B.Sc.

(H) Agriculture, 6th Semester

MANAGEMENT OF BENEFICIAL INSECTS

DISEASES OF SILKWORM
A. PEBRINE DISEASE
CAUSAL ORGANISM: Nosema bombycis
SUSCEPTIBLE STAGE: Egg, larva, pupa and adult.
MODE OF INFECTION: Ingestion of spores.
SYMPTOMS
1. It is a chronic disease.
2. Eggs laid by moth are fewer and do not firmly attach to the egg sheet.
3. Peeper like black spots.
4. Laying of unfertilized and dead eggs.
5. Diseased larvae have poor appetite, retarded growth, undersized and flaccid.
6. Larvae are comparatively translucent and pale in color.
7. Silk gland will have white pustules on its surface.
8. Dead larvae remain rubbery for some time and then turn black.
9. Diseased pupa may develop black markings on the surface.
10. Malformed moths.
11. Stunted and crippled wings.
12. The infection spreads to successive generation through eggs of diseased moth.
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
1. Mother moth examination.
2. Use of disease-free female.
3. Sterilization of eggs with 2% formalin.
4. Destruction of infected eggs and females.
5. Bed disinfectant: Vijetha powder.
B. FLACHERIE DISEASE (Bacteria transmitted) (Bacillus bombysepticus)
SUSCEPTIBLE STAGE: Larva.
MODE OF INFECTION: Ingestion of spores.
SYMPTOMS
1. Loss of appetite, semisolid excreta and becomes lethargic.
2. Skin becomes flaccid body purification and emission of foul smell.
3. Larvae vomits gut juice and develop dysentery.
 MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
1. Proper incubation of eggs.
2. Proper rearing conditions.
3. Disinfectant: Slaked lime solution 0.3%.
4. Bed disinfectant: Vijetha powder.
C. GRASSERIE DISEASE (Virus transmitted) (Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus) Milky disease
SUSCEPTIBLE STAGE: Larva.
MODE OF INFECTION: Ingestion of polyhedra (Chrystal virus particle).
SYMPTOMS
1. Swelling of inter segmental region and easy rupture of skin.
2. The integument will be fragile and breaks easily oozing turbid milky fluid.
3. Body fluid becomes thick and cloudy and they die.
4. The larvae do not settle for moult and their integument become shining.
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
1. Avoidance of injury.
2. Disinfection of seed production unit, appliances, silkworm rearing house surroundings and silkworm
egg surface.
3. Disinfectant: Slaked lime solution 0.3%.
4. Bed disinfectant: Vijetha powder.
D. MUSCARDINE DISEASE
White Muscardine (Beauveria bassiana)
Green Muscardine (Spicaria prasina)
Yellow Muscardine (Iscaria farinosei)
SUSCEPTIBLE STAGE: Larv/ pupae/ adult.
MODE OF INFECTION: Ingestion of polyhedra (Chrystal virus particle).
SYMPTOMS
1. Larvae loose appetite, become inactive and flaccid on death.
2. Hyphae come out from intersegmental membranes.
3. Body becomes too hard.
4. Mummified larvae vomit and shows diarrhea like symptoms.
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
1. Maintenance of proper rearing conditions.
2. Sterilization.
3. Formalin 3% or bleaching powder 2% or Slaked lime solution 0.3% as disinfectant.
4. Bed disinfectant: Vijetha powder.
ENEMIES OF SILKWORM

OTHER PESTS: Beetle (Dermestes cadeverinus) (Dermestidae: Coleoptera), ant, lizard, bird, rat and
squirrel.