G. it. Ent., 6 (31): 145-149
August 31, 1992
Increase in silk production by the Pure Mysore breed of
Bombyx mori after repeated applications of the juvenile
hormone analogue MANTA (methoprene) followed by thyroxine
by
S. B. MAGADUM, M. A. HOOLI, V. B. MAGDUM
Abstract - Repeated topical applications of the synthetic juvenile hormone analogue MANTA (methoprene) in the 3rd and 4th larval instars, 36 hours after the 2nd and 3rd ecdysis respectively, followed by a thyroxine application in the 5th instar, 72 hours after the 4th ecdysis, significantly increased larval instar duration, larval weight, silk gland weight, female and male cocoon weights (+23 and +22% respectively) and their cocoon shell weights (+24 and +36% respectively), and egg production, significantly decreasing cocooning and moth emergence percentages.
