• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 2000

The effect of topical application with hydrocortisone on economic parameters was analysed following treatment of last larval stadium. The treated larvae showed a significant increase in larval weight at higher concentrations along with other enhanced larval, cocoon and adult parameters. This suggests that hydrocortisone can be used effectively for commercial silkworm rearing. The larvas period was significantly increased in all the treated groups with increased female cocoon weights, its shell weights and male cocoon shell weight at 20$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml treated group. Filament length, weight and denier were increased significantly in all the treated groups. Moth emergence percentage, length of the ovariole, eggs per ovariole, fecundity and rind hatching percentage were unaffected when compared with that of the carrier control group. This suggests that hydrocortisone in addition to affecting larval growths also affect silk crop.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.18
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• pp.43-51
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• 2000

Eleven inbred lines of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. were exposed to two main different temperature (23C and 25C) during the larval period in order to elucidate the effect of the temperature differences on their main characters under the, prevailing in Egyptial agro-climactic conditions. The results show that the temperature differences did not affect significantly the pupation ratio and cocoon shell ratio. However, they affected their larval duration to become shorter with the high temperature treatment ($27^{\circ}C$) and their cocoon shell weight and cocoon yield per box of silkworm eggs to be higher in the lower temperature($23^{\circ}C$). It was recommended that some inbred lines should be bred at the 23C throughout the whole larval period, particularly in being reared with high nutritional leaves in order to maximize the hybridization of cocoon yields.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.15-21
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• 2007

Three newly authorized bivoltine silkworm hybrids namely, $CSR2{\times}CSR4$ (productive single hybrid), $(CSR6{\times}CSR26){\times}(CSR2{\times}CSR27)$ (productive double hybrid) and $CSR18{\times}CSR19$ (robust single hybrid) were chosen for the present study. These hybrids were subjected to different temperature and humidity treatments i.e., $25{\pm}$1^{\circ}C and RH $65{\pm}5%$ (control), $30{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, with combinations of low relative humidity (RH $65{\pm}5%$) and high RH ($85{\pm}5%$) at different stages during rearing and spinning of silkworm larvae. The larvae of after 3rd moult were subjected to different thermal and humidity stress till the assessment of cocoon traits. The comparative rearing and reeling performance clearly indicated that the deleterious effect of high temperature and high RH was more pronounced for the majority of traits such as cocoon uniformity, cocoon weight, shell weight, shell percentage, reelability, filament length, raw silk percentage raw silk recovery denier and waste percentage on silk weight than other temperature and RH treatments and this effect was almost similar for all three silkworm hybrids studied. The present investigation clearly indicate that the deleterious effect of high temperature and high RH was more pronounced on rearing and spinning of silkworm larvae than other temperature and RH treatments and similar effect was noticed for all the three silkworm hybrids studied. The cocoon characters can be improved by providing ideal environmental conditions even during spinning stage of larvae affected with high temperature and RH. The study also suggest that high temperature and low humidity has greater effect during rearing stage than spinning stage.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2000

To evolve silkworm hybrids with higher survival and better cocoon characters, evaluation of semen hybrids in the laboratory (short-listed out of 143 hybrids) resulted in the identification of two promising hybrids, A3${\tines}$935 E (HSP1) and A3${\tines}$916 B (HSP2). The hybrids were evaluated at three different Regional Sericultural Research Stations of Central Silk Board during 1997-1998 and also tested with the farmers along with two control hybrids, KAxNB4D2 and PMxNB4D2. Evaluation of the hybrids indicated that these hybrids can be reared in all the seasons, especially during summer season. These hybrids show shorter larval duration (22 days 17 hrs against 23 days in control KAxNB4D2 and better cocoon characters as compared to the crossed breeds PM ${\tines}$NB4D2).

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.63-72
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• 2006

Parthenogenesis, the development of unfertilized ovum opens new perspectives in silkworm breeding in the development of homozygous breeds. In order to improve induction of artificial parthenogenesis in the excised unfertilized eggs of different breeds of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L., a new method was devised and the results were compared with the routine method. General and specific combining abilities and hybrid vigour of newly developed bivoltine breeds were analyzed utilizing bivoltine breeds viz., $CSR_2,\;CSR_4,\;CSR_{17}\;and\;NB_4D_2$ Estimation of GCA revealed superiority of the breeds, $DNB_1$ for eight characters followed by $DNB_4$ for five characters. Among the testers, $CSR_2$ was found good general combiner for seven characters followed by $CSR_{17}$ for four characters. A great deal of variations was observed among the hybrids studied. Five hybrids namely, $DNB_1{\times}CSR_2,\;DNB_4{\times}CSR_4,\;DNB_4{\times}NB_4D_2,\;DNB_6{\times}CSR_2\;and\;DNB_7{\times}CSR_2$ showed significant SCA effects for 5-6 characters. The hybrid, $DNB_4{\times}CSR_4$ showed its superiority by expressing significant hybrid vigour over BPV for 7 characters. Majority of the hybrids exhibited significant hybrid vigour for survival rate, yield/10,000 larvae by weight, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, filament length and denier.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 1975

In order to investigate the individual difference in the cocoon quality of female and male silkworm, Bombyx mori, the individual variation of cocoon quality of all the examined population, the variation of cocoon quality within batches. The variation of batches were also examined with 19 batches (843 cocoons of female and 806 of male) of lam 111 X Jam 112, and the daily variation of cocoon quality after harvesting on 300 good cocoons of female and male is as follows：(table omitted) 2. The daily variation of cocoon quality after harvesting. The daily reduction rate of cocoon weight after havesting was higher at the late stage than at the beginning stage of pupal duration and it showed a tendency to be higher in male than in female pupae.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.205-209
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• 1997

In a line X tester crossing programme (24 lines 2 testers) the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects were analyzed for five economic characters in the bivoltine silkworm, Bombyx mori L. The results showed desired GCA effects in 934D1 (9500), 934B (9789) and 934A1 (9855) for cocoon yield per 10,000 larvae brushed by number. Likewise, the lines found to be superior based on GCA effects for other characters were as follows; 931D (14.040 Kgs), 935E (17.023 Kga.), 934D1 (15.643 Kgs.) and 934B (15.687 Kgs.) for cocoon yield by weight: 931D (1.717 g) and 930E (1.796 g) for single cocoon weight; 932B (0.330 g) for single shell weight: 931D (1.717 g) and 930e (1.796 g) for single cocoon weight; 932B (0.330 g) for single shell weight; 932B (18.7%), 933A (18.86%) and 935A (19.89%) for shell ratio. SCA effects showed the superiority of 932D$\times$KA (9822 cocoon yield per 10,000 larvae brushed by number); 932A$\times$NB4D2 (16.933 Kgs. cocoon yield per 10,000 larvae brushed by weight); 931C$\times$KA (1.911 g single cocoon weight); 934$\times$NB4D2 (0.371 g single shell weight and 21.0% shell ratio). The analysis indicated non-additive gene action for all the five characters.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.71-76
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• 2017

The cocoon's color of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. is usually white. But some are yellow, flesh and green colors because of modified characteristics. The yellow and flesh cocoons depend on carotenoid pigments, green cocoons are determined by flavonoid pigments. The cocoon's color is affected by the genes controlling penetration process from midgut to coelom and silk gland. Y (Yellow blood, 2-25.6) and I (Yellow-inhibitor, 9-16.2) genes are involved in the penetration process of carotenoid pigments from midgut to coelom, C (Outer-layer yellow cocoon, 12-7.2) and F (Flesh, 6-13.6) genes from coelom to silk gland. Therefore, the carotenoid cocoon's color depends on the genotype Y, I, C and F genes and their combination. Among them, C gene is sympathetic gene, which are known as C, CI and CD. C (Outer-layer yellow cocoon) genes make yellow cocoons on outer-layer and white cocoons on inter-layer, and CI (Inner-layer yellow cocoon) genes do yellow cocoons on inter-layer and dilute yellow cocoons on outer-layer. CD gene is known as making dilute yellow cocoons all layer. In this study, we have checked the dominance relation of C sympathetic genes among carotenoid genes for color cocoons by using strains related to the genes for color cocoons and investigated the aspect that pigments were penetrated in silk gland by action of each gene.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2003

The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is prone to infection of various pathogenic organisms. Pebrine, one of the deadliest disease of silkworm caused by highly virulent parasitic microsporidian, Nosema bombycis has been understood since long. Infections of the disease range from chronic to highly virulent and can result in complete loss to the sericulture industry. Several strains and species of microsporidians have since been isolated from the infected silkworms; the disease is becoming increasingly more and more complex. Epizootiology, development of immunodiagnostic kit, use of chemotherapy and thermotherapy techniques has been addressed for identification and control of the disease. A technique of delayed mother moth examination, which plays a decisive role in the detection of the disease and harvestation of stable cocoon crop, has been described. An attempt has been made to review briefly the literature available on various aspects of the pebrine disease in order to develop efficient model(s) for the prevention and control of the disease and to suggest future avenues of investigation in the field of pebrine disease management.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 2004

A breeding programme was initiated by utilizing a robust bivoltine breed CSR$_{18}$ and a polyvoltine breed Cambodge with the main objective of developing robust polyvoltine silkworm breeds/hybrids. At F$_1$ and F$_2$, parthenogenetic development was induced following warm water treatment of eggs at 46$^{\circ}C$ for 18 min followed by two backcrosses with Bl$_{67}$, an evolved polyvoltine breed. The newly developed breed was subjected for hybrid study using eight hybrid combinations in the laboratory at F$_{8}$ generation. F$_1$ hybrids between newly developed breed Bl$_{67}$ (Pg) and promising bivoltine breeds exhibited their superiority by expressing significant hybrid vigour for several economic characters like cocoon yield/10,000 larvae, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio and denier. Study on cocoon shape variability revealed that cocoons of all the F$_1$ hybrids except BL$_{67}$ (Pg)${\times}$NB$_4$D$_2$ were found comparatively uniform in shape.pe.