Genotype × diet interaction in Uzbek breeds and hybrids of the silkworm (Bombyx mori) for enabling year-round sericulture

Abstract. Bakhtiyar M, Anvar M, Diloram I, Arzigul T, Ismoil R. 2025. Genotype × diet interaction in Uzbek breeds and hybrids of the silkworm (Bombyx mori) for enabling year-round sericulture. Asian J Agric 9: 808-817. Sericulture in Uzbekistan faces seasonal limitations due to dependence on fresh mulberry leaves, limiting cocoon production to one or two cycles per year. This study evaluated the interaction between genotype and diet type in ten Bombyx mori genotypes—five pure breeds (Ipakchi-5, UzNIISH-9, Ipakchi-1, Gulshan, and Nafis) and five hybrids (Zarafshon, Gulshan × Nafis, Oltin Vodiy, Kumush Tola, and Navruz)—to assess adaptability to artificial feeding for year-round sericulture. Larvae were reared on four diets: freeze-dried mulberry leaves, convectively dried leaves, a Japanese standard artificial diet, and natural leaves as a control. Biological and technological traits were analyzed using two-way ANOVA (Diet × Genotype) and Tukey’s HSD test. Results showed significant effects of both diet and genotype (p