• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2004

Studies on heterotic expression in the silk productivity of 66 thermo-tolerant bivoltine hybrids reared under high temperature $(36{\times}1^{\circ}C)$ and low humidity (60${\times}$5%) conditions revealed that manifestation of heterosis was highly significant for majority of the quantitative traits contributing to more cocoon productivity. Observations were made on 8 economically important traits such as fecundity, pupation rate, cocoon yield, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio, cocoon filament length and raw silk. Analysis of variance results revealed great deal of variability indicating significant (P < 0.001) variations. Out of 66 hybrids, 7 hybrids exhibited positive heterosis for seven traits and 4 hybrids expressed significant hetero-beltiosis for 6 traits, out of 8 traits evaluated. Based on results, the hybrids ${SR_1} {\times} {SR_5}and {CSR_2} {\times} {SR_5}$ are adjudged as most promising ones and can be exploited commercially in tropical climates to increase the cocoon productivity.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2012

To meet the local requirement i.e. the tropical stress of Andhra Pradesh and marginal farmers, twenty four new hybrid combinations were tested in Line x Tester method involving eight newly developed polyvoltine oval lines viz., MSO1, MSO2, MSO3, MSO4, MSO5, MSO6, MSO7 and MSO8 and three bivoltine silkworm breeds viz., APS12, APS45 and APS8 as testers. These hybrids were reared to evaluate their performance. Data for eight economically important metric traits viz., fecundity, cocoon yield per 10,000 larvae by number, cocoon yield per 10,000 larvae by weight, survival rate, cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio and filament length was recorded. General combining ability (gca), specific combining ability (sca) and heterosis were analyzed. Further, the relative merit of the hybrids for all the traits under study was also assessed adopting Evaluation Index method. Based on combining ability effects, heterosis and evaluation index, five hybrid combinations viz., MSO3 $\times$ APS45, MSO1 $\times$ APS12, MSO7 $\times$ APS8, MSO2 $\times$ APS45 and MSO1 $\times$ APS45 were selected for further evaluation in different seasons.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 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
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 2006

A breeding programme was initiated during 2001 utilizing two polyvoltine silkworm breeds viz. $BL_{69}$, an evolved breed tolerant to high temperature and MAR, comparatively resistant to Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus (BmNPV) with the objective to develop robust polyvoltine breeds and hybrids. The breed $NP_1$ was developed by exposing the fifth instar larvae to high temperature $(36{\pm}1^{\circ}C)$, high Relative Humidity ($85{\pm}5%$ R.H.) and inoculating third instar larvae with BmNPV inoculum. At $F_{12}$, the breed was tested for hybrid forming ability utilizing six bivoltine silkworm breeds viz. $CSR_2,\;CSR_4,\;CSR_{17},\;CSR_{18},\;CSR_{19}\;and\;NB_4D_2$. The hybrid $'NP_1{\times}CSR_{17}'$ exhibited its superiority by recording 97.2% survival, 1.892 g cocoon weight, 0.406 g cocoon shell weight, 21.5% cocoon shell ratio, 16.6% raw silk percentage and 890 m filament length whereas the control $(PM{\times}CSR_2)$ has recorded 90.2% survival, 1.599 g cocoon weight, 0.304 g cocoon shell weight, 18.9% cocoon shell ratio, 13.1 % raw silk percentage and 768 m filament length. Commercial exploitation of the new $polyvoltine{\times}bivoltine$ hybrid in sericulture industry has been discussed.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.61-67
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• 2006

We investigated fertilization rate, hatchability rate, pupation rate and cocoon quality etc to selecting good characteristics of the wild silkmoth, Antheraea yamamai using method of indoor-and outdoor-rearing. As results of indoor rearing, the healthiness of A. yamamai was better in light green colour strain than that of dark green colour strain, but cocoon quality was better in dark green colour strain. There was a little effect to selecting major characteristics in grade of A, B and C strain classified with cocoon weight. $F_1$ hybrid was lower in fertilization rate and hatchability rate than parent, but higher in pupation rate and cocoon quality. There was no effect of heterosis in $F_2$ hybrid. In case of outdoor rearing, mortality rate was lower than that of indoor rearing but missing larva was higher. In addition, outdoor rearing is higher that indoor rearing in cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight and cocoon shell rate.

• 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.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2015

Antheraea yamamai silkworm cocoon is considered as a natural biocompatible materials, but can not be used as medical resources due to its difficult processability. In this study, we examined the general characteristics including cocoon shell weight and structural and thermal properties of Antheraea yamamai silkworm cocoon. The cocoon shell weight and thickness of wild silkworm cocoon was 0.528 g and 0.424 mm, respectively. The cocoon has yellow-green color in outside cocoon but white in inner layer cocoon. Amino acid analysis showed that the main amino acid of Antheraea yamamai cocoon is alanine, glycine, serine, aspartic acid, tyrosine and arginine. X-ray diffractometry showed that strong diffraction peaks at $2{\theta}=16.8^{\circ}$, $20.4^{\circ}$, corresponded to ${\beta}$-sheet structure and sharp diffraction peaks at $2{\theta}=15.0^{\circ}$, $24.3^{\circ}$, $30.0^{\circ}$ due to the presence of calcium oxalate on cocoon surface. Antheraea yamamai cocoon was degraded at $370^{\circ}C$. These results might be used as basic information for development of non-textile materials using Anthereae yamamai silkworm cocoon.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 1981

It is necessary to improve new silkworm variety suitable for the artificial diet different from the mulberry leaves in physical and chemical natures. The silkworms fed on artificial diet show low productivity in general. So the effectiveness of selection for cocoon characters was studied when the silkworms were reared on the artificial diet for several generations. The results obtained are as fellows: 1. There is no correlation between the cocoon shell weight and the cocoon shell percentage in female cocoons of both Sa and Y strains but in male cocoons. 2. No correlation exists between the weight of a cocoon and a cocoon shell percentage of male cocoons in Sa strain. 3. There is a specific effect of the artificial diet on selection between Japanese and Chinese strains compared with the mulberry leave rearing. 4. The cocoon quality of first generation in artificial diet rearing was very inferier to that of previous generation in mulberry leave rearing in both Sa and Y strains, but the effect of selection rapidly increased in first and second generation.5. Very high mortality was noted in 4th generation to the degree of hardness for successive generation. 6. From 6th generation to 10th generation, the effectiveness of selection for cocoon characters increased continuously except the cocoon shell percteage.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.71-73
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• 2007

In order to produce color cocoon, 3 rd day 5 th instar silkworm was cultivated with dye mixed artificial diet. Silkworm fed by artificial diet mixed with gardenia pigment spun blue colored cocoon, by Orange II orange cocoon, by methyl orange yellowish cocoon, and by Acid blue R bluish cocoon. Cocoon weight and cocoon shell weight ratio of silkworm fed by colored artificial diet were lower than those of normal silkworm.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 1971

This experiment was conducted to know the effects of abnormal cocoons on the silk quality during the silk reeling process. The results obtained are summarized as follows: 1. The length, the width, the weight, the layer weight, and the layer ratio of abnormal cocoons are in every case 0.83∼4.65% less than those of normal cocoons. 2. The thickness of the abnormal cocoon layer is at)out 20.62∼22.4% less than that of the normal cocoon. 3. The sericin solubility of tile abnormal cocoon layer is about 11.75∼30% more than that of the normal cocoon layer. 4. The degumming ratio of the abnormal cocoon layer is about 6.51∼9.32% more than that of the normal cocoon layer. 5. The length of a have, the weight of a tave and percentage of raw silk yield of the abnormal cocoon are decreased 9.43%, 8.53% and 6.72% each as compared with those of the normal cocoon. 6. The percentage of reelability of abnormal cocoons is decreased 9.58％ as compared with that of normal cocoons. 7. The neatness of abnormal cocoons is 3 per cent lower than that of normal cocoons. 8. In the cleanness test of abnormal cocoons, the number of split ends i9 about 1.5∼3.8 times as much as that of normal cocoons. Especially cleanness of abnormal cocoons is 16,3 per cent lower than that of normal cocoons. 9. The number of non-reelable cocoons of abnormal cocoons is increased 1.4∼5.5 times as much as that of normal cocoons. In abnormal cocoon, the number of knot which resulted in the breaking of silk end is increased 1.9∼3.5 times as much as that in normal cocoon.