Effects of KK-42, an imidazole derivative, on rearing and reproductive performance of Bombyx mori L. during the hot, wet season

Abstract

Experiments on the effects of KK-42, an anti-juvenile hormone imidazole derivative, on the rearing and reproduction of Bombyx mori L. were carried out in a hot, wet summer in West Bengal, India. A single dose of 3 μg KK-42/larva induced precocious metamorphosis in a bivoltine hybrid (KPGB x P5) race of B. mori when applied topically to freshly moulted (less than 1-h old) fourth instars, and increased their rearing performance over control tetramoulters. However, cocoon and shell weights, shell ratio and filament length were reduced by the anti-JH treatment. Final body weight and head capsule width of the treated fourth instars were significantly higher than those of the controls. Bivoltine trimoulter males also showed good capacity for mating with multivoltine Nistari females. The possibility of obtaining three-way multi-bi hybrid eggs during the wet part of summer in a tropical climate is discussed.