In order to meet the large requirements of the silk industry, different silkworm hybrids, which can sustain in high temperature and humidity, needs to be developed so that they get well adapted under local climatic conditions for stable cocoon production. Thus, there is a need to make new hybrids and to evaluate them for high productivity suitable for this region. In the present study, an attempt was made to evaluate and identify the promising silkworm hybrids raised by involving five multivoltine breeds (BL24,BL67,C. Nichi,Hosa Mysore and MY1) and one bivoltine breed (CSR5) at VNMKV, Parbhani and Dr. PDKV, Akola during 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively. Observations made for four economically important traits namely; larval weight, single cocoon weight, Cocoon filament length and Cocoon yield/10,000 larvae brushed. The data was subjected to the estimation of heterosis in relation to mid parent value and heterobeltiosis in relation to better parent value revealed that the hybrids namely BL 67 × CSR 5, BL67 × Hosa Mysore and CSR 5 × Hosa Mysore and their respective reciprocals viz., CSR 5 × BL 67, Hosa Mysore × BL 67 and Hosa Mysore × CSR 5 were exhibited significant heterosis and heterobeltiosis for all the four traits studied.

Bombyx mori, silkworm, Silkworm breeding, Heterosis, Heterobeltiosis

By considering the heterosis over mid as well as better parent, three crosses namely BL 67 × CSR 5, BL67 × Hosa Mysore and CSR 5 × Hosa Mysore and their respective reciprocals viz. CSR 5 × BL 67, Hosa Mysore × BL 67 and Hosa Mysore × CSR 5 were identified as the promising.

Ambilwade P.P., Undirwade D.B., Latpate C.B., Rathod P.K. and Kulkarni U.S. (2022). Estimation of Heterosis in Newly evolved Hybrids of Silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) at Laboratory condition. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(4a): 127-133.