• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.119-122
• /
• 2006

As the Selenium is known to be growth promoter in sheep and cattle, the efficacy of selenium has been tested in silkworm Bombyx mori L. The V instar larvae were fed with lethal and sub-lethal doses of selenium treated leaves. The larvae fed with lethal dose showed a significant decrease in growth and Cocoon commercial characters. The treatment with sub lethal dose exhibited a significant increase in the growth of the silkworm. Correspondingly, the cocoon commercial characters on exposure to the lethal dose showed significant decrease and sub lethal dose showed a significant increase. In the light of similar findings reported earlier in other cocoon crops and vertebrates, it can be inferred that selenium at lower doses acts as a growth stimulator, resulting in the higher yield of cocoon crop.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.66-69
• /
• 1995

Traditional Antheraea pernyi silkworm cocoon is tawny color. The white Antheraea pernyi silkworm cocoons studied here by IR and UV are new breeds of recent breeding. We discovered that the main body of the first grade structure of silk protein in the new white is as same as the one in the traditional tawny Antheraea pernyi silkworm cocoon, yet there are small quantities of cross-linked polymer of gentisic acid and silk protein in the white silkworm cocoons. In spite of the least surviving quantity of the polymer, the white silkworm cocoons are most white and its white color is similar to white Bombyx mori silkworm cocoon.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.63-68
• /
• 2007

The response of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. to phytoecdysteroid (PE) when administered at different ages of $5^{th}$ instar was studied in the popular bivoltine ($CSR2{\times}CSR4$) and multi${\times}$bivoltine ($PM{\times}CSR2$) silkworm hybrids, reared on the Victory-1 variety of mulberry leaves. PE was administered to $5^{th}$ instar silkworm per os at a rate of $250{\mu}g$ per 100 larvae to different batches of silkworm at 0, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144 hrs and at the onset of cocoon spinning when a few larvae were ripe. The larval and mounting duration, cocoon yield and cocoon characters were influenced by PE. The intensity of influence was dependent on the time of application. The larvae treated at the beginning of the instar, improved the economic traits significantly with a marginal increase in larval duration. In the larvae treated at the middle of the instar, larval duration was shortened remarkably but the economic traits were adversely affected. This particular treatment can become a good management strategy in the case of mulberry leaf shortage or disease incidence. In the larvae treated at the onset of cocoon spinning, the mounting duration was substantially reduced without much effect on the cocoon traits which would be a big benefit in commercial sericulture. The physiological significance of varied response of silkworm to PE administration is discussed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.18-23
• /
• 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
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.35-40
• /
• 2000

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.203-208
• /
• 2003

Rearing temperature influences food consumption, conversion and cocoon production in silkworm Bombyx mori L. Young age $({1^st}to{3^rd} instar)$ worms of Pure Mysore, a multivoltine were reared at 26, 28, 30 and $32^{\circ}C$ followed by combinations of these temperature levels during late age $({4^th} and {5^th} instar)$. Food consumption, conversion, larval duration and growth for each instar were recorded. The influence of combinations of these temperature levels during rearing on survival and cocoon production was assessed. Food consumption increased with the temperature up to $4^th$ instar and decreased during $5^th$ instar. Temperature beyond $28^{\circ}C$ during young age followed by higher temperature ($30^{\circ}C$ and above) has shown deleterious effect on cocoon production. The paper discusses the rearing performance in relation to food intake and conversion under the tested temperature levels.

• 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.4 no.2
• /
• pp.149-153
• /
• 2002

Induction of non-diapause eggs and manifestation of quantitative characters were studied in different seasons by low temperature incubation of eggs of a low yielding diapause with coloured cocoons silkworm breed, RDI of Bombyx mori. Hundred percent of nandiapause eggs were induced when the egg incubation was carried out at 15$^{\circ}C$ followed by incubation initially at $25^{\circ}C$ and then at $15^{\circ}C$. The diapause-nondia-pause relation was found to be reversible. Analysis of variance study demonstrated significant variation in all the quantitative characters whereas significant variation due to different incubation treatments was observed for larval span, fifth instar larval span, cocoon yield/10,000 larvae by weight, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, and cocoon shell ratio. study on hybrid vigour skewed significant heterosis over mid parent value for four economic characters viz., cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio and filament length in a Fl hybrid between RD1 with diapause eggs and Japanese type bivoltine $NB_{4} D_{2}$.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.147-151
• /
• 2012

Fifteen races resulted from silkworm breeding program at Sericulture Research Department (SRD) were used for hybridization. Fourteen hybrids were obtained and coded as; Giza C, D, R, S, T, U, A, V, W, P, H, L and Qanater 1, 2. The traits of cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, pupal weight, cocoon shell ratio, silk productivity, fifth instar duration, total larval duration, number of cocoon per liter and pupation ratio were evaluated. Data were analyzed by using three formulae of heterosis over better, mid and check parent values. Hybrids of Giza V, C, N, Qanater 1 and 2 are promising and could be used in commercial cocoon production. Generally, there are some new hybrids can be exploited in commercial scale. Also, the local races can be evolved using the hybridization, inbreeding and selection program.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.135-139
• /
• 2001

Experiments were held in Egypt to test a new Package of practices for commercial cocoon production, including adding secondary macro and micronutrients to the mulberry garden, disease free rearing regime, low temperature rearing in young instars and natural mounting fur silkworms. This package for seed silkworm rearing lead to increase in fecundity by 67-121eggs (15.12-26.22%) and yield of standard boxes per 1 parent egg boxes by 57-58 egg boxes(48.33-51.66%) respectively in comparison th the traditional cocoon production technology.