2020 Volume 22 Pages 21-25
Low temperature, four-month storage of fertilized eggs of Nang-Lai, Thai polyvoltine strain of the silkworm, Bombyx mori was investigated for maintaining the strain in drought in Thailand’s hot dry season from January to April. Two intermediate cares were performed at days 50 and 90 post-low-temperature storage by transferring eggs from 5 ºC to 17 ºC for 3 days and then back to 5 ºC for further storage. Hatchability of eggs at day 120 was 67.5±8.29 % while hatchability of eggs with no second intermediate care was 0 %. This indicated that second intermediate care at day 90 was essential for four-month storage. Intermediate cares with shorter duration at days 50 and 90 showed lower values of hatchability at day 120. These results suggested that low temperature, four-month storage of fertilized eggs of a Thai polyvoltine silkworm strain by two intermediate cares was possible. Further studies were needed to establish optimum duration of intermediate cares.