• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.135-138
• /
• 2009

Studies on the effect of different secondary nutrients in different doses on the leaf yield and biochemical constituents of Terminalia tomentosa revealed that secondary nutrients have promotary effect in increasing the leaf yield and foliar constituents of Terminalia tomentosa. Among all the treatments under study, foliar application of magnesium sulphate (2g/plant, w/v) is the best in respect of leaf yield and biochemical constituents of T. tomentosa. This treatment gave 29.15% increase in leaf yield over control. Chemoassay results further confirmed significant improvement in biochemical constituents. Except crude fibre, moisture, minerals, crude protein and total carbohydrate increased significantly over control.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.205-209
• /
• 2008

Impact of food plant on reproductive and commercial parameters in Antheraea mylitta, a polyphagous insect of economic importance was studied upon feeding the insect larvae on the same host plants for six continuous generations. A. mylitta larvae were fed upon Terminalia tomentosa, Terminalia arjuna and Zizyphus jujuba and restricted them to the same host plant for six generations to document the quantitative improvement in reproductive and commercial parameters. The parameters showed significant improvement in all the host plants studied over their respective controls. Fecundity among the reproductive parameters was highly improved than others (85.9% in T. tomentosa; 58% in T. arjuna and 49.7% in Z. jujuba). Likewise in commercial parameters, the shell weight in male showed the highest improvement (by 52.9%, 45.8% and 42.1% in T. tomentosa; T. arjuna and Z. jujuba respectively). On the other hand, the shell ratio percentage in female recorded the lowest improvement. The values for all characters were recorded a decline in T. arjuna and Z. jujuba fed ones over T. tomentosa, except that of shell ratio percentage in female has registered an increase in Z jujuba fed. The study thus revealed the comparative superiority of T. tomentosa over T. arjuna and Z. jujuba.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.58-63
• /
• 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
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.135-144
• /
• 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
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.123-127
• /
• 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
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 2013

The commercial rearing of polyphagous Indian tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury being practiced on naturally grown primary food plants like Terminalia arjuna, (Arjun) Terminalia tomentosa (Asan), and Shorea robusta (Sal) available in the tropical forests of central India, at times, is seriously affected by the disease- Pebrine, caused by Nosema sp., a microsporidian pathogen. The present investigation on comparative larval, silk gland weight and also cocoon parameters in Pebrine-free and Pebrine-infected ecorace of tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury (Daba TV), illustrates the tasar silkworm larvae infected with pebrine disease causing heavy losses to the economy of the silk industry.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.30 no.2
• /
• pp.31-39
• /
• 2015

Antheraea mylitta Drury (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) is a commercial silk producing forest insect of India, but it has never been experimented in Uttarakhand state in spite of the huge availability of its forestry host plants. This is the first study on A. mylitta in Uttarakhand. The goal of this study is to introduce forest based commercial rearing of A. mylitta, in tropical forest areas of Uttarakhand to reduce poverty among forest dependent people. In current study, we assessed the effect of seven forest tree species, rearing seasons, and their interactions on cocoon productivity of Daba (bivoltine) ecorace of A. mylitta in the New Forest of FRI, Dehra Dun during 2012 and 2013 and collected the data that was analysed by two-way completely randomized block factorial design. Post HOC Tukey's HSD test was carried out to compare the homogeneous pairs of means. We also carried out Evaluation Index analysis to rank the tested forestry host plants for better growth and development of A. mylitta under the climatic condition of Uttarakhand. Analysis of variance indicated that cocoon yield of A. mylitta differed significantly between rearing seasons (DF=1, F=88.24, p<0.05) and host plants (DF 6, F= 368.63, p<0.05); however, their interactions were found insignificant (DF=6, F=0.99, p>0.05). In first rearing season of July-August, there was higher cocoon yield than the second season of September-November. Results indicated that Terminalia alata fed larvae showed significantly higher cocoon yield (164.11 cocoons/300 larvae); followed by, T. tomentosa (148.89 cocoons), T. arjuna (140.00 cocoons) and Lagerstroemia speciosa (129.47 cocoons) fed larvae. Whereas, Lagerstroemia tomentosa fed larvae that was used by the first time in India, showed lowest cocoon yield (48.81 cocoons), followed by T. chebula (72.53 cocoons) fed larvae. Cocoon yield of T. tomentosa and T. arjuna fed larvae of A. mylitta did not differ significantly with each other.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.1-11
• /
• 2016

Tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta is a commercial forest silkworm in India that produces tasar silk, but never experimented in Uttarakhand, a Himalayan state of India. A. mylitta express divergent phenotypic characters under different ecological conditions; so, we studied the effect of seven forest tree species in two rearing seasons on variability in silk gland weight of Daba (bivoltine) ecorace of A. mylitta at Forest Research Institute in Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand during 2012 and 2013. We used two-way completely randomized block factorial design and Post HOC Tukey's HSD test to analyse the collected data and there after carried out multiple regression analysis. Results indicated that silk gland weight differed significantly between rearing seasons (DF=1, F=2333.98, p <0.05), host plants (DF 6, F= 1516.25, p <0.05) and their interactions (DF=6, F=7.10, p <0.05). Higher silk gland weight was found in second rearing season than the first on all the host tree species. Terminalia alata fed A. mylitta larvae showed the highest silk gland weight of 8.03 and 9.47 g in first and second rearing seasons, followed by T. tomentosa (7.19 & 9.01g), T. arjuna (6.8 & 8.08 g) and L. speciosa (6.57 & 7.83 g) fed larvae, respectively. Post HOC Tukey's HSD test indicated that silk gland weight of L. speciosa and T. arjuna fed larvae in both the rearing seasons did not differ significantly. E.I. analysis also confirmed that T. alata, T. tomentosa, T. arjuna and L. speciosa are better in their order of merit than T. bellirica , T. chebula and L. tomentosa. Multiple regression analysis indicates that larval weight gain is a strong predictor (β=1.002, t=346.777, p = <0.05) for the silk gland weight of A. mylitta ; however, larval duration had significant negative regression weight (β=-0.270, t=-8.436, p = <0.05) on mean weight of silk gland.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.69-74
• /
• 2010

Feeding is an important aspect of insect nutrition which in turn supports growth, development, reproduction and survival. The impact of quantitative feeding on nutritional parameters of fifth instar Antheraea mylitta larvae was studied by providing fresh leaves of Terminalia tomentosa for 1 to 4 times a day. All the parameters improved upon providing fresh diets more times over the single diet (1FD). The absolute body weight increased with increase in number of feeds/day significantly (P<0.001). While the maximum weight recorded was 29.61 g in 1FD, the respective weights for two feeds/day (2FD), three feeds/day (3FD) and four feeds/day (4FD) were 39.41 g, 40.63 g and 42.66 g respectively. Feeding period and instar duration were declined (P<0.001) and survival increased significantly (P<0.001) upon increase in the number of diets. Nutritional indices like ingestion, digestion, relative consumption rate (RCR), relative growth rate (RGR) and gain in body weight increased significantly with the increase in number of feeds/day, but approximate digestibility (AD) and efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI) declined, while efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) did not change.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.83-91
• /
• 2002

The protection of silkworm and its host plants from various kinds of pests parasite and predator is a chronic problem in sericulture. Silkworms and its primary food plants are heavily damaged by large number of pest. The major pests of primary tasar food plants (Terminalia arjuna and Terminalia tomentosa) are the gall insect (Trioza fletcheri minor). Various species of aphids (Eutrichosiphum sp.) have been recorded to damage oak tasar food plants whereas muga silkworm host plants (Machilus bombycina and Litsaea polyantha) are generally attacked by stem bores (Zeuzera multistrigata). Castor (Ricinus communis) is one of the primary host plant of eri silkworm and extensive damage is caused by the castor white fly (Trialeurodes ricini). Insects pests are major enemies of silkworms. Parasites (Blepharipa zebina, Exorista bombycis, Apateles glomeratus), predators (Canthecona furcellata, Sycanus collaris, Hierodulla bipapilla), wasps (Vespa orientalix) and ants (Oecophylla smargdina) continues to cause damage to silk industry. It is estimated that the losses due to parasites and predators are to an extent of 15-20 percent and varies from crop to crop. The complexities in the behaviour and life cycle of pest population existing in semi ecosystem warrant a special attention for their effective management specially in changing scenario for our modern sericulture. Though use of synthetic insecticides has provided us with effective control of almost all major pests and predators, yet their undesirable side effects limit their continued use. Biological control is one of the most important method which can be used to control the pests, parasites and predators population in sericulture. Various potential parasitoids, which can be utilized as an agent of biological control in sericulture have been screened. The natural enemies of the uzi fly (E. bombycis and B. zebina ) are already present in the nature. Nesolynx thymus, Trichria sp., Splangia endius, Dirhinus sp., Trichopria sp., Trichomalopsis apanteloctena and Pediobius sp. are the major parasitoids effective against uzi fly pupa. The scelionid Psix striaticeps and Trissolcus sp. are the Potential egg Parasitoids against stink bug (Canthecona furcellata). Various other native natural potential parasitoids have been screened and suitable strategies have been developed to check the population of pest insect in sericulture.