliar application of magnesium sulphate (2%, w/v) and basal application of 3 quintal/ha of calcium carbonate (secondary nutrient combination SM5) was found to be the best in crop improvement. It improves the quantity and quality of leaves as well as the commercial characters of cocoons. As a result, silk production improves. Under this combination, leaf yield increased by 26.55% in comparison to control. Average increase in moisture, total mineral, crude protein and total carbohydrate was 3.26%, 20.84%, 15.39% and 17.85% respectively as compared with control. Further, bio assay studies revealed that average larval weight, E.R.R., cocoon weight, shell weight and silk ratio percent increased by 11.25%, 25.71%, 20.05%, 35.14% and 12.17% respectively over control which indicates that secondary nutrient combination $SM_5$ has significant role in improving the production of tasar crops.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.187-192
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• 2009

Silk filament progression study applying backcross breeding with recipient parent Jata and donor parent Daba ecoraces of tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury conducted during 2006 to 2008, revealed introgression of filament denier (10.2 d) superior to both parents at BC4 level. Also, the silk waste (0.35%) and filament breaks (2.6 nos) were reduced compared to both parents, while the filament length (973 m) and non break filament (296 m) improved over donor and could attain closer to recipient parent. The best performance of Jata $\times$ Daba at F1 level, with highest silk filament length (1646 m) of 12.5 d denier, denotes heterosis impact on silk trait with parental heterogenousity, an advantage to exploit silk filament yield. The progression of quality in terms of finer filament denier, less silk waste and least number of filament breaks over both parents and improvement in filament length and non break filament over donor parent except for a marginal shortage against recipient at BC4 level indicates the prospects of Jata and Daba ecoraces as source of breeding material for qualitative improvement of tasar silk filament. The study suggests that the commercially important finer denier of tasar silk filament can be attained with minor reduction in silk yield of wild Jata ecorace by adopting repeated backcrossing for four generations with semi domesticated Daba ecorace.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.153-155
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• 2008

Pathogenic infection in tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury is common and there is a breed specific response regarding tolerance. Hence, the tolerance level of three eco-races of tasar silkworm viz. Daba, Sarihan and Raily to Antheraea mylitta cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (AmCPV) infection was tested. The survival of Daba, Sarihan and Raily eco-races was significantly different (p<0.05) when challenged with the same concentration ($1{\times}10^5$ polyhedra/ml) of AmCPV. Daba eco-race was more tolerant to the AmCPV infection having higher survival (65.7%) and $LC_{50}$ values (1000893.17 polyhedra/ml) of AmCPV followed by Sarihan eco-race (50.7% survival and $LC_{50}$ value of AmCPV 187203.6168 polyhedra/ml) and Raily eco-race (24.3% survival and $LC_{50}$ value of AmCPV 5176.37 polyhedra/ml). The tolerance level of Daba and Sarihan eco-races against AmCPV was more than two times than Raily eco-race.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2010

Ten numbers of plants, based on their medicinal value, were used to test their efficacy against virosis (caused by cytoplassmic polyhedrosis virus) in tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury. in indoor rearing conditions. The aqueous extracts of leaf of Azadirichita indica (neem), Acharanthus aspera, Psoralea corylifolia, Asparagus racemosus, Adhatoda zelanica (Basak), Andrographis paniculata (Kalmegh), Moringa oilephera (sahjan), whole plant of Phyllanthus urinaria (Bhuiamla), Centella asiatica (Veng sag) and Curcuma longa (Haldi powder) in different concentrations were used for containment of virosis in silkworm larvae. The tasar silkworm larvae were orally inoculated with PIBs ($1\times10^6$) of AmCPV in $2^{nd}$ instar and treated with plant extracts in each instar ($2^{rd}$ instar onwards). The mortality due to virosis was recorded during larval period. The plant extracts, irrespective of their concentrations, were found effective in suppressing the virosis where P. urinaria reduced the virosis to 56.90% followed by A. paniculata (53.82%) and least in C. asiatica (5.15%). The lowest pooled larva mortality 36.99% was recorded in the treatment of P. urinaria. Comparatively higher larva mortality 39.91% was observed with the treatment of A. paniculata. The highest larva mortality in treatment was with C. asiatica (81.99%). In treated control larva mortality was 86.50%.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.69-72
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• 2005

Bleaching powder solution (1 to $5\%$), slaked lime solution (0.1 to $0.5\%$) and formalin (1 and $2\%$) were tested for their efficacy against cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus and Nosema mylittansis spores to control virosis and pebrine respectively in tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta in indoor rearing condition. All the disinfectants tested were found effective in suppressing the infection of virosis and pebrine significantly. Complete inactivation of Antheraea mylitta cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (AmCPV) was recorded when treated with $4\%$ bleaching powder, $0.4\%$ slaked lime for 20 min and $2.0\%$ formalin for 30 min. Similarly treatments of $3.0\%$ bleaching powder solution for 20 min and $2.0\%$ formalin for 30 min were found effective in complete inactivation of N. mylittanis spores.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2014

This study was designed to find out the effect of Nosema spore on oxidative damages and antioxidant defence in the midgut of tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta. Higher level of lipid peroxidation (LPX) and total hydroperoxides indicate the resultant oxidative stress in the Nosema exposed specimen. Increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) suggests activation of physiological mechanism to scavenge the superoxide radical produced during Nosema infection. Higher activities of catalase and glutathione-S-tranferase on $18^{th}$ d indicate adaptive behaviour of the tissue against oxyradicals. The results suggest that Nosema infection is involved in altering the active oxygen metabolism by modulating LPX and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is indicative of pebrine disease disorder.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.169-172
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• 2008

Indian tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta D is reported to have forty four ecoraces by way of their adoption to different topographical and vegetational conditions. Of late, another ecorace 'JATA' - univoltine under in-situ condition has been explored which is localized in Thakurmunda area of the foot hills of Simlipal biosphere (Mayurbhanj district) of Orissa, India. The ecorace 'Jata' exhibits superior economic characters over widely commercialized ecoraces of Daba and Sukinda. The cocoon production of localized 'Jata' ecorace is depleting day by day in in-situ condition. In the present study, efforts were made to stabilize the ecorace 'Jata' under ex-situ condition at Ranchi (Jharkhand), where the 'Jata' ecorace silkworms were reared on Terminalia tomentosa for four successive generations during 2006 and 2007 and the cocoons were preserved in grainage house under prevailing climatic conditions. The results indicated change in voltinism behaviour of the 'Jata' ecorace from univoltine to bivoltine. The rearing performance and grainage efficiencies indicate the tendency of 'Jata' ecorace towards acclimatization and stabilization under Ranchi climatic conditions. The 'Jata' ecorace manifests the prospects for acclimatization, stabilization and commercial exploitation.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.33-37
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• 1998

Two types of sperm, apyrene and eupyrene, are identified in A. mylitta. The sperm in the adult moth are motionless in seminal vesicles. At the time of ejaculation they received a secretion from male ejaculatory duct that renders them motile. The dissociation of eupyrene bundles, eupyrene sperm motility and the sequence of events of sperm migration in both sexes are described in the present paper.