6. CONSERVATION STATUS OF (MULBERRY, SILKWORM) GENETIC RESOURCES IN FRANCE

Dr. Bernard MAUCHAMP
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
Unité Nationale Séricicole, 25 Quai J.J. Rousseau
69350 La Mulatière, France

Paper contributed to Expert Consultation on Promotion of Global Exchange of
Sericulture Germplasm; Bangkok, Thailand,
Food and Agriculture Organisation, Rome.

1. Introduction

As we study the numerous reports related to the silkworm breeding in France, when sericulture was in bloom, we notice that, according to the area, it were numerous strains. The local strains were called Cevennes, Var, jaune Rolland, Brianne, Gubbio, Ascoli etc. It is well established that some of them were coming from other european countries. In addition to these strains, some others were introduced from Far East (Japan, China...) since the quantity and quality of silk produced by these strains were better than those produced by the local strains. These imported strains were also crossed with local strains to get better capacity.

In many cases, the genetic characterisation of all these strains were not well established. In parallel with silkworm rearing decrease, a large number of local strains disappeared since the fitness for silk production was not the best. This was accelerated since the egg producers stopped their activities and the importation of eggs from Japan.

2. Conservation of Silkworm Genetic Resources in France

2.1 Present status of germplasm maintenance

The unique silkworm genetic resources is located at the "Unité Nationale Séricicole" near Lyon. It was established by Dr. Gérard Chavancy in 1982. The goal of the collection was to safeguard the remaining strains dispersed in different places. The origine of several of these strains was not defined. Since UNS was a new structure, the objectives of which were to do research on the silkworm molecular biology, new strains were collected from different sericulture stations (Italy, Japan, Ukraine...).

The silkworm germplasm collected at the UNS is listed in Annexe 3.

Maintenance of these strains is the main activity; Only Nistari are used for scientific purpose since it is a polyvoltine strain. This accession from India can be produced continuously during the year. For this reason the silkworms have to be fed with artificial diet during the winter. Others strains are bivoltine or monovoltine strains and need specific management programmes due to the presence of diapausing periods.

2.2 Management and utilization of germplasm resources

To safeguard these numerous strains is necessary to renew at least ones a year the eggs, since the fertility is decreasing during time. Diapausing eggs, after around 6 months of cold (4°C) conservation are incubated at room temperature. Over 90% of larvae hatched. If we keep longer the eggs at 4°C, hatching percent decreases. In case of bivoltine strains, hatching might occur in spring to have time to rear the second generation. In case of monovoltine strains hatching can occur either in spring or at the end of summer. The choice of the season will depend of the amount of larvae to be reared. However a new constraint arised that modified the strategy of maintenance. This constraint results of the use of an insecticide for orchard protection; it is an Insect Growth regulator (IGR) Fenoxycarb. This IGR is strongly efficient on silkworm, with an unexpected effect. This IGR contaminates the leaves in spring. Minute amounts of this compound prevent the spinning of the cocoon and metamorphosis. Due to this contamination of leaves in spring, feeding silkworms with them will prevent adults formation and by this fact progeny cannot be obtained. The consequence will be the loss of the strains. To prevent such risk rearing of the silkworms has to be done in late summer or autumn.

Very strict management conditions have to be considered to keep germplasm resources in good sanitary status. The major risk is the development of pathogens. From time to time pebrine tests have to be done. Rooms where silkworms are reared have to be repeatedely decontaminated.

Specific management is necessary in regard to parthenoclones. These strains (9) are only females. To obtain embryonic development we need to collect the eggs before laying, then submit them to a definite thermal protocole.

Some of these strains are used in our laboratory experiments, according to the differences of voltinism. Some of them have been tested to produce new hybrids, but this programme has been stopped.

2.3 Development of germplasm resources

People working at the UNS are convinced of the interest of a such germplasm wealth and the necessity to safeguard it. The action of Dr. G. Chavancy is very important and efficient, but the means as well human means as financial means involved in such project, are not equal to their ambition. Unfortunatelly, position of administrative people taking decision is not the same. Sericulture is not an economical activity and there is no more silkworms rearing in France.

Why to keep such insects?

3. Silkworm germplasm Database

Description of the silkworm germplasm is in progress, and some data appeared in the list (annexe 3). The major work to be done would be the genetic characterisation of each strain. This needs a lot of time and money; at this time we have not means to do that.

4. General Conclusion

Recently few people realized that Sericulture activities left an heritage that progressively was vanishing, and they reacted by local decisions to protect this inheritance. These people are always in fitting to get support to maintain this activity. It would be necessary to be able to do the minimal studies to have utilizable germplasm resources and germplasm resources database.

We are not in such position.

Annexe 3

at UNS from: 1982
Origin: Claude Bernard University (Lyon, Pr. Legay)

Name	Egg	Larva	Hemolymph	Cocoon	Moth	Voltinism	Observations
141-3	Grey; no sticky	Spotted brown, eye spots, crescents (sometime 2 pairs)	White color	Greenish whith		Mono-voltine
141-4				White, elongated
141-5		Grey spooted
141-12		Brown spotted, marked		white, cylindrical			Previous name: 141-1 and 141-2 get together in 1997
200A	grey, glued	cream white		yelow, cylindrical	cream white		previous name: 200 Strain used to produce hybrid 200x300
200B	grey, glued	cream white, without spots	yellow colored	Yellow, cylindrical	cream white	Mono-voltine	previous name: 200 used to produce hybrid 200x300
300A	grey	cream white, marked	yellow colored	Yellow, elongated	cream white	Mono-voltine	previous name: 300 used to produce hybrid 200x300

at UNS from: 1983
origin: Mr AUZAS (Ardèche, Fr)

Name	Egg	Larva	Hemolymph	Cocoon	Moth	Voltinism	Cocoon weight	Filament lenght	Shell ratio	Observations
AUZ4	grey, glued	pale grey, highly pigmented, marked	white colored	white, ovoid		Mono-voltine				previous name: Andrinople
AUZ5	grey, glued	yellowish grey higly pigmented, marked	yellow colored	yellow, ovoid		Mono-voltine				previous name: Andrinople
BL1A-O	grey, glued	cream white, without spots	white color	white, ovoid		Mono-voltine				origin: created previous name: BL1A Selection related to cocoon shape (curved)
BL1B	grey	greyish, more or less pigmented, marked	white color	white slightly greenish, elongated		Mono-voltine				origin: created
BL1C	grey	brown spotted, eye spots, crescents	white color	white, elongated curved		Mono-voltine				origin: created
BL1D	grey	striped with brown, marked	white color	white, elongated, curved		Mono-voltine				origin: created
C108	grey	white slightly blue	white color	satiny white		Mono-voltine				origin: USA (Dr. Marian Goldsmith)
CH1	grey, glued	cream white, discrete spots	white color	cream white, ovoid						Selection from chineese hybrid
CH2A	grey, glued	sandy white, crescents	white color	white, ovoid		Mono-voltine	: 1.33g, : 1.62g	984m	: 24.2%; 21.4%	origin: China
CH2B	grey	sandy white, marked, slight pigmentation	white color	white, ovoid		Mono-voltine				selected from CH2 chineese hybrid
CH3B	grey, glued	cream white, slightly pigmented, marked	white color	white, ovoid		Mono-voltine				origin: True chinn Vietnam (M. Costa)
CH4	grey, glued	white, discrete crescents	white color			Mono-voltine				origin: True Chinh Vietnam (M. Costa)
G133	grey	white	white color	white, ovoid						origin: India Mysore strain resistant against BmNPV
GB2	grey, glued	cream white, slight crescents				Mono-voltine				origin: Great Britain selected from strains GR2.B with white moths and strain GB2.C with chocolate moth
GB3	Glued bronzed	cream white, slight eye spots and crescents	yellow color	gold yellow, ovoid	cream white	mono-voltine				origin: Great Britain
GIRO SC1	grey, glued	cream white, without spots	white, ovoid	white, elongated slightly curved		monovoltine	: 1.52g; : 1.85g		: 24.1%; : 21.5%	origin: Italy previous name: GIROTRA 95 SC1
GIRO SG1	grey, glued	greyish, pigmented, marked				monovoltine	: 1.54g; : 1.96g	1216m	: 27.3%; : 23%	origin: Italy: GIROTRA 95 SG1
HKSA	grey, glued	beige, pigmented, marked	white color	white, ovoid	cream white	monovoltine	: 1.58g, : 2.01g	1070m	: 26.6%; : 22.8%	origin: Japon Selected from japanese strain Kinshu Shoa
HKSB	grey	milky white without spots	white color	white, ovoid		monovoltine	: 1.656g; : 2.03g	1174m	: 26.8%; : 22.9%	origin: Japon selected from japanese strain Kinshu Shoa
J80-2	grey, glued	grey slightly blue, marked	white color	white, containing few silk		monovoltine				selected from strain J80 atrophied silk glands
K16	yellow, glued	eye spots, crescents, stra spots	white color	white		monovoltine				Ukrain (Dr Klimenko) Genotype: ch, lem, oi, p, a, ng (homozygotes)
K22	: grey, : yellowish white	greyish more or less pigmented marked	white color	white, elongated curved	cream, male with white eyes	monovoltine				origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko) Genotype: Cob5
K23	: grey; : white yellowish, glued	greyish more or less pigmented marked	white color	white	cream, male with white eyes	monovoltine				origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko) Genotype: Cob5
K5B	grey, glued	hatcing larva chocolate, then greyish marked		white, ovoid		monovoltine				Ukrain (Dr Klimenko) Genotype: ch/ch, a/a
K6	grey, partly glued	grey yellowish, slight eye spot, crescents, star spots	yellow color	yellow, ovoids		monovoltine				origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko)
LY10	grey	grey slightly blue, pigmented, marked	white color	white, cylindrical		monovoltine				origin: Padoue (Italy): R5 Varo
LY13	grey	zebra, intersegment black, marked	white color			monovoltine				origin: Padoue (Italy): Quattrotti larve regate
LY14	grey	white cream, slight eye spots and crescents	white color			monovoltine				origin: Padoue (Italy): Verde sferico
LY15	grey, glued	velvety, striped brown and black, eye spots, protuberant crescents and star spots	yellow color			monovoltine				origin: Padoue (Italy): R9 Neri
LY18		white without spots	yellow color			monovoltine				origin: Padoue (Italy): Treotto rosa trimolter strain
LY20	grey, glued	grey slightly blue, strongly pigmented, eye spot, crescents, star spots	white color	white, cylindrical		monovoltine				origin: Padoue (Italy): Almeria?
LY22	grey, glued	white slightly blue, very small crescents	white color	large, white, ovoid		monovoltine	: 1.47g; : 1.84g	1303m	: 26.4%; : 22%	origin: Japon (Dr Tanaka): CP86
LY23	grey-white, glued	grey, slightly pigmented, marked	white color	white, elongated, curved		monovoltine	: 1.28g; : 1.58g	955m	: 25.5%; : 20.9%	origin: Japan (Dr. Tanaka) previous name: PJN
LY3	grey	grey slightly blue, strongly pigmented, marked	white color	green-yellow, ellipsoid	grey	bivoltine				origin: Padoue (Italy)
M83	grey	ashly-moricaud, eye spots, slight crescents	white color	white, elongated, curved		monovoltine				origin: INRA St Christol (Mr Pascal) previous name: Moricaud
M83S	grey	sulphur, eye spots, crescents, star spots	white color	white, elongated, curved		monovoltine				origin: INRA St Christol (Mr Pascal): selected from strain M83
Nistari	yellow	white, eye spots, crescents, star spots	yellow color	golden yellow, ellipsoid	cream-white, wings with draws in males	polyvoltine		250 to 430m	9 to 14%	origin: India resistant to diseases
PARA	grey	cream-white, eye spots, crescents, star spots	white color	large, white, ovoid		monovoltine	: 1.57g; : 2.11g	1203m	: 26.6%; : 22.1%	origin: Paraguay
PK1	grey	grey-yellowish, eys spots, crescents, star spots	yellow color	orange-yellow, slightly curved	white-cream	monovoltine	1.89g	682m	15.1%	origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko): P29 Genotype: ch/+, P/P, a/+, Ng/+ Parthenoclone
PK10	grey	brown spotted, eye spots, numerous crescents, excrescences on abdominal and thoracical segments	yellow color	golden yellow, ovoid	cream-white	monovoltine	1.91g	761m	15.5%	origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko): P178 Genotype: idem PK8, Pathenoclone
PK11	grey	brown and grey-black, zebra, eye spots, excrescences on thorax and abdomen	white color	white, short and slightly curved	cream-white	monovoltine	1.97g	543m	13.6%	origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko): P5D Genotype: ch/larve 1^st instar chocolate Ps/Pm larva moricaud; Ze/; K/; +a/, Parthenoclone
PK12	grey	translucent integument	yellow color	golden yellow	cream-white	monovoltine	1.72g	736m	15.6%	origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko): Pos Genotype: re/+; ch/+; p/+; lem/+; a/+;os/W Parthenoclone
PK13	grey	cream-white, eye spots, crescents, star spots, zebra		large golden-yellow, slightly curved	cream-white	monovoltine	1.81g		14%	origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko): P4n Genotype: ng/ng; Ze/; a/+; +ch/Parthenoclone
PK14	grey	grey, brown intersegment (zebra), eye spots, crescents, stra spots	white color	cream, ovoid	cream-white	monovoltine	1.69g		15.8%	origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko): Pze Genotype: rre/+; ch/+; lem/+; a/+; Ze/+; P/+;ng/ng Parthenoclone
PK20	grey	cream; eye spots, crescents, star spots	yellow color	small slightly curved	cream-white	monovoltine				origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko): PTK 23 Genotype: PTK23 selected from PK1, Parthenoclone
PK21	grey	cream, eye spots, crescents, star spots	yellow color	small, slightly curved	cream-white	monovoltine				origin: Ukrain (Dr Klimenko): PTS 63 Genotype: PTS 63 Selected from PK1, parthenoclone
PK18	grey	brown spotted, pigmented, eye spots, several crescents	yellow color	yellow, ovoid to cylindrical	cream-white	mono	1.71g	695m	15.5%	origin: Ukrain (DrKlimenko): P173 Genotype: pM/pM; L/; K/; +a/; +ch/+ Parthenoclone
PVN	grey, glued	grey slightly blue, eys spots, crescents, star spots	yellow color	golden-yellow, curvrd	cream-white					origin: Vietnam
VAR1	grey	cream-white, slight crescents	white color	white, cylindrical		monovoltine				origin: LEPA les Arcs 83460
VAR2	grey	cream-white, slight crescents ans star spots	white color	white, cylindrical						origin: LEPA les Arcs 83460
VAR3	grey, glued	grey strongly pigmented, eyespots, crescents, star spots	yellow color	golden yellow, ovoid, elongated		monovoltine				origin: LEPA les Arcs 84460
VM1	grey	cream-white slightly blue, slight crescents	white color	white, ovoid		monovoltine				origin: Vietnam previous name: 157K
VM2	grey	white-greyish, eye spots, crescents, star spots	white color	white, ovoids		monovoltine				origin: Vietnam previous name: 07
VM3	grey, glued	grey slightly blue, eye spots, crescents, star spots	white color	white, cylindrical						origin: True Chinh Vietnam previous name: K
VM4	grey, glued	white, slight crescents	white color	white, cylindrical		monovoltine				origin: True Chinh Vietnam previous name: T
ZB	grey	zebra (brown intersegment) eye spots, crescents, star spots	white color	white, cylindrical		monovoltine				origin: INRA St Christol (Mr Pascal) previous name: zébré blanc
ZJ	grey	zebra (brown intersegment), eye spots, crescents, star spots	yellow color	yellow		monovoltine				origin: INRA St Christol (Mr Pascal) previous name: zébré jaune