• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.51-55
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• 2019

The structure and properties of silk polymers (fibroin and sericin) can be satisfactorily controlled by choosing a suitable silkworm variety and, hence, this parameter (i.e., silkworm variety) has attracted increasing attention. A previous study reported that the crystallinity of white colored silkworm cocoons depends on the silkworm variety. In the present study, sixteen yellow colored silkworm variety cocoons were produced and their molecular conformation and crystallinity were investigated. The conformation of the silkworm cocoons varied with the silkworm variety. Most cocoons exhibited ${\beta}$-sheet conformation, although random coil and ${\beta}$-sheet conformations co-existed in some cocoons (e.g., 21 and D90). The crystallinity of the silkworm cocoons varied with the silkworm variety and the measurement position of the cocoon (i.e., outer surface or inner surface). However, the difference in the crystallinity indices of the outer and inner surfaces comprising the cocoons varied with the silkworm variety, but was <2% for all cocoons, except for MAL.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2021

In the present study, the effect of heat treatment on the crystallinity of the outside of silkworm cocoon in nine different silkworm varieties was studied using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Additionally, the morphological structure and moisture regain of the cocoon were examined. The silkworm cocoon showed different colors and external features depending on the silkworm variety. Moreover, the thickness of the filament (15.3-27.6 ㎛) and moisture regain of the cocoon (9.0%-11.0%) were quite different depending on the silkworm variety. The crystallinity index of the cocoon outside varied from 52.1% to 56.1%, depending on the silkworm variety. J300 and MO42 showed the highest (56.1%) and the lowest (52.1%) crystallinity index, respectively, indicating that the microstructure of sericin of the outside of the cocoon was affected by the silkworm variety. Regardless of silkworm variety, their crystallinity indexes decreased from 52.1%-56.1% to 49.9%-43.6% depending on the silkworm variety by the heat treatment at 250 ℃. Interestingly, the crystallinity degree decrease was somewhat different depending on the silkworm variety, implying that the cocoon sericin microstructure is strongly influenced by the silkworm variety.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2019

Bombyx mori silkworm has many silkworm varieties and the structure and properties of silk can be varied depending on the silkworm variety. Therefore, the choice of proper silkworm variety can be an effective way to control and improve the performance of silk materials in biomedical and cosmetic applications. As a preliminary study, in the present study, thirty nine Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons were prepared and their molecular conformation and crystallinity were examined. Molecular conformation and the crystallinity of silkworm cocoons were different depending on the silkworm variety. Interestingly, the crystallinity index of outside of cocoon was different from that of inside of cocoon and the difference between the crystallinities of outside and inside of cocoon was varied depending on the silkworm variety. In this study, the silkworm variety cocoons were classified into three groups (Group 1, Group 2, and Group 3) based on the difference of crystallinities between outside and inside.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.6-15
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• 2020

Silk has attracted the attention of numerous research groups because of its unique properties as a biomedical material. Recently, studies on the biomedical application of silk cocoon, such as membranes for guided bone regeneration, have been conducted. As a preliminary study on silkworm cocoons, the morphological structure and crystallinity of cocoon of nine silkworm varieties with different sides are examined in this study. The morphological structure of the silkworm cocoon is shown to be dependent on silkworm variety and the cocoon layer (i.e. outside or inside). It is also shown that the silk filaments of the out layer are more bent and twisted compared to those of the inner layer. Furthermore, the crystallinity of the outer surface of all silkworm cocoons is found to be higher than that of the inner surface, regardless of the silkworm variety. Lastly, it is shown that the crystallinity index of the cocoon depends on the silkworm variety, implying that the structure of the cocoon varies with silkworm variety.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.51-55
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• 2020

A new silkworm variety, Juhwangjam, was bred for the producing of light pink colored cocoon. The Juhwangjam variety was selected and succeeded from the F1 of 2303 × BP Heehong in 2016 autumn. Hatchability (96%) and pupation percentage (97.6%) of Juhwangjam was matched to the authorization criteria for commercial silkworm variety. Laval period and other economical characters of Juhwangjam were similar to the authorized silkworm variety, Goldensilk. Cocoon yield of Juhwangjam in spring and autumn season was 20.0 and 14.3 kg, respectively. Therefore, a new silkworm variety, Juhwangjam for light pink cocoon, might be adaptable to culture in spring season rather than autumn season.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.81-85
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• 2015

Recently, many researchers have studied silk sericin because of its high water retention, good wound healing, good cyto-compatibility, and blood-glucose- and cholesterol-lowering effects. Although sericin film can be used in wound dressing and cosmetic packs, its poor mechanical properties have prevented its use in industrial fields. In the present study, sericin was obtained from different silkworm varieties, and the effect of silkworm variety on the structure and properties of sericin was examined. Except for a small difference in serine content, no significant difference in sericin was noted among the silkworm varieties. In addition, silkworm variety almost had no effect on solution viscosity, implying that it does not influence the molecular weight of sericin. Mechanical properties of sericin film were strongly affected by silkworm variety. Wonwon 126 showed the best mechanical properties, while N74 and Geumgwangju displayed the worst properties.

• Mycobiology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.180-183
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• 2010

This study was conducted out to select a silkworm variety suitable for synnemata production of Isaria tenuipes. Four kinds of the mulberry silkworm varieties, Bombyx mori, were hybridized using a Japanese parental line and a Chinese parental line, and used to test for synemata formation in I. tenuipes. The larval period of normal silkworms was 22 hr longer than the silkworms inoculated with this fungus. Among the silkworm varieties tested, Hachojam had the shortest larval period with 23.02 days. The non-cocooning silkworm had a shorter larval period than the cocoon producing silkworms. The pupation rate of normal silkworms was about 9% higher than that of silkworms sprayed with I. tenuipes. Hachojam had the highest infection rate at 99.8%, but no significant difference was observed for the infection rate by silkworm variety. The production of synnemata was the best in JS171 $\times$ CS188 with an incidence rate of 99.3%, followed by Hachojam, and Chugangjam. The synnemata produced from Hachojam were the heaviest and showed white or milky-white in color.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2015

The wet spinning of silk solution has attracted researchers' attention because of 1) unique properties of silk as a biomedical material and 2) easy control of the structure and properties of the regenerated silk fiber. Recently, studies have reported that different silkworm varieties produce silk with differences in the molecular weight (MW) and other mechanical properties of the regenerated silk fibroin (SF) film. In this study, we look at the effect of different Bombyx mori varieties on the wet spinning of SF. Although five regenerated SFs from different silkworm varieties have different MWs and solution viscosity, the wet spinnability and post drawing performance of regenerated SFs were not different. This result is due to low variability in the MW of the regenerated SF samples from the different silkworm varieties. In addition, unlike regenerated SF films, the mechanical properties of wet spun regenerated SF filament were not affected by silkworm variety. This result suggests that the mechanical properties of wet spun SF filament are less affected by MW than those of SF film are.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2006

The major dominant fluoride-endurance (Dfe) gene was introduced into the commercial varieties by crossing and pedigree selection to breed silkworm races that could normally develop in the area that polluted by fluoride. After backcrossed for two generations, the Dfe gene was made homozygous, and individuals with good economic characters were selected to generate next generation. After 8 generations of selection, their characters became stable, and the silkworm variety which is resistant to fluoride, Huayuan${\times}$Dongsheng, for spring rearing were bred.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.85-95
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• 2006

Seveval Chinese and Japanese varieties with good characters were used in the breeding. After 5 years (15 generations), a pair of robust and high quality silkworm variety with NPV resistance was bred by means of a combination of crossing and pedigree selection complemented by the selection of NPV resistance. The variety was identified jointly nationwide in 2003 and 2004, and appraised by National Mulberry and Silkworm Appraising Committee. Results are as follows: its cocooning rate is over 93%, shell rate 23-25%, filament length 1200-1300 meters, reelability 75-88%, Length of non-broken cocoon filament 900-1100 meters, raw silk rate 17-19%, neatness 95-97 points, and cocoon crop, cocoon shell weight and raw silk weight per 10000 larvae is higher than those of the control variety by 7-10%, 14-19% and 14-18%, respectively. The variety is not only robust, resistant to high temperature and NPV, easy to rear, uniform in hatching, molting and maturing, but also lays more eggs, and its fecundity is high. It is suitable to rear in the Yangtze River Basin, the Yellow River basin and the Pearl River basin of China.