A Review on Effect of Juvenile Hormone Analogues on Growth and Development of Silkworm (Bombyx mori L.)
Shwetha G V *
Department of Sericulture, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560065, India.
Gagana Sindhu S
Department of Sericulture, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560065, India.
Nikita Kankanawadi
Department of Sericulture, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560065, India.
Shravanilakshmi V
Department of Sericulture, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560065, India.
Veenita M K
Department of Sericulture, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560065, India.
Kaveri Aramani
Department of Sericulture, College of Agriculture, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru, Karnataka-560065, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The silkworm, Bombyx mori L., is a holometabolous insect of immense economic importance in sericulture. Its growth and development are closely regulated by hormonal control, particularly by the Juvenile Hormone (JH), which plays a key role in maintaining larval status and regulating metamorphosis. Juvenile Hormone Analogues (JHAs), which mimic the action of natural JH, have been widely studied for their influence on insect physiology and development. This review explores the impact of various JHAs on the growth and development of B. mori, focusing on their effects during the larval, pupal and adult stages. Application of JHAs has been found to alter the duration of larval instars, delay or induce premature pupation and affect cocoon parameters such as shell weight and filament length. While some analogues show promise in improving silk yield or synchronizing larval development, others may induce abnormalities or disrupt normal metamorphosis.
Keywords: Silkworm, juvenile hormone analogues, metamorphosis, methoprene, growth regulation