Preservation of Acid Treated Bivoltine Eggs in Silkworm Bombyx mori L.

The hybrid ($CSR2{\times}CSR4$) eggs treated with acid were taken up for the study with an objective to develop long-term preservation schedule. The hybrid eggs obtained with two mating duration (3 h and 6 h) and oviposition period (6 h and 24 h) with two age groups of eggs (24 h and 36 h) were treated with Hydrochloric acid. These eggs were subjected to preservation at $5^{\circ}C$ in single step refrigeration and at $5^{\circ}C$ and $2.5^{\circ}C$ under double step refrigeration from $10{\sim}120$ days. These eggs were released from the cold storage as per the specified durations and incubated at standard conditions and allowed 2 h for hatching at 450 lux light. Hatchability was found to be significantly higher or on par with the control in three treatments (T1, T2 and T4) where the eggs are preserved continuously at $5^{\circ}C$ up to 30 days. However under double step refrigeration, hatching was not significantly affected in 20+60 day's combination of T1 treatment up to 80 days. Bioassay studies of the promising treatment i.e.. T1 with (20+60) days indicated that early stage loss and cocoon yield was found to be on par with the control. Hence this treatment was recommended for preservation of acid treated new bivoltine hybrid layings. Details of the hatchability and rearing performance of long term preservation of acid treated eggs are discussed.