Tehran - Every breeding moth at Iran’s Sericulture Research Center is screened for pebrine disease before entering the reproduction cycle, a measure aimed at preventing transmission to subsequent generations and ensuring the production of healthy silkworm eggs, the center’s head said.

 

Reza Soorati Zanjani said producing healthy silkworm eggs requires rigorous scientific and laboratory procedures, including systematic monitoring of parent moths after egg-laying.

 

“At the Iran Sericulture Research Center, no moth enters the breeding cycle without undergoing specialized testing,” he said. “Each female moth is individually examined through the single-moth pebrine test to determine whether it carries the disease agent.”

 

Pe­brine is a major silkworm disease that can be transmitted from parent moths to their offspring. Detecting and removing infected specimens is therefore essential to producing healthy silkworm eggs and maintaining the sustainability of Iran’s sericulture industry, Zanjani said.

 

He noted that the center runs annual programs to maintain and restore its silkworm stocks, adding that producing healthy foundation and breeding generations requires continuous monitoring of the silkworm gene bank and strict biological controls.

 

Zanjani described the single-moth pebrine test as a key part of the center’s disease-control measures, saying it strengthens the biosafety of silkworm egg production and supports the long-term development of Iran’s silk industry.

 

“Under the microscope, we are not simply checking the health of an individual moth,” he said. “We are helping safeguard the health of future generations of the silk industry.”