We conducted oviposition preference in B. mori and found that they still prefer to lay eggs on mulberry leaves. Further we extracted volatiles from mulberry leaves and conducted a GC-EAD and found that moths responded to specific volatiles. When silkmoths were exposed to these volatiles in a oviposition-choice assay, they selected the papers treated with EAD active volatile as oviposition site. Apart, there was enhanced egg laying (Number of eggs drastically increased on treated papers [800] compared to control [370]). Is it that before domestication, the silkmoth with million years of co-evolution with mulberry may have developed "innate recognition templates" for mulberry volatiles to easily detect its host between a plethora of other plants.
Hi Vivek, Thank you for this wonderful question. I believe that B. mori's preference to increase egg laying on paper with EAD volatiles is something akin to the C. maculatus (cow pea weevil) preferring to oviposit on black eyed beans. I work with them. After splitting the primary population (lab based) onto different other bean types for over 3 years (e.g. mung, urid, nigerian honey, moth beans), there was a strong preference to the black eyed beans (personal observation) that could be maternally influenced. So, yes it could be (heritable) maternal effects. Look up some of Charles Fox's papers: adaptive maternal effects. Find some of his interesting articles attached with this answer. Hope this helps.
Hi Ramakrishna,
Thank you for your answer and the wonderful articles that i was not aware. Your experiment also seem interesting. Any publication from your side ?
Hi Vivek,
No, I haven't published on this. There are great papers on this already. Mine was basically personal communication for the sake of your interesting question. But,I will think about your suggestion and may be write up a paper soon...:), All the best with your work and keep updating researchgate of your exciting findings.
Hi Ramakrishna,
Its nice to hear about your interest in our research work and about publishing your results. I would really be delighted to see your publication in the near future. Yes, i will surely be updating my findings in ResearchGate.
Cheers
Vivek Kempraj
Hi Ramakrishna,
As a follow-up, we have sent a paper regarding our discussion titled "Centuries of domestication has not impaired oviposition site-selection function in the silkmoth, Bombyx mori" to Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Hope they accept it soon. Will keep updating you !!
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