• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.69-74
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• 2012

Tropical tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury experiences extreme temperature stress conditions during its life cycle particularly during diapauses and first crop. The present study witnessed the impact of high temperature on some biochemical profiles and egg production (fecundity) of semi-domesticated Daba and Shorea robusta (Sal) based wild ecorace Laria during seed cocoon (pupa) preservation. Cocoons of Daba and Laria were treated with high temperature at $40^{\circ}C$ for 10 days in a BOD incubator. The protein profile and carbohydrate content in the hemolymph and fat body and total haemocyte count (THC) in the hemolymph of pupa were investigated. Further, the fecundity and fertility of egg was assessed. Significant increase in the protein concentration was observed in the hemolymph with reduction in the fat body (p<0.05). The difference in protein concentration was highly significant between the semidomesticated Daba and wild ecorace Laria (p<0.05). High pupal mortality (20%) and reduced fecundity (10-15%) in Daba was noticed compared to wild Laria. Also an increased THC (>28000) was recorded in Laria. The study infers the potentials of wild ecoraces in sustaining the extreme temperature conditions and need of adopting suitable package of practices for the preservation of diapause seed cocoons during extreme summer conditions. There is possibility to introgression thermal stress resistant traits in the semi-domesticated races of tasar silkworm by resorting to conventional breeding plans with wild races and keeping the thermal stress induced response as markers.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2013

Antheraea mylitta Drury is basically a crossbreeding species, as such it seems to be potentially a good material for the exploitation of heterosis. In the present study F1 hybrid of wild ecorace Laria (L) and semi-domestic Daba (D) was raised and evaluated for various quantitative traits and biochemical parameters during larval stage. Improved fecundity ($+18{\pm}1.8%$ and higher egg hatching rate ($+10.96{\pm}1.3%$) was recorded in the F1hybrid ($L{\times}D$). Biochemical parameters studied in the hemolymph, midgut and fatbody of the larva showed significantly higher (P<0.05) total proteins and carbohydrate concentration besides digestive enzyme activity. Correspondingly SDS-PAGE revealed more number of protein bands in the hemolymph sample of F1s, ranging between 29 kDa to 66 kDa compared to parental lines. The present study demonstrates the positive heterosis effect in the F1 hybrid of Laria ${\times}$ Daba. Biochemical analysis indicates that, there is possibilities of exploitation of hybrids with specific parents targeted for desirable commercial traits (silk yield and fecundity). Moreover, most of these biochemical parameters can be used as markers to analyze the genetic improvement in the tasar silkworms.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.111-117
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• 2001

Screening of fifteen bivoltine silkworm breeds of Bombyx mori Linn at a temperature of $31{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and relative humidity of 85${\pm}$5% resulted in the identification of eight thermo-tolerant breeds. The survival and cocoon shell ratio of the tolerant breeds ranged from 72.7 to 78.7% and 20.0 to 20.1% respectively. The tolerant breeds comprised of four oval breeds and four dumb-bell breeds. Eight foundation crosses prepared by crossing the oval and dumb-bell parents among themselves were screened at a temperature of $31{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and relative humidity of 85{\pm}5%. The performance of the foundation crosses on 11 economic characters were analysed by employing Multipie Trait Evaluation Index method. Four foundation crosses which scored average index value > 50 were selected as breeding parents and breeding initiated for the evolution of thermo-tolerant bivoltine silkworm breeds. The methodology and the results of the foundation crosses reared both at 31{\pm}1$^{\circ}C$ and at $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ temperatures, are discussed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.109-112
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• 2001

Androgenesis in silkworm acquires a special significance as along with combined applications of other breeding strategies like parthenogenesis and cloning, it may serve as n valuable tool for sex control in sericulture as well as selection and production of bisexual homozygous androgenetic lines. Production of hybrid silkworm yielding high proportion of male larvae is of immense use to silk industry (Strunnikov, 1975, 1983). In this review, an attempt has been made to assimilate the works carried out on androgenesis, different techniques of induction towards androgenetic development and its role in silkworm breeding.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2003

Seeing inadequate disinfection and unhygenic condition in rearing area, use of disease resistant silkworm variety is the best option. In order to this, an attempt has been made to develop the resistance to Bombyx mori densonucleosis virus (BmDNV-2) into a susceptible silkworm breed Zhenon1 by cross breeding with a resistant silkworm breed SU12 and exposing the subsequent generations to BmDNV-2 followed by the selection of individuals from the surviving batches. After seven generation the evolved DNV-2 resistant strain showed the significantly higher resistance to BmDNV-2 than control Zhenon1. The economic characters of both of the breeds were almost on par.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.101-105
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• 2004

A number of Chinese, Japanese and European silkworm strains with coarse size filament were used for breeding the coarse size variety. Through cross breeding combined with pedigree selection within thirteen generations, a pair of coarse size silkworm variety, named ${CU_1}{\times}{CU_2}$, was obtained after five years. Laboratory trials showed that the filament size of its 4F_1$ hybrid was over 4.3 D, and the other economic characters were also good.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.187-190
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• 2001

Inheritance pattern of resistance to Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) was studied in an Indian silkworm stock TX by single back-cross test method. The resistant parent ［TX］, susceptible parent ［HM］, their Fl, F2, and Fl progeny back-crossed to TX [BC(R)] and HM [BC(S)] were inoculated per os with a fixed concentration of BmNPV($0.5{\times}10^{th} PIB/ml$) on the first day of second stadium. The cumulative mortality was recorded until day $10^{\times}$ post-inoculation. The results show that the resistance to BmNPV in TX fellow mono Mendelian inheritance pattern. The resistance dominated over the susceptibility at Fl. At F2, the resistant and susceptible offspring segregated in 3:1 ratio whereas at BC(S), the resistant and susceptible offspring segregated in 1:1 ratio. The response of BC(R) was more or less like the resistant parent TX which confirms the involvement of a major dominant gene conferring resistance to BmNPV in TX. The possible mechanism of inheritance of resistance in TX is discussed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2007

In order to find out the appropriate parents for the breeding programme, twelve bivoltine and three multivoltine silkworm breeds were evaluated on the basis of multivariate selection index and isozyme analysis. Of which, four [CSR2, D6 (P), SK3, SK4] bivoltine and two multivoltine (Nistari, Cambodge) breeds were selected and breeding initiated to develop higher survival bivoltine silkworm breed suitable for tropical conditions. Among two isozyme (Esterase and acid phosphatase) analyzed, only esterase exhibited polymorphism among the bivoltine breeds. No polymorphism was observed among multivoltine in respect of esterase as well as acid phosphatase.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.56-61
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• 2015

Rutin is an important bioflavonoid that is consumed in the daily diet. This study compared the functional components of rutin from various silkworm species using a gene database with those of rutin produced by silkworms selectively bred through cross-combinations. We made comparisons between the geographical origin and species of silkworm using a gene database and discovered that rutin activity was ranked in the following order by species, Chinese (C5)> miscellaneous varieties (Jamsaeng 1 Ho) >Japanese (Jam 115) > European (E58) >Korean (Sun 3 ho). However, rutin levels with respect to various genetic traits (blood color, silk color, and egg color) were consistent. In order to study rutin changes that occurred during the cross breeding of the silkworm gene, we bred cross-combinations utilizing Jam 115 and the 4051 silkworms. In conclusion, in order to provide information about the constituents of functional materials contained in silkworm powder, it is imperative that silkworm cross breeding occurs so that the database of functional materials extracted from silkworms will expand.

• 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.