Central Sericultural Germplasm Resources Centre

Abstract Mulberry ( Morus spp.), a key moriculture crop, serves a dual role: its leaves are indispensable as exclusive fodder for silkworms, while its fruits, particularly in species such as Morus nigra, Morus laevigata and Morus macroura , are valued as functional foods enriched with antioxidants and vitamins. The genus exhibits remarkable natural chromosome-level variation ranging from 14 to 308, which offers a unique system to investigate the impact of genome expansion on plant function. Herein, the influence of different cytotypes on functional traits associated with cell division, cell size and biomass metrics was studied. Principal component analysis revealed that tetraploid (4x), followed by triploid (3x), exhibits the most favourable cytotype, suggesting a vigorous and balanced expression of polyploid advantage. However, downsizing of many key parameters with increasing ploidy levels was also evident, predominantly at 22-ploid (22x). Furthermore, the estimated plasticity index reveals that the lower limit of cell size and rate-limited attributes influenced the loss of growth superiority of the extreme ploidy level; in turn, data imply the large-genome constraint in mulberry, as the consequence of the functioning of a large genome is likely expensive. Therefore, the present study emphasizes that the benchmarking of ploidy levels for the selection of parental material is essential for improving cellular function and developmental efficiency, thereby optimizing leaf yield for the future sustainability of sericulture.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to examine the factors influencing e-commerce adoption (ECA) among SMEs and evaluate its impact on their business performance. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) owners and managers across diverse industries and geographical locations.Methods: The analysis involved collecting and scrutinizing data from various organizations to provide a quantitative understanding of the relationship between organizational culture and ECA perceptions among top management. The factorability of the collected data was tested using the Bartlett’s test of sphericity and the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) test, which are commonly used to assess the appropriateness of data for factor analysis.Findings: This work underscores the importance of acknowledging the role of culture in ECA and emphasizes the significance of further research and strategies for fostering a culture that promotes and supports e-commerce within enterprises. Finally, barriers of ECA and Influencing and user satisfaction factors are identified and the conceptual framework of factors influencing ecommerce adoption in SMEs (Service sector) of ASSAM is developed.Novelty: Applying these tests specifically to the context of ECA in SMEs is a novel application.

Silkworm Bombyx mori exhibits for eliminating pathogenic defenses by their secretory component of haemolymph and gut component. This study aimed to investigate the stress enzyme role of carboxyl esterase, plays a major function in toxic component detoxification by their lipid assembly. Hence, the study has planned to identify their carboxyl esterase role in haemolymph of six silkworm races using innovative tools. The six silkworm races are characterized based on their esterase profiles and their morphological origins. It was concluded that Nistari, Kollegal Jawan and Hosa Mysore are considered as tolerant races and remaining races are susceptible by eliminating the toxic component from their body. Therefore, the present study could be an index for identifying the esterase role and used as a biomarker for the screening of a wide range of silkworm races for identifying genetic hardiness.

Seventy three multivoltine mulberry silkworm genetic resources, that are diverse in nature with wide variability among the economic traits and morphologically unique were evaluated using multiple traits evaluation index and mano evaluation index. Potential accessions were identified from among the germplasm stocks conserved. Accession number BMI-043 was identified for nine specialized characters and accession number BMI-074 for eight characters and BMI-007 for six characters followed by BMI-061, BMI-001and BMI-066 for five specialized characters. Accession number BMI-043 was the top performer under mano’s evaluation index. The silkworm genetic wealth was also compare with that of the ruling popular multivoltine parental races like Pure Mysore and Nistari with many promising accessions, that can be included in the breeding programmes.

The growth performance of Mulberry tree (Morus spp.) was carried out at Central Sericultural Germplasm Resources Centre (CSGRC), Hosur after 10 years establishment in ex-situ field gene bank. The girth of the plant, which is suitable for tree formation was, recorded both in exotic and indigenous Mulberry accessions. Comparative performance indicates that exotic plants performed well than indigenous for all the traits studied. The frequency distribution on different growth traits showed fluctuation and variation. The analysis of variance indicates considerable variability among the accessions, which was significant at 1% level. The coefficient of variation was higher in exotic accessions, which indicates more variability exists among them. The relationships of plant girth vs. shoot numbers, leaf yield, shoot weight and biomass weight showed high significant correlation. Other parameters showed interrelationship among themselves. The study facilitates selection of mulberry accessions based on its growth performance for multipurpose use i.e., tree, fodder, fuel and high biomass.

Evaluation of genetic resources is an essential prerequisite for their effective utilization. In India, the tropical climate prevails in most of the sericultural belts, where temperature goes beyond the ambient during summer, adversely affecting the silkworm rearing. Although polyvoltine silkworms are poor in silk content, they are mostly tolerant to tropical conditions and diseases. With an aim to identify potential silkworm races/breeds specific to thermo-tolerance for their effective utilization in breeding programme, 15 selected polyvoltine silkworm races were studied for their thermo-tolerance behaviour. Their genomic DNA samples were analyzed for ISSR-PCR using 15 selected primers. The UPGMA analysis based on Nei and Li algorithm has clustered the 15 silkworm races into five groups and one isolate. ALSCAL-multidimensional scaling has not only supported the information generated by the dendrogram, but it has made the genetic distance among races more clear and substantiating their status in terms of thermal stress where pupation rate was taken as indicator. Further, discriminant function analysis (DFA) was done with three groups of silkworms classified for thermal stress viz. susceptible, moderately tolerant and tolerant. The canonical correlation value was estimated to be 0.987 (Wilk's lambda = 0.004; chi2 = 36.044, p < 0.05). DFA clearly discriminated the above three groups. Beta statistics with t value and its significance for the markers identified through stepwise multiple regression analysis (MRA) revealed a total of five bands (807(1300), 808(3000), 808(4000), 834(4000), and 834(3000)) showing correlation with pupation rate after thermal treatment. Out of them, marker 8083000 showed maximum and highly significant correlation (r = 0.757, p < 0.001, t = 4.182) with pupation rate among the silkworm races. The identified putative markers are being used to develop DNA marker to be used in evolving thermo-tolerant silkworm breeds using marker assisted selection programme.

Fifteen Mulberry germplasm accessions were evaluated based on morphological and yield attributes. Before analysis the data, both quantitative and qualitative traits were ranked as suggested by Kendall and Spearman (1904). Simple and rank correlation analysis revealed that leaf appearance, leaf surface, leaf yield and total biomass weight are positively and significantly associated with each other. The rank value vs. rank value and rank value vs. numeric data were also analysed and a group of combination of characters showed relationship with each other. Thus, the result indicates a wide spectrum of relationship providing ample scope for indirect selection of accessions for further crop improvement.