• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 2015

An experimental rearing of tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury was conducted to study silkworm-food plant-interaction and thereby to search for an alternate silkworm food plant. The silkworm-food-plant-interaction was studied with six different food plant species viz. Terminalia tomentosa, Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia belerica, Terminalia chebula of Combretaceae family and Lagerstroemia speciosa, Lagerstroemia parviflora of Lythraceae family. The rearing performance of silkworm on Lagerstroemia speciosa in terms of cocoons per DFL and silk ratio was found comparable with Terminalia tomentosa and Termonalia arjuna, the primary tasar silkworm food plant species. These three plant species also possessed better results in terms of physiological (leaf moisture content and net photosynthesis rate) and biochemical (Chlorophyll, protein, carbohydrate and crude fibre contents) characteristics to support silkworm rearing than Terminalia belerica, Terminalia chebula and Lagerstroemia parviflora. The correlation study between silkworm rearing performance and food plant's constituents indicates commercial perspective of Lagerstroemia speciosa as an alternate food plant for tasar silkworm rearing.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2010

Ten numbers of plants, based on their medicinal value, were used to test their efficacy against virosis (caused by cytoplassmic polyhedrosis virus) in tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury. in indoor rearing conditions. The aqueous extracts of leaf of Azadirichita indica (neem), Acharanthus aspera, Psoralea corylifolia, Asparagus racemosus, Adhatoda zelanica (Basak), Andrographis paniculata (Kalmegh), Moringa oilephera (sahjan), whole plant of Phyllanthus urinaria (Bhuiamla), Centella asiatica (Veng sag) and Curcuma longa (Haldi powder) in different concentrations were used for containment of virosis in silkworm larvae. The tasar silkworm larvae were orally inoculated with PIBs ($1\times10^6$) of AmCPV in $2^{nd}$ instar and treated with plant extracts in each instar ($2^{rd}$ instar onwards). The mortality due to virosis was recorded during larval period. The plant extracts, irrespective of their concentrations, were found effective in suppressing the virosis where P. urinaria reduced the virosis to 56.90% followed by A. paniculata (53.82%) and least in C. asiatica (5.15%). The lowest pooled larva mortality 36.99% was recorded in the treatment of P. urinaria. Comparatively higher larva mortality 39.91% was observed with the treatment of A. paniculata. The highest larva mortality in treatment was with C. asiatica (81.99%). In treated control larva mortality was 86.50%.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.153-155
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• 2008

Pathogenic infection in tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury is common and there is a breed specific response regarding tolerance. Hence, the tolerance level of three eco-races of tasar silkworm viz. Daba, Sarihan and Raily to Antheraea mylitta cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (AmCPV) infection was tested. The survival of Daba, Sarihan and Raily eco-races was significantly different (p<0.05) when challenged with the same concentration ($1{\times}10^5$ polyhedra/ml) of AmCPV. Daba eco-race was more tolerant to the AmCPV infection having higher survival (65.7%) and $LC_{50}$ values (1000893.17 polyhedra/ml) of AmCPV followed by Sarihan eco-race (50.7% survival and $LC_{50}$ value of AmCPV 187203.6168 polyhedra/ml) and Raily eco-race (24.3% survival and $LC_{50}$ value of AmCPV 5176.37 polyhedra/ml). The tolerance level of Daba and Sarihan eco-races against AmCPV was more than two times than Raily eco-race.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.69-72
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• 2005

Bleaching powder solution (1 to $5\%$), slaked lime solution (0.1 to $0.5\%$) and formalin (1 and $2\%$) were tested for their efficacy against cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus and Nosema mylittansis spores to control virosis and pebrine respectively in tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta in indoor rearing condition. All the disinfectants tested were found effective in suppressing the infection of virosis and pebrine significantly. Complete inactivation of Antheraea mylitta cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (AmCPV) was recorded when treated with $4\%$ bleaching powder, $0.4\%$ slaked lime for 20 min and $2.0\%$ formalin for 30 min. Similarly treatments of $3.0\%$ bleaching powder solution for 20 min and $2.0\%$ formalin for 30 min were found effective in complete inactivation of N. mylittanis spores.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2014

This study was designed to find out the effect of Nosema spore on oxidative damages and antioxidant defence in the midgut of tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta. Higher level of lipid peroxidation (LPX) and total hydroperoxides indicate the resultant oxidative stress in the Nosema exposed specimen. Increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) suggests activation of physiological mechanism to scavenge the superoxide radical produced during Nosema infection. Higher activities of catalase and glutathione-S-tranferase on $18^{th}$ d indicate adaptive behaviour of the tissue against oxyradicals. The results suggest that Nosema infection is involved in altering the active oxygen metabolism by modulating LPX and reactive oxygen species (ROS), which is indicative of pebrine disease disorder.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.97-101
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• 2006

The efficacy of wood ash from Terminalia arjuna (arjun) and T. tomentosa (asan) has been tested against virosis of tasar silkworm, Antheraea. mylitta D. The Polyhedral Occlusion Bodies (POBs) of Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Virus of A. mylitta (AmCPV) were exposed to the aqueous solution (0.5 to 4%) of wood ash for 5 to 30 minutes. The treated suspension of POBs was orally inoculated once to tasar silkworm larvae after 24 hours of $1^{st}$ moult, and larvae reared in indoor on arjun leaves till spinning. The application of aqueous solution of wood ash has established its potential as antiviral agent against cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus. Two percent aqueous solution of wood ash from arjun and asan dissolved the Polyhedral Occlusion Bodies (POBs) of cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus of tasar silkworm and inactivated the virions within a short period of 20 to 30 minutes. In vivo efficacy of aqueous solution of wood ash resulted in reduction of larval mortality due to virosis. The mortality was reduced to $2.56{\pm}0.21\;and\;3.03{\pm}0.32%$ when treatment of 2.0% solution of wood ash of arjun and asan respectively were applied for 20 minutes, compared to inoculated control $(92.18{\pm}7.52%)$. No mortality was recorded when treatment of 2.5% solution of wood ash of arjun and asan were applied for 10 minutes or more.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.135-144
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• 2014

Rearing of tropical tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta Drury is mainly conducted in outdoor on Terminalia tomentosa W. & A. a nature grown primary host plant available in forest and also on raised primary host plant Terminalia arjuna Bedd. Temperature, relative humidity and rainfall are the main environmental factors for occurrence of pests (parasites and predators) of tasar silkworm during I, II and III crop rearing in the tropical tasar producing zones. The present study was aimed to study the influence of abiotic factors on prevalence of tasar silkworm pests. The study was conducted at different agro-climatic regions viz., Central Tasar Research &Training Institute, Ranchi, Jharkhand, Regional Extension Centre, Katghora, Chattisgarh and Regional Extension Centre, Hatgamaria during 2010-13 covering 3 seed crop and 6 commercial crops. Data on incidence of tropical tasar silkworm endo-parasitoids like Uzi Fly, Blepharipa zebina Walker and Ichneumon fly (Yellow Fly), Xathopimpla pedator, Fabricius and Predators such as Stink bug (Eocanthecona furcellata Wolf), Reduviid bug (Sycanus collaris Fabricius) and Wasp (Vespa orientalis Linnaeus) was recorded Weekly. The meteorological data was collected daily. Data was collected from 4 different agro-climatic zones of tasar growing areas. Analysis of the data revealed a significant negative correlation between abiotic factors and incidence of ichneumon fly and uzi fly. Based on the 3 years data on prevalence of pests region-wise pest calendars and prediction models were developed.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.249-253
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• 2009

Raily ecorace of Indian tasar silkworm is wild in nature and distributed abundantly in dense deciduous forest on Shorea robusta (Sal) in Bastar ($17^{\circ}4'$ and $20^{\circ}34'$ N, $80^{\circ}15'$ and $82^{\circ}15'$ E and altitude ranging from 150 to 1200 mMSL) forest ranges of Chhattisgarh, India. It is represented by about 20 populations. Out of those, eleven populations showed intra- as well as inter- population variability based on phenotypic expression and also in major economic traits viz. cocoon weight, shell weight, filament length and denier. Genetic diversity in these eleven populations was studied using Inter-Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) markers. The band profiles generated with eight ISSR primers have depicted variation in band size. All the primers exhibited polymorphism which is an indicative of the genetic variation in individual Raily silkworm. Among the populations, total polymorphism recorded was 76%. The population genetic aspects assessed through POPGENE software package are discussed in the paper. Nei's gene diversity (h) ranged from 0.194 to 0.337 exhibiting high heterozygosity. Relevance of the present study is of high significance in formulating conservation strategies and sustainable utilization of the economically important Raily ecorace of Antheraea mylitta.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2013

Antheraea mylitta Drury is basically a crossbreeding species, as such it seems to be potentially a good material for the exploitation of heterosis. In the present study F1 hybrid of wild ecorace Laria (L) and semi-domestic Daba (D) was raised and evaluated for various quantitative traits and biochemical parameters during larval stage. Improved fecundity ($+18{\pm}1.8%$ and higher egg hatching rate ($+10.96{\pm}1.3%$) was recorded in the F1hybrid ($L{\times}D$). Biochemical parameters studied in the hemolymph, midgut and fatbody of the larva showed significantly higher (P<0.05) total proteins and carbohydrate concentration besides digestive enzyme activity. Correspondingly SDS-PAGE revealed more number of protein bands in the hemolymph sample of F1s, ranging between 29 kDa to 66 kDa compared to parental lines. The present study demonstrates the positive heterosis effect in the F1 hybrid of Laria ${\times}$ Daba. Biochemical analysis indicates that, there is possibilities of exploitation of hybrids with specific parents targeted for desirable commercial traits (silk yield and fecundity). Moreover, most of these biochemical parameters can be used as markers to analyze the genetic improvement in the tasar silkworms.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-30
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• 2015

Tropical Tasar culture is forest and agro-based activity that covers agricultural and industrial activity. Tasar silk is produced by the silkworm, Antheraea mylitta which is polyphagous in nature. A large number of pests are reported to attack both the host plant as well as silkworm. As the rearing is conducted outdoor silkworms are exposed to attack of various pests during their life cycle. Eocanthecona furcellata (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) is the major predator of tasar silkworm during young age rearing. Both nymphs and adults of the stink bug suck the heamolymph of silkworm leading to death. The present work was undertaken to study the life cycle of E. furcellata on larvae of vapourer tussock moth which is a major pest of tasar host plants. The incubation period, nymphal duration and total developmental period from egg to adult was $8.0{\pm}0.45d$, $16.0{\pm}3.24$ and $22.0{\pm}4.20d$, respectively. Pre-oviposition, oviposition and longevity of male and female stink bug was $3.20{\pm}0.38$, $17.60{\pm}1.86$, $42.40{\pm}1.94$, $37.00{\pm}3.18d$, respectively. Analysis of the data revealed no significant difference in life cycle of the predator when provided silkworm and vapourer tussock moth larvae as hosts. Which clearly indicates that E. furcellata can multiply on vapourer tussock moth larvae during non rearing periods. Adoption of recommended pest control measures for defoliators of tasar host plants during non-rearing periods will help in reducing the incidence of host plant pests and also in reducing the incidence of stink bug during rearing season. During the study it was also observed that larvae semilooper, boll headed caterpillar and nymphs of leaf hopper serve as alternate/secondary hosts to E. furcellata during non rearing seasons.