• 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.5 no.1
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• pp.93-102
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• 2002

We have cloned and characterized the complete fibroin light chain gene from the silkworm Baekok-Jam, Bombyx mori, a recommended variety in Korea. It consists of seven exons and six introns. It consists of 14,663 nucleotides long with an open reading frame of 786 nucleotides that encodes a protein of 262 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of approximately 26,000 dalton. The amino acid alignment revealed that the Baekok-Jam fibroin light chain had 98.5 % protein sequence identity to J139 strain: differed at four amino acid positions (11, 46, 80 and 123). The Northern hybridization analysis showed that the Baekok-Jam fibroin light chain gene was specifically expressed in the posterior silk gland.

• 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.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.225-228
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• 2004

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an important enzyme which catalyzes superoxide radicals to hydrogen peroxide. A Cu, Zn sod-like gene was found in Bombyx mori nuclear polyhedrosis virus encoding 151 amino acids. To demonstrate its function, a recombinant virus named dsBmNPV with deleted sod gene was constructed. It was discovered that the sod gene was not essential for viral replication. Studies on growth of budded virus in BmN cells and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in vivo after dsBmNPV infection showed that the titer of dsBmNPV decreased obviously comparing to wild type BmNPV, the sod gene was effective on genomic DNA replication of baculovirus, the peak of SOD activity of silkworm infected with wt-BmNPV appeared between 36 and 48 hrs post infection, and with dsBmNPV, it did not appear. And the changes of CAT activity after infection were similar to SOD activity.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.82-83
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• 1987

The number of chromosomes of the wild mulberry silkworm, Bombyx mandarina, collected in Suwon area in the middle part of Korean peninsula was investigated. The chromosomes were examined after smearing and squashing the testis of the last instar larvae which were at spining stage and the microscopic observation showed that the number of chromosomes of the wild mulberry silkworm was 27.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.189-194
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• 2002

Silkworm diseases are major constraint in silk cocoon production. Among silkworm diseases, white muscar-dine is highly contagious and most common in winter and rainy seasons. It is suggested that hemocytes involve in defense against invasion of Beauveria bassi-ana and systemic fungicide/chemicals prevent the proliferation of fungi in the hemolymph or preventing the growth of the fungi in the body cavity through enhancing the hemocyte mediated defense response. In the present study the influence of systemic fungicide on hematological changes in silkworms infected with Beauveria bassiana was reported. It is observed that the total hemocyte counts increased in the hemolymph up to 5 days post inoculation in systemic fungicide treated batches while in the inoculated control the increase was up to 3 days indicating the positive hemocyte mediated response in silkworm treated with systemic fungicide. After 2 days in the inoculated control as the multiplication and growth of mycelia increased, defense capacity of the silkworm was decreased. The biochemical changes were also observed in the hemolymph of silkworm infected with B. bassiana. In silkworm infected with Beauveria bassi-ana, the total protein content increased whereas total carbohydrate and total lipids decreased as the infection progresses. In the case of systemic fungicide treated batches the increase in total protein content was comparatively higher and decrease in total carbohydrate and lipids were comparatively lower than the inoculated control.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.5-11
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• 2002

Seven fungicides viz., salcylic acid, bacistin (Carbandazim 50% WP), bayleton (Triadimefon 25% WP), Dithane M-45 (Mancozeb 75% WP), captan (Captaf 50% WP) formaldehyde and benzoic acid at three concentrations (0.50,0.75 and 1.0%) and ten plant products viz., Hena leaf, garlic bulb, tomato leaf, mango bark, cotton leaf, turmeric powder, onion, tulsi leaf, neem leaf and ginger at 1.0,2.0 and 3.0% concentrations were screened against Aspergillus flavus and A. tamarii in vitro. Among fungicides, salcylic acid and bavistin and among plants Hena and Mango bark powder were found to be very effective at all concentrations tested. Based on in vitro screening, only selected six fungicides at 1.0, 1.5 and 2.(0% and six plants at 2.0,4.0 and 6.0% concentrations were tested in vivo for controlling Aspergillosis in silkworm. Salcylic acid and bavistin fungicides and Hena leaf powder and Mango bark powder have shown considerable effect in controlling Aspergillus infection in silkworm at all concentrations tested.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate infection process, symptoms and main component of the domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori. larvae and pupa infected with the entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps, Paecillomyces tenuipes. The Cordyceps, Paecillomyces tenuipes, was highly infectious to the silkworms. A pathogenicities of Cordyceps, Paecillomyces tenuipes, may be highly virulent because of the low resistance or high susceptibility of the silkworms. The silkworm larva infected with Cordyceps formed phialospores on the phialides at the imperfect stage of the genus Cordyceps, But silkworm pupa infected with Cordyceps formed ascospores in the asci at the perfection stage of the genus Cordyceps. The results of analysis of health silkworm pupa and silkworm pupa infected with Cordyceps were obtained that amino acid, fatty acid, and nucleoside were very different.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.117-125
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• 1998

Entomopathogenic nematodes, Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae, were isolated from the soil of mulberry field, and the high infectivity and invesiveness were confirmed in the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The cause of non-microbial and acute flacherie was found as an disease by infection with soil-born nematodes through the mulberry leaves contaminated with soil and rainwater. The causal nematodes were isolated by silkworm trap from all of the 5 soil samples collected on the 5 mulberry fields, and identified as 3 strains of Heterorhabditis sp. and 2 of Steinernema sp. Rainwater itself, however, wasn't engaged in the silkworm disease, mulberry leaves with rainwater was rather profitable for cocoon production when the leaf quality was too hard to feed silkworm. Feeding of wet mulberry leaves with rain might not so harm to silkworm when the condition of rearing room to be kept at suitable temperature and ventilated well. Nematode infection of silkworm could be occurred by harvesting and feeding of contaminated mulberry leaves on the weather condition of rainy and wind. For the prevention of nematode infection, silkworms should be fed the leaves harvested from the higher portion of the mulberry tree in rainy days. For an oppositional application of this susceptibility of silkworms to nematode, might be useful on the collection and amplification of nematode agents for biotic control of pest insects.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2008

Under the all India programme of evaluation of mulberry and silkworm genotypes, twelve bivoltine silkworm breeds obtained from Central Silkworm Germplasm Resource Centre, Hosur (CSGRC) were evaluated at the bivoltine silkworm breeding laboratory, Central Sericultural Research & Training Institute, Mysore (CSR&TI). These breeds were tested during September-October 2003, August-September 2004 and February-March 2005. The average temperature and humidity during September-October 2003 was $26.5^{\circ}C$ and 72.6% RH, while during August-September 2004, it was $26.5^{\circ}C$ and 75.2% RH and during February-March 2005 it was $24^{\circ}C$ and 48% RH respectively. The performance of the breeds in respect of 21 traits was studied and statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (Singh and Choudhary, 1985). Silkworm breeds were short-listed using multiple trait evaluation index method as suggested by Mano et at., (1993). Evaluation Index values were calculated for all the 11 traits of economic importance and six breeds were short-listed based on average index value 50 and above 50. Two breed viz., BV 183 (SMGS-1) have recorded average E.I. >50 in 10 traits (except in neatness) and ranked first and the breed BV 262 (SMGS9) with E.I. value >50 in nine traits except in cocoon weight and neatness ranked second, in the order of merit. These two breeds may be selected as resource material for evolving region specific silkworm breeds.