• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.213-216
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• 2002

Food consumption and conversion efficiency of new bivoltine hybrids (CSR2$\times$CSR4 and CSR2$\times$CSR5) were studied under restricted feeding levels (10, 20 and 30% less quantity of mulberry leaves). The data were compared with a control fed with standard quantum of feed as per the recommendation. The nutritional indices parameters i. e. ingests, digesta, approximate digestibility (%) and reference ratio were recorded higher in control batches compared to less feed batches while nutritional efficiency parameters i. e., ECI and ECD to cocoon and shell were recorded significantly higher in restricted feeding level batches. This increase is attributed due to the physiological adaptation under nutritional stress condition.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 1990

Effects of topical application of 100, 200 and 300ng/$m\ell$ of 3-indole butyric acid (3IBA) on larval parameters were studied in polyvoltine Pure Mysore breed of B. mori. Each concentration was administered independently, at 36h to III, IV ＆ V instars, at 48h to IV ＆ V instars, and at 72h to V instar larvae. Of the various dosages used, the repeated applications of loons of 3-IBA at 36h to III, IV ＆ V instars resulted in a significant increase in larval weight, silk gland weight, cocoon shell weight and fecundity and a significant decrease in larval duration and cocooning percentage when compared with the corresponding parameters of the untreated controls.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.243-264
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• 2013

Antheraea mylitta Drury is a commercial silk producing forest insect in India and Xanthopimpla pedator Fabricius is its larval-pupal endoparasitoid, which causes pupal mortality that affects seed production. Effects of host plants, rearing season and their interactions on parasitic behaviour of X. pedator were studied here, as influence of these factors on biological success of X. pedator is not known. Seven forest tree species were tested as food plants for A. mylitta, and rate of pupal parasitization in both the rearing seasons were recorded and analysed. Results showed that rearing season and host plants significantly affected the rate of pupal parasitization in both the sexes. Pupal mortality was found significantly higher (14.52%) in second rearing season than the first (2.89%). Likewise, host plants and rearing seasons significantly affected length, diameter, and shell thickness of cocoons in both sexes. Out of all infested pupae, 85.59% were found male, which indicated that X. pedator chooses male spinning larva of A. mylitta for oviposition, but we could not answer satisfactorily the why and how aspect of this sex specific parasitic behaviour of X. pedator. Multiple regression analysis indicated that length and shell thickness of male cocoons are potential predictors for pupal parasitization rate of X. pedator. Based on highest cocoon productivity and lowest pupal mortality, Terminalia alata, T. tomentosa, and T. arjuna were found to be the most suitable host plants for forest based commercial rearing of A. mylitta in tropical forest areas of Uttarakhand state, where it has never been reared earlier. Sex and season specific interaction of X. pedator with its larval-pupal host, A. mylitta is a novel entomological study to find out explanations for some of the unresolved research questions on parasitic behaviour of X. predator that opens a new area for specialised study on male specific parasitization in Ichneumonidae.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.19-22
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• 2002

Rotary mountages are the best mountages among all the mountages that are used in sericultural areas. But to use this mountage more space, separate mounting hall & requires more labour to pickup the matured worms. to over come these problems, self mounting method is adopted to save the time Er labour, But the mounting rate is generally less. To accelerate the mounting rate different repellents viz; saw dust, phytoecdysone, 1% cresol with paddy husk, lime, kaolin, gormalin chaff were used in the present study. The results indicated that highest number of larvae climbed the mountage in 1% cresol with paddy husk, followed by phytoecdysone and lime. It is observed that the use of repellents at wandering stage accilerates mounting rate and did not affect the quality of the cocoons and reeling characters.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 2004

The type of trichomes, their density and pattern of distribution on leaves of 16 genotypes of mulberry, belonging to both diploid and polyploid categories, were studied by scanning electron microscope. The present investigation was undertaken to find out the relationship of physical attributes, especially the density and trichome types with higher acceptability and better rearing performance by the silkworm Bombyx-mori L. Two types of trichomes glandular and non-glandular types were observed on both the leaf surfaces of all the mulberry genotypes studied. In general, greater densities of trichomes were observed on the abaxial surface than the adaxial surface of leaves in most of the genotypes. Distribution of glandular trichomes were more in abaxial surface and non-glandular trichomes were more in adaxial surface. Overall, distribution of glandular and non-glandular trichomes per unit area of leaf did not follow any regular pattern. When leaves of those genotypes were fed to silkworms, trichome density was found to be significantly negatively correlated with the survival of larvae i.e., effective rate of rearing, but trichome density did not influence the economic characters of rearing. As the distribution of glandular trichomes (GT) and non-glandular trichomes (NGT) did not follow any definite pattern, no relation could be established between the GT and NGT densities with silkworm rearing performance. However, the ratio of GT and NGT in a particular genotype influenced the rearing parameters, higher the ratios better the rearing performance. High GT and NGT ratio (＞1.00) was found positively significant when correlated with economic parameters viz., larval weight, single cocoon weight and single shell weight. The study is useful in screening different mulberry genotypes for their better acceptability to silk-worm and higher rearing performance at the early stage of selection without actually conducting the rearing.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.155-159
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• 2000

In the spring silkworm rearing period of year 1998, some nutritional aspects were studied in the Agricultural Research Station of the Komotini town in Greece, to investigate the feeding behaviour of some Bulgarian silkworm hybrids, suitable for spring rearing, during the fourth and fifth instal under the local climatic conditions. The silkworms were fed by locally cultivated Japanese Kinriu mulberry (Morus alba L.) variety leaves. Eight Bulgarian hybrids had been used, namely Vratza-53xVratza-52, Ukraine-20xVratza-53, Super 1xHessa 2, Merefa 2xVratza 35, as well as their reciprocal crosses. The studies showed out a remarkably higher feed intake and feed utilization by the hybrids Hessa 2xSuper-1, Merefa 2xVratza 35 and Vratza-52xVratza-53. The same hybrids showed an efficient food utilization by means of daily growths cocoon shell ratio and raw silk output. In terms of food to silk conversion efficiency Hessa 2xSuper-1 hybrid gave the best results. Larval stage duration for fourth and fifth instar was not affected by feed intake and utilization. All hybrids showed a good adaptation to the local environment and their feeding performance was equal to the international existing standards. All calculated parameters were found to be around the mean values of other up to date presented results and thus considered as acceptable for the needs of the local production.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.124-129
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• 1996

Oral application of dimethyl sulfoxide in different concentration (1, 3 and 5 percent) to silkworm, Bomyx mori at the fourth and the fifth instar has significantly increased the commercial characters such as larval and silkgland weights, female and male cocoon weights, their shell weights and egg production. However, larval duration, cocooning and hatching percentages did not showed any significant change, as compared with that of the corresponding parameters of the carrier control. Similarly the glycogen and protein contents of the fat body and trehalose and protein contents of the haemolymph were significantly increased in 1 and 3 percent, whereas the increase of them in 5 percent concentration did not take place significantly, except haemolymph trehalose where it was found to be significant, as compared with that of carrier control.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.118-123
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• 1996

Dietary supplementation of folic acid to silkworm larvae in different concentration (100, 200 and 300 ${\mu}$g/ml) to the 4th and the 5th instar resulted in a significant increase in economic parameters, such as female and male cocoon weights, shell weights, egg productivity and egg hatching percentage. However, larval duration was significantly decreased, as compared with that of carrier control. The increase in the glycogen and protein contents of the fat body was not significant, whereas the increase in trehalose content of haemolymph in all the treated groups and protein content of fat body and haemolymph in 100 ${\mu}$g/ml treated groups were significant. However, the haemolymph protein was significantly decreased in 300${\mu}$g/ml treated group.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2002

The introduction of hybrid and exploitation of heterosis has played a vital role in Indian sericulture industry, which clearly depicts a quantum jump in silk production during the last four decades. Since, the introduction of heterosis, progress in silkworm breeding has depended on success or failure in identifying better combiners. Systematic procedures developed have enabled the breeders to identify the best combiners by combining ability test, line ${\TIMES}$ tester analysis or $D^2$ analysis for maximum expression of heterosis. The level of heterosis expressed in the crossbreed population is determined by the interaction between genotype and prevailing environmental factors. Except some of the pre and post cocoon parameters, heterosis is invariably higher in single crosses compared to three-way and double crosses. However, during hot and humid season, when rearing of F1 bivoltine hybrid is unsuccessful at field level and indigenous races results in very low and poor quality yield, three-way and double crosses can play an important role as an intermediary technology. The objective of this article is to review briefly the concept and causes of heterosis, utilization of different forms of heterosis in silk production and its significance in silkworm, Bombyx mori breeding.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.128-134
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• 2014

Nesolynx thymus Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is one among 20 hymenopteran parasitoids reported to attack the uzi fly, Exorista bombycis, which in turn infests the silkworm, Bombyx mori accounting a cocoon yield loss of 10-20%. A host of factors viz., age and size of host, age and size of parasitoid, availability of host, temperature and quality of host are reported to influence the reproductive efficiency of the parasitoids. In the present study an attempt was made to record the influence of foraging parasitoid density on their reproductive performance. Three day-old uzi pupae were offered to varying numbers (1 - 10) of 2 day old Nesolynx thymus adults for parasitization. The progeny production per pupa (84.44 - 132.77) increased significantly with increase in the number of foraging parasitoid adults (1 - 10) however, progeny production per female decreased. The sex ratio (M : F) (1:25.49 - 1:1.53) decreased significantly with increase in foraging parasitoid adults. The morphometric parameters except female abdomen width of first generation parasitoid showed significant negative correlation with number of foraging adults. However, correlation between the parasitoid size in first generation and their reproductive performance was nonsignificant.