Silkworm Species Research Articles

Contrasting gut bacteriomes unveiled between wild Antheraea assamensis Helfer (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) and domesticated Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) silkworms.

Insect gut microbiomes play a fundamental role in various aspects of insect physiology, including digestion, nutrient metabolism, detoxification, immunity, growth and development. The wild Muga silkworm,Antheraea assamensisHelfer holds significant economic importance, as it produces golden silk. In the current investigation, we deciphered its intricate gut bacteriome through high-throughput 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Further, to understand bacterial community dynamics among silkworms raised under outdoor environmental conditions, we compared its gut bacteriomes with those of the domesticated mulberry silkworm,Bombyx moriL. Most abundant bacterial phyla identified in the gut ofA. assamensiswere Proteobacteria (78.1%), Bacteroidetes (8.0%) and Firmicutes (6.6%), whereas the most-abundant phyla inB. moriwere Firmicutes (49-86%) and Actinobacteria (10-36%). Further, Gammaproteobacteria (57.1%), Alphaproteobacteria (10.47%) and Betaproteobacteria (8.28%) were the dominant bacterial classes found in the gut ofA. assamensis. The predominant bacterial families inA. assamensisgut wereEnterobacteriaceae(27.7%),Comamonadaceae(9.13%),Pseudomonadaceae(9.08%)Flavobacteriaceae(7.59%)Moraxellaceae(7.38%)Alteromonadaceae(6.8%) andEnterococcaceae(4.46%). InB. mori, the most-abundant bacterial families were Peptostreptococcaceae, Enterococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae, though all showed great variability among the samples. The core gut bacteriome ofA. assamensisconsisted ofPseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Variovorax, Myroides, Alteromonas, Enterobacter, Enterococcus, Sphingomonas, Brevundimonas, Oleispira, Comamonas, Oleibacter Vagococcus, Aminobacter, Marinobacter, Cupriavidus, Aeromonas, andBacillus.Comparative gut bacteriome analysis revealed a more complex gut bacterial diversity in wildA. assamensissilkworms than in domesticatedB. morisilkworms, which contained a relatively simple gut bacteriome as estimated by OTU richness. Predictive functional profiling of the gut bacteriome suggested that gut bacteria inA. assamensiswere associated with a wide range of physiological, nutritional, and metabolic functions, including biodegradation of xenobiotics, lipid, amino acid, carbohydrate metabolism, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and amino acids. These results showed great differences in the composition and diversity of gut bacteria between the two silkworm species. Both insect species harbored core bacterial taxa commonly found in insects, but the relative abundance and composition of these taxa varied markedly.

Cocoon Care : Transformative Monitoring For Sericulture

Sericulture is the process of cultivating silkworms and extracting silk from them. The caterpillars of the domestic silk moth (also called „Bombyx Mori‟) are the most commonly used silkworm species in sericulture. Other types of silkworms (such as Eri, Muga, and Tasar) are also cultivated for the production of „wild silks‟. Silk is known as the queen of textiles due to its softness, durability, and luster. Furthermore, the silk fibers provide characteristics that are superior toany other type of fiber (e.g., water absorbency, heat resistance, dyeing efficiency, and luster). This textile is obtained from cocoons spun by larvae known as silkworm (Bombyx mori), which were discovered in China between 2600 and 2700 BC. The process of silk production is known as sericulture, beginning with the rearing of the silkworm1

Cytochrome b gene as a potential DNA barcoding marker in ecoraces of tropical Tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury

BackgroundTropical Tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta Drury plays a very crucial role in the economic development of the country employing around 9.76 million people in rural and semi-urban areas. Since the population of this species has spread over many states with varying environmental factors, the population has been isolated into many pockets, specifically adapted to that niche, and are called as “ecoraces”. Even though phenotypically these ecoraces may look similar to some level but the intra-generic genotypic variability between them is correlated to the economically important yield traits of their cocoons. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene of mitochondrial genome as a potential DNA barcoding marker for identification of these ecoraces as to are they really ecoraces, and attempts to establish the first country report of DNA barcode reference library of this silkworm species. Methods and resultsDNA was extracted from pupae of pure ecoraces collected from core ecozones. PCR amplicon was bead purified and further subjected to Sanger Sequencing. The parsimony tree was also created using the MEGA 11 software. The genetic distance, gene flow and relation among the ecoraces was evaluated. The conserved regions of Cyt b gene were identified along with the documentation of the mode and tempo of nucleotide variation and evolution. ConclusionThe present study confirms the efficiency of Cyt b gene as a potential DNA marker for identification of ecoraces of Tasar silkworm and is the first country report on barcoding of A. mylitta Drury. Apart from being used as an early-warning system for ecological degradation, this knowledge will help in assessing the evolutionary relationship of these economically important ecoraces and identify their position in the process of evolution aiding in the assessment of conservation priorities.

A Comparative Study of Drying of Muga Cocoons using Convection and Infra-red Heating Method

Background: Muga is an exclusive golden-colored silk produced by the Antheraea Assamensis silkworm species in North-east India. In the silk processing stage, drying of Muga silkworm cocoon is essential to prevent the pupa from emerging from the shell and to preserve the cocoons for a longer period (3-6 months). It is necessary to reduce the potentially harmful high moisture level in the cocoon shell and pupa body to an optimum or safe level of moisture content (6-12%). In India, the natural sun drying method is the most common method to preserve Muga cocoons for a longer period. Considerably losses may occur using the sun-drying method due to various effects such as rodents, insects, rain, microorganisms, excessive temperature, etc. To address this issue the study was conducted to improve the quality of Muga silk yield using a comparative study between Convection and IR heating methods for cocoon drying. Methods: In this study, Muga cocoons were dried properly at optimum temperature (50-100°C) to obtain a safe moisture level for getting quality Muga silk. The drying of the Muga cocoon is processed using convection (1 kw) and Infrared (650 watts) modes of heating for the same duration of time. Muga cocoons were placed in a drying chamber initially at a high temperature (100±5°C) using both convection and Infrared heating methods separately to maintain the moisture content to an optimum level. It took approximately 75 minutes to obtain the temperature 100 from room temperature and every 15 minutes temperature measure was recorded for both methods and compared. The parameters studied were temperature, time, cocoon weight, shell weight, shell ratio and moisture content. These parameters were examined, evaluated and compared for both the Convection and IR heating methods. Result: The comparative study results indicated that the performance of the studied cocoon parameters namely temperature, cocoon weight, shell weight, shell ratio and moisture content are approximately similar for both convection and IR heating methods. Moisture content was maintained at the optimum range (6-12%) for both the convection and IR methods. The study provided a better performance using the IR heating method as compared to convection heating concerning energy consumption and safety for the same duration of time. Energy consumed by a 1 kW convection heater is 1.25 kWh, whereas energy consumption in a 650-watt IR heater is 0.8125 kWh.

Integrated Analysis of Machine Learning and Deep Learning in Silkworm Pupae (Bombyx mori) Species and Sex Identification

Hybrid pairing of the corresponding silkworm species is a pivotal link in sericulture, ensuring egg quality and directly influencing silk quantity and quality. Considering the potential of image recognition and the impact of varying pupal postures, this study used machine learning and deep learning for global modeling to identify pupae species and sex separately or simultaneously. The performance of traditional feature-based approaches, deep learning feature-based approaches, and their fusion approaches were compared. First, 3600 images of the back, abdomen, and side postures of 5 species of male and female pupae were captured. Next, six traditional descriptors, including the histogram of oriented gradients (HOG), and six deep learning descriptors, including ConvNeXt-S, were utilized to extract significant species and sex features. Finally, classification models were constructed using the multilayer perceptron (MLP), support vector machine, and random forest. The results indicate that the {HOG + ConvNeXt-S + MLP} model excelled, achieving 99.09% accuracy for separate species and sex recognition and 98.40% for simultaneous recognition, with precision–recall and receiver operating characteristic curves ranging from 0.984 to 1.0 and 0.996 to 1.0, respectively. In conclusion, it can capture subtle distinctions between pupal species and sexes and shows promise for extensive application in sericulture.

Isolation and Characterization of a Potential Proteinase Producing Mammaliicoccus sciuri from the Gut of Eri Silkworm (Samia ricini)

Proteinase, a group of enzymes responsible for the breakdown of proteins into smaller peptides and amino acids, plays pivotal role in various biological processes such as digestion, protein turnover and immune function. Eri silkworms, which are known for their silk production, are of great interest not only in the agricultural industry but also from a microbiological perspective due to the diverse microbial community residing in their gut. This investigation spotlights the isolation, characterization and evaluation of enzyme activity of putative proteinase-producing bacteria from eri silkworm. The study identified Mammaliicoccus sciuri as a potential proteinase producing gram positive, coccus with an enzyme activity of 0.115 ± 0.003 U/ml. Biochemical characterization unveils its involvement in various physiological roles. These findings hold promise for the development of novel probiotics applications aimed at improving the health and growth of silkworm and other animal species. Furthermore, exploring protease-producing gut bacteria in eri silkworm could offer valuable insights for both industrial and ecological applications.

İpeğin Kök Boya İle Edirne Kırmızısı Rengine Boyanması

Silk is a natural filament obtained from the Bombyx mori species of silkworm, with a fiber length of up to 3000 meters. During the Ottoman era in Edirne, sericulture and silk trade were important activities. To this end, silk factories, trade centers, and silk weaving schools were established, creating an important source of income for the people of Edirne. Edirne Red is a natural dye obtained from the Rubia Tinctorum L. plant and is part of the Ottoman Empire's heritage. This dye is resistant to sunlight and washing. It has been used in Turkish carpets, as well as in silk and cotton fabrics. The aim of this study is to bring together the importance of Edirne Red and silk in Edirne's history. For this purpose, 100% silk fabrics were dyed using madder (Rubia Tinctorum L.) grown within the borders of Edirne province. The effects of dye ratios and auxiliary chemicals used on color and colorfastness were examined during the dyeing process. The color values of the fabrics were measured numerically in the CIEL*a*b* color space, and the washing and light fastness values of the dyed fabrics were also measured. Additionally, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analyses were performed on both the used madder and the dyed fabric. Based on the obtained data, the closest Edirne Red color was achieved by pre-mordanting fabric before dyeing and using ethanol as the dye solvent. Madder dye, successfully applied to silk fabrics under different conditions, has shown good results in terms of color yield and fastness properties.

Genome-Wide Identification and Transcriptome-Based Expression Profile of Cuticular Protein Genes in Antheraea pernyi.

Antheraea pernyi is one of the most famous edible and silk-producing wild silkworms of Saturniidae. Structural cuticular proteins (CPs) are the primary component of insect cuticle. In this paper, the CPs in the genome of A. pernyi were identified and compared with those of the lepidopteran model species Bombyx mori, and expression patterns were analyzed based on the transcriptomic data from the larval epidermis/integument (epidermis in the following) and some non-epidermis tissues/organs of two silkworm species. A total of 217 CPs was identified in the A. pernyi genome, a comparable number to B. mori (236 CPs), with CPLCP and CPG families being the main contribution to the number difference between two silkworm species. We found more RR-2 genes expressed in the larval epidermis of fifth instar of A. pernyi than B. mori, but less RR-2 genes expressed in the prothoracic gland of A. pernyi than B. mori, which suggests that the hardness difference in the larval epidermis and prothoracic gland between the two species may be caused by the number of RR-2 genes expressed. We also revealed that, in B. mori, the number of CP genes expressed in the corpus allatum and prothoracic gland of fifth instar was higher than that in the larval epidermis. Our work provided an overall framework for functional research into the CP genes of Saturniidae.

Silkmoth pupae: potential and less exploited alternative source of nutrients and natural antioxidants

Increasing global populations and decreasing sources of nutrients to feed them, has necessitated the drive for alternative and more sustainable sources of nutrients. Such alternatives should contribute to meet the demand for food and minimise negative effects on the environment. Edible insects, which have been traditionally part of human diets, stand out as the most probable and sustainable alternative. Silkmoth pupae, by-products of the sericulture sector are among the traditional foods consumed in Asia. In this study we determined the nutritional composition, phytochemical contents, and antioxidant activities of freeze-dried pupae from 2 domesticated and 3 wild silkmoth species. Our results showed that both Bombyx mori L. and Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval pupae had the highest amounts of proteins, 78.9 and 76.0 mg bovine serum albumin equivalents /g, respectively. Significantly high amounts of lipids (26.7%) were observed in B. mori pupae. Domesticated silkworm species recorded significantly high amounts of protein compared to the wild species. In addition, all silkmoth pupae had substantial amounts of phytochemicals that varied significantly between the studied species. We further demonstrated that all pupae samples exhibited antioxidant activities for both 50% methanolic and 100% hexane extracts, at very low concentrations of 2.5 and 30 mg/ml, respectively, with Anaphe panda pupae samples recording the highest activities. The multivariate analysis confirmed significant differences in the chemical composition of silkmoth pupae between species and type of diet they consume. Therefore, our findings suggest that the studied silkmoth pupae are rich alternative source of nutrients and natural antioxidants.

Breeding for mulberry improvement: A review

Sericulture, the art of raising silkworms, plays a great role for livelihood support in parts of southern Karnataka, particularly in the districts of Chikkaballapura, Kolar, Mysore, and Ramanagaram, as well as in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Assam. Among all the species of silkworm, Bombyx mori is the most commercially raised silkworm for raw silk production which depends on mulberry as a host plant. Mulberry is a perennial plant that grows quickly with deep root system and produces a lot of biomasses. In addition to its usage in sericulture, the leaf extract is recognized to have significant therapeutic effects. Yield of mulberry leaves is contributed by three key elements such as superior variety, package of practices and integrated pest control. Although many mulberry genotypes can be grown commercially, there is a need to produce mulberry varieties that are suitable for a given region and for both rainfed and irrigated environments. The development of genotypes with inherent resistance to pests and diseases is essential, as chemical control is not practicable. The genetic improvement methods include conventional breeding through hybridization and selection, mutagenesis, molecular approaches including markers, and genetic engineering. Development of improved varieties of mulberry is the key to support sericulture farmers.

Potential of Insect Life Stages as Functional Ingredients for Improved Nutrition and Health

This study aimed to provide information on the nutrients of the edible larval stage of Gonimbrasia cocaulti (GC) for the first time, while exploring the potential nutrient content of the pupal life stages of the domestic silkworm (Bombyx mori; BM) and the Eri silkworm (Samia Cynthia ricini; SC). The three insects were analyzed for fatty acids, minerals, proximate composition and vitamins. Among the fatty acids, linoleic, a polyunsaturated fatty acid, was approximately threefold higher in GC than in the silkworms. The Ca, Fe and K contents were highest in GC. However, the Zn and Na contents were highest in BM, while Mg content was predominant in SC. The crude protein content of the various developmental life stages of the edible caterpillars and pupae ranged between 50 and 62%. Further, the fiber content of GC was substantially higher compared to the pupal stages of the two silkworm species. The vitamin (B6, B9, B12 and α-tocopherol) levels of the two insect life stages were considerably high. These insects are comparably rich in nutrients with potential suitability to be utilized in food fortification and thus ease pressure on the over-reliance on animal and plant-based sources, which are becoming unsustainable.

Genome Editing of Silkworms.

Silkworm is a lepidopteran insect that has been used as a model for a wide variety of biological studies. The microinjection technique is available, and it is possible to cause transgenesis as well as target gene disruption via the genome editing technique. TALEN-mediated knockout is especially effective in this species. We also succeeded in the precise and efficient integration of a donor vector using the precise integration into target chromosome (PITCh) method. Here we describe protocols for ZFN (zinc finger nuclease)-, TALEN (transcription activator-like effector nuclease)-, and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing as well as the PITCh technique in the silkworm. We consider that all of these techniques can contribute to the further promotion of various biological studies in the silkworm and other insect species.

Extraction and quantification of 1-Deoxynojirimycin in Silkworm during metamorphosis and moulting stages

The contents of 1-deoxynojirimycin (1-DNJ) in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, were examined using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography at various developmental stages. Mulberry leaves and silkworms naturally contain 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNJ). Although the contents of DNJ and its actions in mulberry leaves have been studied for decades, the content of DNJ in silkworms and its use have received less attention. DNJ was extracted and quantified in a variety of silkworms including Tasar silkworms, Muga silkworms, Eri silkworms and Mulberry silkworms. Group VI silkworms are more active than the others. Then, for male and female larvae of silkworm species, the variation in DNJ contents was examined. Silkworm larvae's 1-DNJ concentration varies greatly depending on their developmental stage. Male larvae (133.25 ± 11.45 mg/100g) and female larvae (129.65 ± 10.25 mg/100g) are substantially higher in both male and female mulberry silkworms. The larvae of the 3rd and the 5th day were used to calculate the DNJ. Male larvae had a higher 1-DNJ accumulation efficiency than females and there was also a significant difference between silkworm strains. The current findings demonstrate that 1-DNJ tissue distribution is substantially increased in the blood, intestinal juice and the alimentary canal while none was found in the silk gland. Furthermore, 1-DNJ was not detected in silkworms fed with an artificial diet devoid of mulberry leaf powder. This shows that silkworms get 1-DNJ from mulberry leaves; they could not make it on their own. During the larval stage, the storage and excretion of 1-DNJ fluctuate. 1-DNJ was not found in newly hatched larvae and it was primarily accumulated during the early and middle stages of each instar, before being expelled at later stages. Furthermore, 1-DNJ can be extracted from larval excrement, making it ideal for the development of 1-DNJ-related goods.

Silkmoth pupae: potential and less exploited alternative source of nutrients and natural antioxidants

Increasing global populations and decreasing sources of nutrients to feed them, has necessitated the drive for alternative and more sustainable sources of nutrients. Such alternatives should contribute to meet the demand for food and minimise negative effects on the environment. Edible insects, which have been traditionally part of human diets, stand out as the most probable and sustainable alternative. Silkmoth pupae, by-products of the sericulture sector are among the traditional foods consumed in Asia. In this study we determined the nutritional composition, phytochemical contents, and antioxidant activities of freeze-dried pupae from 2 domesticated and 3 wild silkmoth species. Our results showed that both Bombyx mori L. and Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval pupae had the highest amounts of proteins, 78.9 and 76.0 mg bovine serum albumin equivalents /g, respectively. Significantly high amounts of lipids (26.7%) were observed in B. mori pupae. Domesticated silkworm species recorded significantly high amounts of protein compared to the wild species. In addition, all silkmoth pupae had substantial amounts of phytochemicals that varied significantly between the studied species. We further demonstrated that all pupae samples exhibited antioxidant activities for both 50% methanolic and 100% hexane extracts, at very low concentrations of 2.5 and 30 mg/ml, respectively, with Anaphe panda pupae samples recording the highest activities. The multivariate analysis confirmed significant differences in the chemical composition of silkmoth pupae between species and type of diet they consume. Therefore, our findings suggest that the studied silkmoth pupae are rich alternative source of nutrients and natural antioxidants.

Keanekaragaman Ngengat Superfamily Bombicoidea: Eksplorasi Potensi Ulat Sutera di Dataran Rendah Kabupaten Jayapura

Jayapura Regency is one of the regions that considerable potential for economic growth from non-timber forest products. In the development of non-timber forest products in the form of products produced by insects, silk yarn is one of the commodity that has a high demand. The domestic demand for silk yarn is 900 tons/year, while only 19.05 tons/year were produced in 2012. Jayapura Regency has a great potential to supply the shortage of cocoon for the domestic market and the wide open international market. Related to this challenge, this study conducted basic research on the diversity of moths from the Bombicoidea superfamily in the natural forest of Kampung Soaib, Jayapura Regency. Sampling using light traps, four species of moths from the Saturnidae family were obtained, Syntherata apicalis, Opodiphtera intermedia, Opodiphtera papuana, and Coscinocera hercules. The cocoon of Coscinocera hercules is very potential as a silk thread producer because it is large and consists of two layers with brown color and has fiber characteristics similar to the cocoon of Attacus atlas which has been developed as a wild silk producer. These results indicate that the lowland forests of Jayapura Regency as a habitat for wild silkworm species has potential to be developed as non-timber forest products.Key words: Superfamily Bombicoidea; silkworm; cocoon; Jayapura regency

Investigation on Pathological Aspects, Mode of Transmission, and Tissue Tropism of Antheraea proylei Nucleopolyhedrovirus Infecting Oak Tasar Silkworm.

The temperate oak tasar silkworm, Antheraea proylei, is frequently infested with Antheraea proylei nucleopolyhedrovirus (AnprNPV) causing tiger band disease. This disease is one of the key factors that obstructs production and productivity of oak tasar sericulture. The current study aimed to investigate the pathogenicity of AnprNPV, its mode of transmission, and detection of AnprNPV in different tissues. Transmission electron micrographs of AnprNPV showed single rod-shaped bodies and occlusion derived virus (ODV) enclosed within multiple envelopes. The infecting AnprNPV displayed tissue tropism with higher copy numbers detected in the insect fat body and ovary. The virus was observed to multiply in all developmental stages of the silkworm such as egg, larva, pupa, and moth, confirming its ability to spread throughout the silkworm lifecycle. Baculovirus isolated from infected A. proylei showed cross-infectivity in other Saturniidae wild silkworm species such as Antheraea pernyi, A. frithi, and Samia ricini, widening their probable host range for infection. Baculoviruses generally display a horizontal mode of transmission, mainly through ingestion of occlusion bodies (OBs); however, the present study revealed a trans-ovum vertical mode of transmission in addition to a horizontal mode. The observations made in this study aid a detailed understanding of the tiger band disease and its causative pathogen AnprNPV, which will support future studies and disease management in oak tasar sericulture.

Effect of different diet on the survivorship, life cycle, and fecundity of eri silkworm Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

Abstract Cassava (Euphorbiaceae), castor (Euphorbiaceae), and tropical almond (Combretaceae) have been suggested as three different possible natural diet sources for Samia cynthia ricini (Drury, 1773) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), a species of silkworm that is reared in Indonesia because it is able to produce good-quality silk. This research aims to study the effect of the types of diet on the survivorship, development time, and fecundity of S. c. ricini. The research was conducted by giving the three types of diet to S. c. ricini. The survival rate, development time, and adult fecundity were observed. The results showed that S. c. ricini had a high survival rate when fed on cassava and castor. However, S. c. ricini larvae died when fed tropical almond. A significant difference in the total larval development time occurred when S. c. ricini was fed on cassava and castor. Larvae developed more quickly when fed on the castor diet compared to the cassava diet. Moreover, the total development time is also faster when they fed castor. The pupal weight and fecundity of adult female S. c. ricini reared on castor were higher than those of adult females reared on cassava. This study implies that castor is the more suitable diet for S. c. ricini and cassava can be used as an alternate diet.

Nanovoid formation induces property variation within and across individual silkworm silk threads.

Silk is a unique fiber, having a strength and toughness that exceeds other natural fibers. While inroads have been made in our understanding of silkworm silk structure and function, few studies have measured structure and function at nanoscales. As a consequence, the sources of variation in mechanical properties along single silk fibers remain unresolved at multiple scales. Here we utilized state of the art spectroscopic and microscopic methodologies to show that the silks of species of wild and domesticated silkworms vary in mechanical properties along a single fiber and, what is more, this variation correlates with nanoscale void formations. These results can also explain the strain hardening behaviours observed in the silks where structural features of the proteins could not. We thereupon devised a predictive thermal model and showed that the voids contribute to temperature regulation within the silkworm cocoons.

A Study On The Sericulture in Turkey

Sericulture, or silk farming, is the cultivation of silkworms to produce silk. Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, Silk was believed to have first been produced in China as early as the Neolithic Period. Sericulture has become an important cottage industry in countries such as Brazil, China, France, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, and Russia. Today, China and India are the two main producers, with more than 60% of the world's annual production. In this case, the sericulture production in Turkey, as the export-oriented shows could increase in the future. Sericulture production was begun in Anatolia which is Asian part of Turkey in A.D. 552 during Byzantium Emperor of Justinianus. The city of Bursa became a textile city which was famous for silk and silk trade centre. In middle of 16th silk textile industry was developed. Apart from city of Bursa, cities of Istanbul, dirne, Amasya, Denizli, Izmir and Konya were important sericulture centers In addition; the increase of government support in sericult production is also hope for the future of sericulture production in Turkey. In this study, using the silkworm cocoon data between the years of 1991-2019, the future 5-year production is estimated. For this, estimates were tested in the MINITAB program using the ARIMA Model, which is widely used in agricultural production estimates. Unconscious use of pesticides in Turkey, problems with mulberry tree cultivation, technical problems and rural-urban migration results are known to be important issues of the sericulture sector.However, thanks to government subsidies and export-oriented policies, it has been determined that silkworm cocoon production will increase in the next 5 years.

Физиологическая реакция у местных и интродуцированных пород тутового шелкопряда на изменение условий содержания зимующих грен

Abstract. The purpose of this study is the ascertainment of to the physiological responses to exogenous exposure to aqueous solutions of the drug “Violet-K” (C24H28N3Cl) in the phase of wintering eggs of the local and introduced silkworm species. Methods. The research was carried out according to the methodology developed by us for the content, selection and processing of material [9], [10]. Statistical analysis was performed according to G. F. Lakin [11]. Results. It was found that in the absence of sharp fluctuations of the temperature and air humidity, the effect of exposure to water and 0.01% and 0.001 % aqueous solutions of the “Violet-K” preparation on hibernating eggs causes a response of caterpillars at younger ages during molting, by the fifth age this effect diminishes. A strong response to the impact in terms of weight of caterpillars was revealed for the introduced silkworm species: against the background of minor fluctuations in the “Oragase” variant for caterpillars “Sverico-sari” the difference with the control by age is 16,4 % (III), 143,3 % (IV) and 27,3 % (V). The introduced species “Oragase” often differs from the “Sverico-sari” and the local breed “Veten” by the presence of negative responses: the weight of caterpillars after exposure compared to the control corresponds to + 43.7 % (III), + 65.0 % (IV), –36.2 % (V). It was found that the content of wintering grains in water and aqueous solutions of the “Violet-K” preparation leads to the weight increase of the silk shell: by 54.4–80.5 % (p < 0.05 and 0.001) in the local species, as well as by 11.4–16.1 % (0.001 %) and 2.7 % (0.01 % solution “Violet K”) p < 0.05 and 0.001. The species “Oragase” differs in this effect compared with the control, particularly, in the comparison with control, the impact promotes to a significant decrease in the weight of the silk shell by 33 % (–78.5 mg) and 22.5 % (–49.0 mg), p < 0.001. The impact is reflected in the date of departure of butterflies and the number of laid eggs, and only in introduced species: the positive effect compared to the control, on average on 1 female was 3.6–4.8 times higher (“Sverico-sari”) and 1.1 times (“Oragase”).