• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.37-44
• /
• 2021

Mulberry silkworm is classified into uni, bi and multivoltine based on the frequency of diapause incidence. The variation in the incidence of diapause in bivoltine silkworm provides a unique opportunity to study the process of evolution of adaptive plasticity towards seasonal variations. The diapause expression in bivoltine silkworm is highly variable and is determined by environmental factors experienced by the maternal generation. Diapause in natural populations is functionally associated with the overwintering mechanism that facilitates survival in harsh winter conditions. In contrast, under standard commercial rearing conditions, the domesticated bivoltine silkworm is known to enter diapause in every generation. This paper presents a short review of the literature dealing with the role of temperature, photoperiod, diapause hormone and its receptor in diapause induction. Also, we briefly review the incidence of non-diapause eggs in bivoltine silkworm under controlled conditions.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.115-126
• /
• 2015

The tropical climate prevailing in India adversely affects temperate bivoltine silkworm rearing and causes crop loss especially during summer. Identification of high temperature tolerant bivoltine breeds by screening for thermotolerance in the silkworm, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) is an essential prerequisite for the development of thermotolerant bivoltine breeds / hybrids. Therefore, in this study, 20 silkworm breeds were reared at different temperatures (25 ± 1℃,32 ± 1℃, 34 ± 1℃ and 36 ± 1℃) for 6 h every day from 3^rd d of 5^th instar to till spinning. Significant differences (p < 0.01) were found among all the rearing traits over temperature. Based on pupation percentage, SK4C and BHR3 were identified as thermotolerant bivoltine breeds. Hierarchical clustering analysis based on rearing traits at tested temperatures grouped 20 silkworm breeds in four clusters which included one cluster each of susceptible and tolerant, and two clusters of moderately tolerant silkworm breeds. This suggests that clustering based on rearing data at high temperatures by using Euclidean distance can be an effective approach in classifying the silkworm breeds on their thermotolerance capacity. The identified breeds would be used for development of thermo tolerant bivoltine silkworm breeds / hybrids.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.107-109
• /
• 2004

The present investigation reports a phenomenon hitherto unknown in tropical sericulture, wherein dia-pause nature of bivoltine eggs is overcome through a cross with a non-diapausing race of silkworm, Bombyx mori, L. Eggs of bivoltine silkworm Bombyx mori, L. generally do not hatch under tropical conditions. To prevent diapause, they are subjected to acid treatment or low temperature hibernation scheduled. A race developed at KSSRDI is found to prevent the diapause nature of bivoltine eggs when crossed as male parent, without any acid treatment or hibernation schedule. This phenomenon is reported for the first time, being unique, opens up interesting area of research in silkworm genetics of commercial implications in the industry.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 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
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.15-20
• /
• 2008

Under the all India programme of evaluation of mulberry and silkworm genotypes, twelve bivoltine silkworm breeds obtained from Central Silkworm Germplasm Resource Centre, Hosur (CSGRC) were evaluated at the bivoltine silkworm breeding laboratory, Central Sericultural Research & Training Institute, Mysore (CSR&TI). These breeds were tested during September-October 2003, August-September 2004 and February-March 2005. The average temperature and humidity during September-October 2003 was $26.5^{\circ}C$ and 72.6% RH, while during August-September 2004, it was $26.5^{\circ}C$ and 75.2% RH and during February-March 2005 it was $24^{\circ}C$ and 48% RH respectively. The performance of the breeds in respect of 21 traits was studied and statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (Singh and Choudhary, 1985). Silkworm breeds were short-listed using multiple trait evaluation index method as suggested by Mano et at., (1993). Evaluation Index values were calculated for all the 11 traits of economic importance and six breeds were short-listed based on average index value 50 and above 50. Two breed viz., BV 183 (SMGS-1) have recorded average E.I. >50 in 10 traits (except in neatness) and ranked first and the breed BV 262 (SMGS9) with E.I. value >50 in nine traits except in cocoon weight and neatness ranked second, in the order of merit. These two breeds may be selected as resource material for evolving region specific silkworm breeds.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.183-190
• /
• 2003

An attempt was made to identify superior bivoltine silkworm hybrid suitable for monsoon and spring season of Uttar Pradesh. Breeds with superior cocoon characters and their more popularity in an area were major parameters on basis of which breeds from different regions were selected. Six bivoltine hybrids of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) of different geographical regions were reared in monsoon (three hybrids) and spring season (three hybrids) during 2000-2002 i.e., for three years at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow. Their performances were analyzed statistically for nine characters. The analysis made on a number of traits viz., hatching percentage, larval duration, pupation rate, yield /10000 larvae (by no.), yield /10000 larvae (by weight), cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio, showed the superiority of one bivoltine hybrid out of the three bivoltine hybrids studied in each season. $SH6{\times}{NB_4}{D_2}$ was found to be superior in major cocoon parameters in both the seasons i.e., monsoon and spring season of Uttar Pradesh.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.197-202
• /
• 2003

The hot climatic conditions prevailing particularly in summer are not conducive to rear these high yielding bivoltine hybrids throughout the year, In order to select efficiently the breeds with high temperature tolerance, it is very important to analyze critically the impact of high temperature on many silk yielding attributes of silkworm races. Keeping the above in view, the present study was undertaken to determine the effect of high temperature $(36 {\pm} 1^{\circ}C)$ and high humidity $(80 {\pm} 5% Relative Humidity)$ on the rearing performance of pure races, foundation crosses, single hybrids and double hybrids of bivoltine silkworm, Bombyx mori L. The robust bivoltine breeds, CSR18, CSR19, 8HT and 5HT, eight foundation crosses, eight single hybrids and eight double hybrids involving these breeds were chosen as materials in this study.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.15-20
• /
• 2003

The present investigation was carried out to study the possible cause for reciprocal difference in silkworm hybrids. By utilising the polyvoltine race Pure Mysore (PM) and newly evolved breeds (CSR2, CSR5, CSR16 and CSR17), the direct and reciprocal crosses of polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine and also bivoltine hybrids were studied. The hybrids of polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine (direct) are superior to their reciprocal crosses in respect of cocoon yield, cocoon weight and filament length. The reciprocal crosses of polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine are superior to their direct crosses in respect of fecundity and short larval duration. No significant differences were observed in the characters like cocoon shell ratio, raw silk percentage, denier, reelability and neatness in both polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine direct crosses and their reciprocals. The expression of cocoon characters as a function of sex revealed that direct crosses (polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine) showed higher cocoon weight, pupal weight, shell weight and longer filament length in females than the reciprocal crosses (bivoltine ${\times}$ polyvoltine), where as these characters in males were almost the same in both direct and reciprocal crosses, indicating that the sex-linked genetic factor played a more important role. it was clear that difference in cocoon yield observed in reciprocal crosses of polyvoltine ${\times}$ bivoltine was due to the low cocoon and shell weight in females which was turn due to presence of early maturity genes (Lme) linked with sex-chromosome (X) which effect on larvae period of the silkworm. In bivoltine hybrids, i.e., both direct and their reciprocals crosses, all the characters viz., hatching percentage, larval duration, survival, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio, raw silk percentage, filament length, denier, reelability and neatness did not show any significant difference (except number of eggs laid by moth) which could account for presence of same maturity genes (Lm) in both direct and reciprocal crosses. it was clear that reciprocal differences occur when the hybrids are prepared from the parental strains with different voltinism.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.2 no.2
• /
• pp.129-132
• /
• 2001

Biometabolic assessment was made in early and late embryonic stage (just before hatching) of one poly, one bi and their hybrids (DP, YPe, DP ${\times} Ype, and YPe ${\times} DP respectively ) of Bombyx mori to observe the racial differences. Protein and nucleic acid (RNA and DNA) concentrations were recorded to be significantly higher in bivoltine breed (YPe) and also in the hybrid than the polyvoltine (DP) strain in both the stages of embryonic development. The single egg weight of polyvoltine race was lower as compared to that of bivoltine and the hybrid studied. Age specific changes in all the biomolecules were evident where protein and RNA concentrations were elevated sharply in prehatched larvae while in case of DNA it was observed to be just reverse. The differences in protein, RNA and DNA composition between breeds and hybrids reflect the racial variations in biometabolic demands responsible for differential growth and development of the breeds and hybrids.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.169-175
• /
• 2001

A synthetic juvenoid, R394 (Ethyl 9-cyclohexyl-3, 7-dimethyl-2, 4-nonadienoate) which is known to be a strong pest control agent was administered to silkworm, Bombyx mori L. in minute quantity for improving the silk yield. Based on the result of an earlier preliminary screening, three concentrations of the compound, viz., 0.1563, 0.3125, 31.25 nl/ml were prepared in the form of an emulsion and administered topically as a single dose, to separate batches of $5^{th}$ instar silkworm at 24, 48, 72 and 96 hrs to determine the required concentration and critical time of application for an economically favourable response. Two popular commercial silkworm hybrids, PM ${\times}$ NB4D2 (multivoltine${\times}$bivoltine) and KA${\times}$NB4D2 (bivoltine$\times$bivoltine) were subjected to the experiment. The medium and absolute control were maintained in parallel to compare the results. The results showed that 0.3125 nl/ml was the best concentration of the compound and 72 hrs of $5^{th}$instar was the most favourable age for its administration to get the maximum improvement in the commercial traits. The possible role of exogenous juvenoids in eliciting favourable response in silkworm which ultimately leads to improvement in the commercial traits is discussed.