04 Ara 2024 Çarşamba
Bionomics of Indian Oak Tasar Silkmoth, Antheraea roylei Moore and its Potential for Breeding in North East India
Abstract :During the survey of oak fed silkmoth fauna in the forest of North-Eastern part of India, the Indian oak fed silkmoth, Antheraea roylei Moore was recorded from oak growing areas of this region and it constitutes a part of the wild silk moth genetic resources of this region. It is distributed in the Indian Sub-Himalayan range and South East Asian countries. It feeds on about 12 varieties of oak tasar food plants. The bionomics and potential of the silkmoth was studied in the laboratory condition and the results are presented in this paper. A. roylei behaves as bivoltine in nature. The female moth lays 185-230 eggs. The average hatching percent, larval period, cocoon yield, effective rate of rearing (ERR %), cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio % and average single filament length in the laboratory condition were 61.40 %, 38 days, 30 cocoons/disease free laying (dfl), 20.36 %, 7.94 g, 0.85 g, 10.71 % and 250 m respectively. A. roylei shows high genetic compatibility with A. pernyi and A. proylei in interspecific hybridization which shows the genetic potential of this species. The F1 hybrids of A. roylei with A. pernyi and A. proylei showed high vigour in all the yield contributing characters. The present study will be very helpful for future breeding programs in oak tasar culture
Antheraea roylei, bionomics, characterization, genetic resource, conservation