沙漠研究 25-3, 233-235 (2015) Ἃ₍◊✲ Journal of Arid25-3, Land 233 -235Studies (2015) － ICAL 2 Refereed Paper － ̺ ̺ Journal of Arid Land Studies ICAL 2 Refereed paper Introduction of Japanese Silkworm (Bombyx mori) Breeds for Sericulture Redevelopment in Valley, Republic of Makoto IIKUBO*1), Yoshiko KAWABATA 1), Masaaki YAMADA 1), Umarov SHAVKAT 2), Javkochdive KAHHOR 3), Vyacheslav APARIN 4) and Tsutomu ARIE 1)

Abstract: Uzbekistan is the third-largest silk producer of the world after China and India. However, the production of high-quality silk has declined since the fall of Soviet Union, due to the undermined research, development and extension institutions that lead to the local and imported silkworm eggs with unstable quality. Japan used to be the world’s top silk producer from the turn of the 20th century till the 1970s, and made the highest-quality silkworm eggs that were sought for by other countries to improve their domestic silkworms. Under the Soviet regime, Uzbekistan had limited access to those eggs. In 2009, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency began a project in Fergana Province, with the goals of increasing cocoon production and improving silk quality by the introduction of Japanese autumn-breed Kinshu × Showa and spring-breed Shungetsu × Hosho silkworms. Local Uzbek farmers proved their skills in silkworm rearing, and the Fergana fiber industry demonstrated its capability in producing good silk threads. Thus, rehabilitation of the integrated Uzbek silk production system likely depends upon maintenance and development of the introduced silkworm breeds, and effective technical extension to cocoon producers.

Key Words: Central Asia, International technology transfer, JICA, Rural development, Silk production.

The project was supported by the local counterparts, namely 1. Introduction Uzbek National Sericulture Research Institute and Business Women Association. The rural-urban income disparities have been expanding in Uzbekistan A), while forty percent of the nation is still engaged 3. Materials and Methods in farming. Since the time of the Soviet Union, the Uzbek agriculture has specialized in large-scale cotton and cereal The experiment was conducted with three silkworm breeds production thanks to the Soviet-built irrigation network fed by including Japanese Kinshu × Showa and Shungetsu × Hosho, the Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers. However, the Uzbek and Uzbek Ipakchi-1 in the Fergana Province of the Southern farms have faced challenges such as an unstable economy Fergana Valley. Breeding areas (cities and district capitals) based on monoculture, contamination of groundwater and soil, are shown in Figure 1. and depletion of the rivers by excess water intake that led to In April 2010, a total of 1,370 grams of newly hatched regression of the Aral Sea (Micklin, 2007). Kinshu × Showa silkworms in seventy-two (72) egg-cases Uzbekistan has several thousand years of history in the silk were provided to fifty-two (52) farmer participants of industry. It is still ranked third after China and India in District in Fergana Province, who fed them from cocoon production, but its sericulture and filature has declined mid-April to mid-May. These farmers were selected by a after collapse of the Soviet Union due to hiatus of technology development. Farmers are less willing to produce silk because most of cocoons are traded at low prices (Homidy, 2013). With this backdrop a project was planned to improve the rural livelihood in Uzbekistan by introducing Japanese silk worm breeds capable of producing high quality silk.

2. Development Intervention

Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology ran a three-year project that started in September 2009 under the auspices of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Fig. 1㸬Silkworm breeding areas of the Project in Fergana Valley.

* Corresponding Author: [email protected] 㸦Received, August 26th, 2014; Accepted, March 6th, 2015㸧 The United Graduate School of Agricultue, 3-5-8 Saiwaicho, Fuchu, Tokyo , Japan Tel: +81-42-367-5564 1) Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology 3) Ministry of Agriculture of Republic of Uzbekistan 2) Uzbekistan Sericulture Research Instiut 4) Ministry of Geology of Republic Uzbekistan 234 local affiliate of the Uzbek National Sericulture Research TTableable 1 1.. Results Resultso off the thesil silkwormkworm r rearingearing in in2010. 2010. Institute, from six (6) hamlets of Yozyovon District namely YYieldield ( (kg)kg) p perer 11stst i ninstarstar CCocoonocoon Chulguliston, Ishtirkhon, Khonobod, Korasokol, Koratepa and RRearingearing a arearea B Breedreed FFarmsarms e egg-casegg-case 1 1stst ((g)g) ccroprop ( (kg)kg) Kotortol. ininstarstar ( (≈䍜1199gg)) Silkworms create cocoons after shedding their skins four KKotortolotortol 1166 41418.08.0 111199.499.4 554.54.5 KKrasokolrasokol 1100 25254.04.0 8803.203.2 660.00.0 times between the first and the fifth instar. Silkworms from KKinshuinshu IIshtirkhonshtirkhon 1100 29291.01.0 8866.066.0 556.66.6 ×× the first to the third instar are called young silkworms, and CChulgulistonhulguliston 88 18185.05.0 5564.664.6 558.08.0 SShowahowa from the fourth to the fifth instar are called grown silkworms. KKoratepaoratepa 77 16162.02.0 6613.013.0 772.02.0 The sensitive Japanese-breed silkworms, that may produce KKhonobodhonobod 11 660.00.0 1186.686.6 559.19.1 weighing large-sized cocoons for long quality silk thread, TTotalotal 5522 11370.0370.0 424232.832.8 660.00.0 a avg.vg. require special attention in feeding. The grown silkworms, especially at the fifth instar, consume a large amount of fresh TTableable 2 2.. Results Resultso off the thec cocoonocoon test testin in2010. 2010. mulberry (Morus alba) leaves under the moderate temperature AAvgvg c cocoonocoon AAvgvg c cocoonocoon CCocoonocoon s shellhell RRearingearing a arearea B Breedreed FFarmsarms with adequate ventilation for maximizing their potential in silk wweighteight ( g(g)) sshellhell w weighteight ( g(g)) raratete ( %(%)) production. The participating farmers were given guidance KKotortolotortol 1166 1.801.80 00.408.408 222.72.7 KKrasokolrasokol 1100 1.761.76 00.400.400 222.82.8 regarding feed dosages and temperature control. KKinshuinshu IsIshtirkhonhtirkhon 1100 1.721.72 00.399.399 223.33.3 ×× It was initially uncertain if Japanese silkworms were CChulgulistonhulguliston 88 1.741.74 00.386.386 222.12.1 SShowahowa adaptive to harsh breeding environment of Uzbekistan which is KKoratepaoratepa 77 1.871.87 00.435.435 223.33.3 dry and hot. Kinshu × Showa was selected for the first year KKhonobodhonobod 11 2.082.08 00.513.513 224.74.7 since it has excellent vigor with high silk quality. The TTotalotal 5522 1.831.83a avg.vg. 0 0.424.424 a avg.vg. 23.2 23.2a avg.vg. mulberry leaves of local cultivars were used as forage. Young silkworms were reared using floor feeding seven to Table 1. More than four (4) tons of cocoon were produced eight times a day, and grown silkworms were reared using from 52 farms with Kinshu × Showa breed, demonstrating that mulberry shoot feeding four to five times a day. After cocoon Japanese breeds can be bred in Fergana Valley even though it is harvest, the weights of cocoon crop and chrysalis were hard to breed. The amount of cocoon yield per egg-case measured of 52 participant farms. The weight of cocoon shell differed depending on the breeding area. Farmers in each that would become silk thread was assessed by subtracting the area have basic breeding skills since sericulture have been chrysalis weight from the whole cocoon weight. The rate of carried out for a long time. There was no difference in cocoon shell weight was calculated by dividing the cocoon mulberry cultivation method between areas, but there was a shell weight by the whole cocoon weight. difference in terms of rearing bed area per head of silkworm. In May 2011, newly hatched 1,076.8 grams of double Differences in cocoon yield per egg-case could be caused crossed Shungetsu × Hosho silkworms in fifty seven (57) by the differences in the area of rearing bed and errors from egg-cases were distributed to twenty nine (29) farms in four weighing the tiny hatched silkworms. The cocoon yield per areas, namely Tashlaq Town of Tashlaq District, Chulguliston egg-case was low in Kotortol Hamlet where the number of and Ishtirkhon Hamlets of Yozyovon District, and the Fergana silkworms per rearing bed was excessive, and it was high in Silk Center in Fergana City. The silkworms were bred from Koratepa Hamlet where farmers dispersed silkworms on their early-May to early-June with the same rearing method of the spacious beds with sufficient provision of mulberry leaves. last year. The Shungetsu × Hosho breed is more sensitive and Results of the cocoon test are shown in Table 2. A high difficult to rear than Kinshu × Showa breed, and produces percentage of cocoon shell weight is needed to produce more higher quality silk thread. raw silk. Cocoon shell weight lowers if cocoon weight is low In April 2012, hatched 4,698.0 grams of Shungetsu × (Ayuzawa et al., 1972). Table 2 shows that cocoon weight, Hosho in 247 egg-cases were provided to ninety nine (99) cocoon shell weight, and percentage of cocoon shell weight farms in four areas, namely Zarkent Hamlet of Tashlaq District, were high in Khonobod Hamlet, where increased frequency Town of Beshariq District, Vadil Town of Fergana and amount of feeding was realized for silkworms in the late District, and the Fergana Silk Center in Fergana City, and bred fifth instar. The lower cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight, from mid-April to mid-May with the same rearing method. and cocoon shell ratio at Chulguliston and Ishtirkhon, compared to other hamlets, might be due to the earlier rise in 3. Results and Discussion temperature that caused earlier mountings without sufficient feeding. The result from Yozyovon District in 2010 is shown in Results of silkworm rearing in four areas in Fergana Valley 235

TTableable 33.. Results ooff silsilkwormkworm rrearingearing in spring 2011.2011. occurred because large cocoons were not created due to

YYieldield ((kg)kg) pperer starting of cocoon creation sooner than planned. 11stst iinstarnstar CCocoonocoon RRearingearing aarearea B Breedreed FFarmsarms eegg-casegg-case 11stst Result of silkworm rearing in 2012 at Zarkent Hamlet and ((g)g) ccroprop ((kg)kg) iinstarnstar (≈䍜119g)9g) Tashloq Town of Tashlaq District is shown in Table 5. The TTashlaqashlaq 1122 3340.040.0 11177.2177.2 6565.8.8 cocoon yield per egg-case was compared between Japanese CChulgulistonhulguliston KKinshuinshu × 5 990.00.0 31313.23.2 6666.1.1 Shungetsu × Hosho and Uzbek Ipakchi-1. Results show that IIshtirkhonshtirkhon ShShowaowa 1188 5540.040.0 11728.0728.0 6060.8.8 SSilkilk CCenterenter 1 3360.060.0 11335.7335.7 7070.3.3 the amount of cocoon crop produced by Shungetsu × Hosho TTashlaqashlaq 1133 3326.826.8 11114.7114.7 6464.8.8 was ten percent higher than Ipakchi-1, which indicates that SShungetsuhungetsu CChulgulistonhulguliston 1166 3390.090.0 11099.1099.1 5555.9.9 revenue could increase by ten percent from the same labor if × HHoshoosho SSilkilk CCenterenter 1 3360.060.0 11343.3343.3 7070.7.7 farmers rear the Japanese race. TTotalotal 6666 232316.816.8 88111.2111.2 664.94.9 aavg.vg. 5. Conclusions TTableable 44.. Results ooff silsilkwormkworm rrearingearing in spring 2012.

YYieldield ((kg)kg) pperer Japanese silkworm breeds were introduced to improve the RRearingearing 11stst iinstarnstar CCocoonocoon BBreedreed FFarmsarms eegg-casegg-case 11stst ((g)g) ccroprop ((kg)kg) livelihood of farmers in the Fergana Valley of the Republic of aarearea ≈䍜 iinstarnstar ( 119g)9g) Uzbekistan. It was shown that Japanese breeds of Kinshu × ZZarkentarkent 3 145 145.0.0 2 270.070.0 3 35.45.4 Showa and Shungetsu × Hosho silkworms can be bred in the BBeshariqeshariq SShungetsuhungetsu 8899 4060 4060.0.0 9 9095.0095.0 4 42.62.6 VVadiladil × HHoshoosho 7 261 261.0.0 2 293.093.0 2 21.31.3 region. The cocoon crop with Japanese breeds increased 1.1 SSilkilk CCenterenter 1 232 232.0.0 4 417.017.0 3 34.24.2 to 1.6 times more than that with Uzbek breed, which resulted TTotalotal 101000 4698 4698.0.0 10 10075.0075.0 33 33.4.4 aavg.vg. in increased income for farmers. The production volume of cocoons should increase if continuous rearing skill guidance TTableable 55.. CoComparisonmparison ooff silsilkwormkworm rrearingearing bebetweentween Shungetsu Hosho and proper mulberry management are practiced. It is most and IpIpakchi-Iakchi-I bbreedsreeds in spring 2012. important to establish silkworm egg production structure in YYieldield ((kg)kg) pperer Uzbekistan and breed an Uzbek silkworm race that efficiently RRearingearing 11stst iinstarnstar CCocoonocoon BBreedreed FFarmsarms eegg-casegg-case 11stst produces quality cocoons for the future sericulture industry in aarearea ((g)g) ccroprop ((kg)kg) iinstarnstar (≈䍜19g19g)) Uzbekistan since the silkworm eggs for this experiment were ZZarkentarkent SShungetsuhungetsu 3 145 145.0.0 270 270.0.0 35 35.4.4 brought from Japan. TTashlaqashlaq × HHoshoosho 1133 326 326.8.8 1114 1114.7.7 64 64.8.8 ZZarkentarkent 3 150 150.0.0 232 232.0.0 30 30.4.4 IIpakchi-1pakchi-1 Acknowledgments TTashlaqashlaq 1133 330 330.0.0 1021 1021.2.2 58 58.8.8 Thanks are still due to those who contributed to this work on farmers of Fergana Valley. This work was supported by the Grass-roots technical in 2011 are shown in Table 3. 3,557.1 kg of cocoons were cooperation project of JICA and Grant-in-Aid for Science Research by produced from thirty (30) farms by rearing Shungetsu × Hosho. Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, 4,554.1 kg of cocoons were produced from thirty six (36) 2012 (MEXT International Scientific Research Program No. 24405005, farms by rearing Kinshu × Showa as a comparison. Thus, it headed by KAWABATA, Y.). was shown that Shungetsu × Hosho can be reared in Fergana Valley if rearing environment was carefully controlled because Note the Tashlaq Hamlet had a small difference in terms of cocoon A) UNDP in Uzbekistan: About Uzbekistan, http://www.uz.undp.org/ yield per egg-case depending on breeds, but there was a 10 kg content/uzbekistan/en/home/countryinfo/ difference in Chulguliston Hamlet. References Results of silkworm rearing in 2012 in Zarkent Hamlet of Ayuzawa C., Sekido I., Yamakawa K., Sakurai U., Kurata W., Yaginuma Y., Tashlaq District, Beshariq Town of Beshariq District, Vadil Tokoro Y. (1972): Cocoon. In Hand book of’ SILKWOORM REARING, Fuji Publishing Co.Ltd., 212-225. Town of , and the Fergana Silk Center are Homidy H.I.S. (2013) Status of sericulture industry, problems, issues and shown in Table 4. 10,075 kg of cocoons were produced from development strategies in the Central Asian countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Proceedings of rearing 247 egg-cases with 4,698.0 g of Shungetsu × Hosho the Scientific and Technical Reports. 6th BACSA International silkworms in 100 farms. Vadil Town in particular had a low Conference “Building Value Chains in Sericulture” “BISERICA” 2013, cocoon crop. The earlier temperature rise during the fifth 161-182. Micklin P. (2007): The Aral Sea Disaster. Annual Review of Earth and instar in Vadil Town probably caused the period of mountings Planetary Sciences, 35: 47-72. to begin earlier. Thus, the lower cocoon crop may have