Evaluation and Identification of Potential Bivoltine Silkworm Hybrids of Bombyx Mori L.

Abstract

With the objective of identifying potential hybrids, bivoltine three-way cross hybrids involving inbred dumbbell foundation cross hybrids (FCs) and oval breeds, as parents, were evaluated. Overall performance, multiple trait evaluation indices and heterosis estimates were analyzed for the quantitative traits in a total of twenty one hybrids. The consequential data reveals that the hybrids studied performed significantly different indicating the existence of wide variation in phenotypic traits. It is inferred that, six promising three-way cross (DxD)xO hybrids viz., [(D13 x S9) x CSR17], [(S9 x CSR26) x JPN8], [(D13 x CSR26) x CSR27], [(CSR16 x CSR26) x CSR17], [(S9 x CSR16) x CSR27] and [(D13 x CSR26) x CSR17] were identified as promising ones based on performance, E. I. values and heterosis for majority of the traits in three different seasons and preserve commercial exploitation.