1. The wild relatives of Bombyx mori L. exist in natural habitat in the Himalayas. Also the wild species of Bombyx mandarina Moore and other wild species of Thiophila and Ocinara constitute the natural seribiodiversity. These wild species also need conservation and utilization to broaden the gene bank and create additional seribiodiversity. Similarly, there are several wild species of Morus; except a few species of Morus, viz., M.cathayana, M.bombycis, M. multicause, M. alba and M.indica, which are generally used in sericulture; the other wild species of Morus are not much utilised in mulberry crop improvement programme. At this juncture, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) may intervene for the conservation of wild seribiodiversity; by organising exploration, collection and conservation and subsequently in their utilization, otherwise, some of these very valuable seribiodiversity may gradually be eroded and the very precious gene pool may be lost forever. To begin with FAO may organise exploration and survey trips particularly in the Himalayas in Indo-Chinese region, Andaman islands, Java, Sumadra, Malaya peninsula and other geographical regions where Morus and Bombycidae genetic diversity are rich and develop repository for these wild seribiodiversity and also develop a comprehensive inventory of seribiodiversity and in situ conservation of the wild relatives of B.mori.
2. The FAO may assist India/China to set up DNA bank for B.mori and its wild relatives, which will facilitate molecular characterisation (genomics and probeomics) of the primitive land races of Bombyx mori and eventually help to build the gene directory and cell line cultures of B. mori to facilitate molecular assisted breeding to improve the strains of sericultural interest and evolve transgenic silkworms with desirable characters from other wild sericigenous insects.
3. The FAO may develop a global sericulture development strategy, along with a global market information service for international silk trade. Often the international silk trade fluctuates mainly because of lack of information on global market trends, market demand, price factors etc. which adversely influence the domestic market and ultimately the very root of sericulture. Hence, it is very essential to develop a global market information service for international silk trade covering market demand - country wise, fashion demand - season wise, along with other information on clothing behaviour of people from different countries and competition from other textiles, which will help silk producing countries to regulate their silk production, exports and imports of silk yarn, fabrics, dress materials etc.
4. Consequent to the multifibre arrangements effective from the year 2004 and the international trading arrangements under General Agreement on Trade and Tariff (GATT) and World Trade Organization (WTO), the world silk trade will find formidable challenges from other natural and synthetic fibres; and the effects remain to be seen. If the world silk trade is not evenly poised for a positive growth, then there will be negative effect on sericulture development, which will upset the prospects of sericulture in most of the developing countries, particularly those countries who do not have internal market for silk and depend on international market for silk products. Therefore, while promoting sericulture development through sericulture germplasm resources management, silkworm disease control and other programmes of FAO, it is imperative to ensure stability and positive growth of world silk trade, which will promote utilization of sericultural germplasm among the FAO member countries.
