Abstract

RELATIVE REARING PERFORMANCES OF DIFFERENT ECOTYPES OF ANTHERAEA MYLITTA D. (SATURNIIDAE: LEPIDOPTERA)

Deepti Kumari*, S.N.P. Yadav Deen and Sarfaraz Ali

Abstract

The present communication accounts for the relative rearing performances of Daba, Raily, Modal and Bhandara, the popular ecotypes of indigenous tasar silk producing insect distributed over different ecological habitats in the tropical tasar silk producing belts of our country. The results obtained are indicative of the fact that all the four ecotypes of Antheraea mylitta D differ among themselves in respect of productivity and quality of tasar cocoons evidenced by E.R.R. % cocoon weight, shell weight and shell ratio presenting evident variations in course of rearing manifestations. The rearing performances of Daba (Jharkhand) followed by Raily (Madhya Pradesh) have registered their supremacy over Modal (Orissa) and Bhandara (Maharashtra) in relation to relative results obtained. The results obtained appear to be the outcome of relative impacts of different ecological conditions of respective eco-habitats of eco-types where they have adjusted and Acclimatised differentially since years together for essential survival.

Keywords: Eco-types, Daba, Raily, Modal, Bhandara, Bivoltine, Saturniidae.