Genetic Structure of the Mulberry Silkworm Population in Sri Lanka: I. Estimation of Combining Ability and Heritability

  • Lea, Ho-Zoo (College of Natural Science, Kangweon National University) ;
  • Alwis, Siriani-M.de (Sikworm Breeding and Grainage Station, Silk and Allied Products Development Authority)
  • Published : 1995.06.01

Abstract

Genetic characterization of Sri Lankan silkworm bivoltine population has not been at-tempted so far, since its sporadic introduction of bivoltine strains into the island, starting from the 1950's. Genetic structure of Sri Lankan population of mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori was investigated through estimation of general (GCA) and specific combining ability(SCA) and heritability(${h^2}_B$), on the economic quantitative characters from leading 8 inbreds and their 28 F1's in a half diallel cross, in an attempt to utilize the estimates in determination of future breeding methods and to predict the breeding value over the phenotypic value. It was found that the breeding population of the bivoltine silkworm in Sri Lanka has still maintained considerable amounts of additive gene action as well as nonadditive. For some time in the future, both breeding strategies of "selection without inbreeding" and also "inbreeding followed by crossing" should therefore be effective in genetic improvement of economic characters investigated. In addition, superior combiners in general and in specific F1′s were identified for each of 6 economic characters, to be immediately utilized in selection and also in cross breeding programs in Sri Lanka.

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