Impact of third and fourth harmonic laser irradiation at embryonic stage on biocommercial traits of Bombyx mori

In order to study the impact of third and fourth harmonic laser on bio-commercial traits of silkworm Bombyx mori, silkworm eggs of 2, 8, 16 and 24 h old embryos were exposed for varying durations to both third and fourth harmonic lasers. Computation of data is explicit that the third harmonic laser had a positive influence for shorter duration exposures on all traits, like hatching percentage (15% increase), larval weight (14% increase), cocooning percentage (12% increase), cocoon weight (7% increase), shell weight (9% increase), shell ratio (15% increase) and fecundity (11% increase) with significant increases in the batches exposed for shorter durations (up to 90 sec) with respect to their controls. Thereafter levels decreased as the duration of exposure increased. Notably, fourth harmonic laser irradiation reveals the negative effect on all the traits studied in the present study. Surprisingly the filament length was decreased in all irradiated samples for both the third and fourth harmonic laser, expect for 24 h old embryos irradiated for 30 s by the third harmonic laser which showed a 6% increase over the control.     

Estimates of economic values for traits of Arabic sheep in village system

A deterministic bio-economic model was used to estimate the economic values of different traits in Arabic sheep native to the Khuzestan province of Iran. In the studied system, variable costs accounted for about 98.5% of the total costs and among variable costs, feed costs had the highest proportion with 70.7%. Revenue sources included meat, wool, and manure, where meat was the most important one and formed 95.5% of total revenues. Economic value for a trait was estimated as the amount of change in the profit of system as its mean increased by one unit, while the means of other traits were constant. The most important trait in this system was litter size, followed by ewe survival, dressing percentage, and wool weight, respectively. Birth weight had a negative economic value but weight at older ages especially weaning weight and 12-month weight had positive economic values. The sensitivity of economic values of traits was investigated by changing feed and non-feed costs, meat and wool prices by ±10%. Results showed that economic values for dressing percentage and wool weight are not sensitive to change in costs. In addition, changes in marketing and management costs had no effect on the economic value for traits related to body weight in different ages. In general, the economic value for traits which showed sensitivity to the changes of costs, except ewe survival, decreased due to an increase in costs. The economic value for all traits, except birth and wool weight, changed because of a change in meat price. Increasing meat price meant a higher economic importance. Among different factors, meat price fluctuations had the most effect on the economic value of traits.     

Estimates of economic values for traits of Arabic sheep in village system

A deterministic bio-economic model was used to estimate the economic values of different traits in Arabic sheep native to the Khuzestan province of Iran. In the studied system, variable costs accounted for about 98.5% of the total costs and among variable costs, feed costs had the highest proportion with 70.7%. Revenue sources included meat, wool, and manure, where meat was the most important one and formed 95.5% of total revenues. Economic value for a trait was estimated as the amount of change in the profit of system as its mean increased by one unit, while the means of other traits were constant. The most important trait in this system was litter size, followed by ewe survival, dressing percentage, and wool weight, respectively. Birth weight had a negative economic value but weight at older ages especially weaning weight and 12-month weight had positive economic values. The sensitivity of economic values of traits was investigated by changing feed and non-feed costs, meat and wool prices by ±10%. Results showed that economic values for dressing percentage and wool weight are not sensitive to change in costs. In addition, changes in marketing and management costs had no effect on the economic value for traits related to body weight in different ages. In general, the economic value for traits which showed sensitivity to the changes of costs, except ewe survival, decreased due to an increase in costs. The economic value for all traits, except birth and wool weight, changed because of a change in meat price. Increasing meat price meant a higher economic importance. Among different factors, meat price fluctuations had the most effect on the economic value of traits.     

家蚕茧质性状的性别效应预测

研究采用混合线性模型,对家蚕全茧量、茧层量、茧层率和蛹体重等性状的性别效应进行理论估算：全茧量、茧层量、茧层率和蛹体重等4性状的性别随机效应的方差的概率和性别随机效应的预测值概率都达到极显著水平,证明全茧量、茧层量、茧层率和蛹体重等四性状的性别效应极显著,这完全符合实际情况。全茧量、茧层量、茧层率和蛹体重等4性状的性别效应预测值雌（雄）分别为0.248g（-0.247g）、2.423cg(-2.394)cg、-1.976%(1.992%)和0.224g(-0.223g)。性别效应调整后各性状均呈单峰正态分布,符合QTL分析对数量性状连续正态分布的要求。     

应用频数分布面积法定位家蚕QTL

利用生态型差异较大的两个家蚕品种７８２和ｏｄ１００作正反杂交,得到Ｆ１。让Ｆ１雄蚕与叠双隐性标记的ｏｄ１００回 到回交子代。     

饲料中转基因成分对家蚕生长发育的影响

采用家蚕（Bombyx mori）H9品种作为实验动物,分别用转基因和非转基因大豆粉制作的人工饲料进行饲育。通过饲育试验,比较分析了不同处理后家蚕的龄期经过时间、全茧量、茧层量、茧层率、蛹体重、疏毛率、死亡率、每龄眠起体重等经济性状指标。同时采用PCR方法对转基因饲料饲育后家蚕组织中外源基因的表达情况进行了检测。结果显示,含转基因大豆粉的人工饲料对家蚕的生长发育并无显著影响,且不存在外源基因的污染。     

A composite method for mapping quantitative trait loci without interference of female achiasmatic and gender effects in silkworm,Bombyx mori

The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is an economically important insect that was domesticated more than 5000 years ago. Its major economic traits focused on by breeders are quantitative traits, and an accurate and efficient QTL mapping method is necessary to explore their genetic architecture. However, current widely used QTL mapping models are not well suited for silkworm because they ignore female achiasmate and gender effects. In this study, we propose a composite method combining rational population selection and special mapping methods to map QTL in silkworm. By determining QTL for cocoon shell weight (CSW), we demonstrated the effectiveness of this method. In the CSW mapping process, only 56 markers were used and five loci or chromosomes were detected, more than in previous studies. Additionally, loci on chromosomes 1 and 11 dominated and accounted for 35.10% and 15.03% of the phenotypic variance respectively. Unlike previous studies, epistasis was detected between loci on chromosomes 11 and 22. These mapping results demonstrate the power and convenience of this method for QTL mapping in silkworm, and this method may inspire the development of similar approaches for other species with special genetic characteristics.     

Comparison of phenotypic and genetic performance of local silkworm groups and two commercial lines

Five Iranian native silkworm groups: Baghdad, Khorasan Orange, Guilan Orange, Khorasan Pink, Khorasan Lemon, and 107 and 110 commercial lines (12 families from each breed) were randomly selected and reared during 2003-2005 (five generations in spring and autumn). In each family, 30 male and 30 female cocoons were individually recorded for weight, shell weight and shell ratio. From among the native groups, the highest average in all three traits belonged to Baghdad and Khorasan Pink, and the lowest to Khorasan Orange and Khorasan Lemon. From among the commercial lines, the highest average in all three traits belonged to 107. In comparing heritability for cocoon weight in native groups, the highest heritability belonged to Guilan Orange (0.5147) and Khorasan Orange (0.5036) and the lowest heritability belonged to Khorasan Pink (0.0967). In the two other traits, the highest heritability belonged to Khorasan Orange and Baghdad and the lowest to Khorasan Pink. In the commercial lines, line110 had higher heritability than line107 for cocoon weight and cocoon shell weight. In all the groups, genetic correlations between cocoon weight and cocoon shell weight were high, expect for the Baghdad group. There was medium or low genetic correlation among cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight and cocoon shell ratio.     

家蚕茧质性状的QTL定位研究

采用QTLMapper 2．0 QTL作图软件,对F2群体的家蚕全茧量、茧层量、茧层率和蛹体重等性状进行了QTL定位分析,分别检测出7个、6个、2个、8个有显著效应分量的QTLs,分布于7个、5个、2个、7个不同的连锁群。控制全茧量、茧层量的QTLs一般存在复杂的上位性效应。对全茧量性状,有3对QTLs存在显著的加加上位性效应,其中1对还存在加显、显显互作;共有3个QTLs存在显著的显性效应,1个存在显著的加性效应。对茧层量QTLs,发现1对QTLs存在极显著的各项遗传效应,包括上位性效应;1对QTLs被检测到显著的显显互作,1个QTL具有显著的显性效应,并与另一个QTL存在显著的加加互作。茧层率、蛹体重主要受加性或显性的QTLs作用,没有发现茧层率QTLs的上位性效应,蛹体重的有效QTL大都呈现显著的负向显性效应,只有一对QTLs存在显著的加加上位性效应。第2、3、4、11、13、24、34、37、40连锁群是两个或多个性状QTLs分布的共同连锁群。全茧量和茧层量存在共同的QTL或染色体区域,育种上可通过适当选配,利用基因的互作效应,同步改良这两个性状。     

Defining the breeding goal for a sheep breed including production and functional traits using market data

In this study, the economic values for production and functional traits of dairy sheep are estimated through the application of a profit function model using farm-level technical and economic data. The traits incorporated in the model were milk production, prolificacy, fertility, milking speed, longevity and mastitis occurrence. The economic values for these traits were derived as the approximate partial derivative of the specified profit function. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted in order to examine how potential changes in input and output prices would affect the breeding goal. The estimated economic values of the traits revealed their economic impact on the definition of the breeding goal for the specified production system. Milk production and fertility had the highest economic values (€40.30 and €20.28 per standard genetic deviation (SDa)), while, mastitis only had a low negative value of −0.57 €/SDa. Therefore, breeding for clinical mastitis will have a minor impact on farm profitability because it affects a small proportion of the flock and has low additive variance. The production traits, which include milk production, prolificacy and milking speed, contributed most to the breeding goal (70.0%), but functional traits still had a considerable share (30.0%). The results of this study highlight the importance of the knowledge of economic values of traits in the design of a breeding program. It is also suggested that the production and functional traits under consideration can be categorized as those which can be efficiently treated through genetic improvement (e.g. milk production and fertility) while others would be better dealt with through managerial interventions (e.g. mastitis occurrence). Also, sub-clinical mastitis that affects a higher proportion of flocks could have a higher contribution to breeding goals.     

Breeding objectives for dairy cattle under low,medium and high production systems in the tropics

A deterministic bio-economic model was developed to estimate economic weights for genetic improvement of lactation milk yield, fat yield, age at first calving, calving interval, mature weight and survival under low, medium and high production systems in the Tropics. Input parameters were obtained from dairy production systems in Kenya which has a tropical environment. The highest proportion of revenue is from the sale of milk followed by sale of heifers, cull cows and sale of male calves under all production systems. On the other hand, feed cost is the most important production cost followed by labour, marketing, reproduction and health costs, respectively. Economic values for the six traits were derived from a profit equation using revenue and production costs per cow per year. The economic values were then discounted using diffusion coefficients which account for differences between traits in the time when the improvement is expressed. Economic weights were robust to changes in input and output prices, changes in feeding strategies, and changes in milk and surplus heifer marketing strategies. Genetic standard deviations were multiplied by economic values to standardise the economic value of traits and to compare their potential for economic response. When expressed as proportion of their sum, these relative economic weights under the low, medium and high production systems for lactation milk yield were 51.36, 59.79 and 63.98%; for fat yield 4.50, 10.69 and 9.05%; for age at first calving 3.16, 2.66 and 0.55%; for calving interval 33.59, 19.88 and 20.05%; for mature weight 1.55, 1.34 and 1.19% and for survival rate 5.84, 5.64 and 5.18%, respectively. The predicted responses followed the same pattern as the relative economic weights. This shows that milk yield and calving interval were most important in all production systems but the value of response for traits differed between production systems with more emphasis on milk yield and less on calving interval in the high production systems. Moderate correlations were estimated between the breeding objective for the low, medium and high production systems. To maximise response in the overall breeding objective, different selection criteria are required for the three production systems.     

Life cycle of the earthworm Octodrilus complanatus (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae)

The earthworm Octodrilus complanatus (Dugès, 1828) is a large-sized species often found in grasslands and pastures, with a wide distribution area in Europe and North Africa. In order to determine the characteristics of its life cycle, earthworms of this species were cultured from hatching until they reached maturity. Development rates, cocoon production, and incubation period were recorded under controlled conditions. On average, individuals of O. complanatus reared in isolation from hatching reached maturity at day 150 and body weight at maturity ranged between 6 and 8 g. The cocoon incubation period was 66 days, and only one individual hatched from each cocoon, with a mean hatchability of 55%. Reproductive rate showed by O. complanatus after mating was of 52 cocoons per earthworm per year. The results showed that the life cycle of O. complanatus was characterized by both low growth rates and low fecundity. Specific features in life history traits of O. complanatus were compared with those of species of the genus Octodrilus and other related earthworms.     

QTL mapping of economically important traits in Silkworm (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bombyx mori</Emphasis>)

A backcrossed population(BC1)was derived from a cross between C1AFLP technique was employed for mapping the QTLs.The QTLs for the whole cocoon weight,cocoon shell weight,ratio of cocoon shell,weight of pupae etc.Were analyzed and 11 QTLs were detected based on the constructed linkage map.Two QTLs for whole cocoon weight were localized on linkage group 6 and 19; three QTLs for cocoon shell weight were localized on linkage group 3,14 and 19; three QTLs for ratio of cocoon shell were localized on the linkage group 2,11and 15,and three QTLs for the weight of pupae were localized on linkage 2,14 and 19.All these have laid an important base for the marker assisted breeding of the silkworm.     

Performance of polyvoltine silkworm Bombyx mori L. on different mulberry plant varieties

Five cultivated mulberry plant varieties, BSRM‐34, BSRM‐56, BSRM‐57, BSRM‐58 and BSRM‐59, were used to evaluate the effects of plant variety on larval and cocoon characteristics of mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori L. Silkworm larvae undergo their entire larval periods on leaves of mulberry varieties. Different larval characteristics of larval weight, larval length and larval breadth were measured in different growth stages. After rearing, the fifth instar larvae were transferred into a mountage (Chandraki) structure for cocoon rearing for spinning and cocoon production. The cocoons were then harvested and different cocoon characteristics like cocoon weight, shell weight and shell percentage; and other characters like pupal weight and effective rate of rearing were measured. The results showed statistically significant differences among different varieties on larval and cocoon characteristics. The highest performance was observed by feeding the variety BSRM‐34 in respect of the average weight of 10 mature larvae (40.5 g), single mature larval length (7.6 cm) and breadth (1.0 cm), single cocoon weight (1.4 g), shell weight (0.2 g) and pupal weight (1.2 g) while the average performance was recorded by feeding varieties BSRM‐57 and BSRM‐59. The poorest performance was showed by feeding the variety BSRM‐56 (in case of larval characters) and BSRM‐58 (in case of cocoon characteristics). These two varieties also showed the poorest performance for silk yield. Through comparing all the above parameters it was concluded that BSRM‐34 is the best mulberry variety and it is recommended that Bangladeshi farmers adopt that variety for better yield of silk.     

QTL mapping of economically important traits in Silkworm (Bombyx mori)

The construction of linkage map is both a funda-mental research area and an important aspect of gene analyses in genetics. It provides the guidelines for breeding. A sound linkage map is also necessary for further genetic analysis. In recent years, great and rapid progress has been made in molecular biology, which enables fingerprinting of organisms at the ge-nomic level. Many molecular marker techniques have been well established. Heartening progress has been made in many organisms in the co…     

Changes in embryonic protein profile and economic characters of Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera:Bombycidae) following UV irradiation

Eggs of B. mori were irradiated with UV (254.4 nm wavelength) for different durations. Increase in the time of exposure to UV decreased the percentage hatchability of the eggs, cocoon and pupal weights. The shell weight remained unaltered proving the stability of silk gland DNA. Irradiation of eggs also delayed the degradation/utilization of the embryonic proteins, viz. vitellin (heavy and light subunits), egg-specific protein and 30K protein.     

家蚕二化性杂交品种部分数量性状遗传参数的初步评估

采用完全随机设计法根据10头老熟幼虫体重、全茧重、茧层量、茧层率（%）、存活率、万蚕茧层量和茧丝长等指标,对两对二化性家蚕Bombyx mori L. 杂交品系（SH6×NB₄D₂和CSR₂×CSR₄）杂交一代的22个子代个体进行了遗传参数估算,以缩小优质蚕品种的候选范围,并且计算出直接筛选的参数,如遗传力和遗传进度等,使这些信息可用于以筛选高产新品种为目的的育种和选择过程中。杂交子代2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 14, 16, 19和20号个体在这几个指标中表现出显著的优越性。全茧重、万蚕茧层量和茧丝长的遗传力和遗传进度较大,可以简单地从表现型的差异对这些性状进行选择并取得遗传性状改良。其他几个指标(10头老熟幼虫体重、茧层量、茧层率(%)和存活率)的遗传力和遗传进度较低,对这些性状进行直接选择来改良品种的效果较差。     

广西桑蚕茧丝质量与性能指标的测定分析

本研究对广西桑蚕茧的茧丝质量与性能指标进行了测定分析.结果表明,广西桑蚕茧外形略小,茧层丝胶含量、茧层易溶丝胶含量、丝胶溶解性以及茧丝纤度等主要指标均与江浙夏秋用桑蚕茧有明显差异.桑蚕茧的茧层丝胶含量、易溶丝胶含量随庄口、季节不同而有显著差异;春季桂南地区的蚕茧茧层丝胶含量高于桂西北地区,秋季刚好相反.茧层易溶丝胶含量在11.6%～14.4%之间,约占丝胶总含量的41%～45%,茧层易溶丝胶含量和解舒率呈显著的正相关关系,即茧层易溶丝胶含量越多,蚕茧解舒越好.庄口和季节是影响桑蚕茧层易溶丝胶含量高低与蚕茧解舒优劣的重要因素.广西桑蚕茧层丝胶对煮茧温度更敏感,茧丝纤度粗细变化开差大.因此,我们认为目前困扰广西桑蚕茧加工技术突破的原因之一是缫丝工艺技术,采用传统缫丝工艺技术难以正常发挥广西桑蚕茧的茧丝优势与特性.     

Safety evaluation of four entomopathogenic nematode species against two silkworm species

Chinese oak silkworm (Antheraea pernyi) and mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori) are economically important insects used for silk production and food resource. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) from the families of Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae are beneficial organisms currently considered in biological control. In this paper, we evaluated survival of two silkworm species exposed to four Steinernema species which are widely applied in pest control. The results showed that among four Steinernema species, S. bicornutum and S. feltiae did not have an effect on the larval survival to the two silkworm species, whereas S. carpocapsae and S. glaseri did have an effect. Each Steinernema species poses no threat to hatchability of eggs, pupation rate, larval durations and cocoon shell ratio.     

Effects of applaud on the growth of silkworm (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of the insecticide Applaud (buprofezin 25% WP) on the silkworm Bombyx mori (L.). This insecticide belongs to the class of insect growth regulators (IGR). The larvae were fed on leaves treated with 3 different concentrations (0.5, 1, 2 g/liter) of Applaud on the 1st d of each instar. Analysis of data with the Tukey-Kramer test at 1% significant level revealed that mortality and larval duration did not differ among the treatments. On the contrary, the larval weight, which was estimated just before mounting (procedure during which the mature larva climbing on a branch or other material to spin the cocoon), differed among the treatments. Also, cocoon weight, shell weight, and cocoon sericin and fibroin content were different among the treatments, except the shell cocoon ratio. Maximum weight was observed in the controls and minimum in the last instar treatments. Our data suggest that supplementation of Applaud through food to larvae does not affect their mortality rate. On the contrary, it affects larval growth and cocoon parameters.