Effect of Juvenile Hormone Analogs on Silkworm, Bombyx mori L. I. Effect of Juvenile Hormone Analog ″R-20458″on Increase of Silk Productivity by Topical Application

유약홀몬에 관한 연구 I. 유사 합성유약홀몬 ″R-20458″에 대한 증사효과

Research on the hormones of insect has followed by the special opportunities and problems arising from pollution. Since then, the main frame of it has been energetically exploited by ligation, decapitation and so on. In the meanwhile, knowledge of the biochemistry of hormone action as well as other aspects of biochemistry in insects has been gradually disclosed. Since 1966, practical use of active analogs of the hormones has been also worked out as an insecticide and brought the features of it to the light. On the other hand, it is expected to afford the increase of silk productivity resulted from control of the fifth larval period by delaying normal development. With these regards, some of analogs have been tried to apply practically to the silkworm. One of them is "Manta" produced by Zoecon Chemical Company and it is presently used for the increase of silk productivity in Japan. Another one is "R-20458", not registered one, issued by Stuffer Chemical Company. It is still pending for the silkworm growth regulator For the possibility of practical use, two chemicals are tested on the increase of silk productivity by topical application and the obtained results are summarized as follows. 1. It is evident that the fifth larval period was extended by topical application of the tested chemicals "Manta"and "R-20458"at the fifth instar after 51 hours of the last ecdysis, ranging from 12 hours to one day, as compared to. the control 2. In survival rates, there is no significance at 5% level between control and treatments. It proved that there was no toxity to silkworm by topical aprication. 3. There is an increase of cocoon yield in both chemical treatments. It was resulted from increase of weight of single cocoon. "Manta"2.5ppm produced 22.2kg of cocoon. It is equal to 9% increase in index, as compared to that of control. In case of R-20458, the increasing rates were varied at the different concentration; 21.4kg of cocoon production with 5% increase at 5ppm, 20.9kg of it with 2% increase at 2.5ppm and 20.6kg of it with 1% increase at 1. 25ppm in index, respectively, as compared with that of control. 4. Percentage of cocoon shell was increased by topical application. In case of "Manta" 2.5ppm, it is 25.6% which is equal to 6% increase in index, as compared with that of control. For "R-20458", the increasing rates of percentage of cocoon shell were varied with the different level of chemical concentration. They are 25.0% of 4% increase at 2.5ppm, 24.9% of 3% increase at 1.25ppm and 24.7% of 3% increase at 5ppm. 15% increase was attained at "Manta" 2.5ppm in the weight of cocoon layer based on cocoon yield and percentage of cocoon shell in index, as compared with that of control. The rates for "R-20458"are 5% increase at 2.5ppm and 4% increase at 1. 25ppm in index.