• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2003

The present paper deals with the mulberry cultivation technology with package of practices for successful sericulture in Indian sub-tropics. The information on leaf nutritional quality in trained and untrained trees is provided. Besides, the current status of sericultural practices is discussed based on the problems faced by the industry and intensive field surveys undertaken in different areas of one of the most potential sericultural provinces.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 2006

Silkworm diseases are better prevented than cured. Disinfection and hygiene are the two important aspects in silkworm rearing to prevent the diseases. Suitable disinfectant is the primary need to disinfect the rearing house, its surroundings and appliances to eliminate the persistent pathogens from the rearing environment. In this direction, Serichlor, a new disinfectant in Indian Sericulture marketed as Serichlor-60 (contains 60,000 ppm of chlorine dioxide) and Serichlor-20 (contains 20,000 ppm of chlorine dioxide) has been evaluated for its germicidal effect against the pathogens of silkworm, viz., spores of Nosema bombycis, Bacillus thuringiensis, polyhedra of BmNPV and conidia of Beauveria bassiana both in vitro and in vivo. Results indicated that high concentration (2,500 ppm of chlorine dioxide) is required to kill all the pathogens at 100% level. The efficacy of the Serichlor was greatly enhanced by the addition of 0.5% slaked lime solution. 500 ppm of chlorine dioxide in 0.5% slaked lime solution was found effective against all the pathogens tested. This concentration of disinfectant was also found effective for disinfection of rearing house, rearing appliances and silkworm egg surface. The disinfectant is stable, non hazardous, least corrosive and most suitable for Indian Sericulture.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.131-141
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• 2013

At the interface of reducing agricultural income and increasing unemployment in agrarian economy of rural India, this article summarizes and evaluates the state of mulberry sericulture in northwest India, which includes Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh. In $11^{th}$ plan period (2007-2012), there was an addition of 6 196 ha (217.09 %) of mulberry acreage at annual linier growth rate of 33.44%. However, total silk production could increase only by 54.64 MT (78.57%) at annual linier growth rate of 15.59 %, due to 43.93% (10.82 kg/ha) reduction in silk productivity at negative growth rate of -13.46%, annually. And now, average raw silk productivity in north-western states of India remains at 13.81 kg/ha, which is lower by 452.93 % (76.36 kg) in comparison to the national average of 100.90 kg/ha. Paper summaries the reasons for increasing cocoon yield gap at farmer's level and discuss the ways and means to increase raw silk productivity to improve the livelihood delivery of mulberry sericulture in northwest India.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2000

Strengthening of R & D components of sericulture in India since the sixties has led to a quantum jump in silk production and presently India is the second largest producer in the world. This achievement is primarily due to a number of breakthroughs in R & D to match the requirements of tropics, by way of introduction of improved mulberry varieties and silkworm breeds, better mulberry cultivation and rearing management practices suited to tropical conditions. Of late, new approaches in molecular biology and biotechnology have also been vigorously pursued to strengthen the current conventional strategies. The present paper attempts to provide an overview of the present status of silk production in both mulberry and non-mulberry sectors, breakthroughs achieved through new approaches of biotechnology and the future prospects for maximizing silk productivity in India.

• 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.10 no.2
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• pp.147-151
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• 2005

Serious attempt for the improvement of quality parameters in silkworm hybrids came rather very late in India. Realising the need for productive breeds to the field and reorientation in breeding methodology, the silkworm breeders of CSRTI, Mysore were able to develop silkworm breeds with fine denier namely, JPN7, CSR48, B63 and B65 of specific industrial requirement through directional selection. As the success of silkworm breeds mainly depends on their combining ability, the developed breeds were subjected for hybrid evaluation. Out of 42 bivoltine hybrids studied, one hybrid, $CSR48{\times}CSR5$ was identified for its superiority over the existing bivoltine hybrids namely $CSR2{\times}CSR4,\;CSR2{\times}CSR5\;and\;CSR18{\times}CSR19$ for majority of qualitative traits. Post cocoon testing of large quantity of cocoons of $CSR48{\times}CSR5$ resulted in the production of high quality '3A'grade silk. It is for the first time in the Indian Sericulture industry that high quality silk with longer filament length of 1474 m, denier of 2.47, standard size deviation of 0.983 d, maximum size deviation of 1.322, neatness of 96 p, reelability of $85\%$, tenacity of 3.87 g/d, elongation of $22.32\%$ and cohesion of 110 strokes was produced. The superiority of fine denier silkworm breeds and their hybrids are discussed.