Implications of Bioassay in Biotechnology with Relevance to Silkworm Breeding

Bioassay is considered as one of the important assays that contributes valuable information with respect to biotechnological approach, framing successful outcome in silkworm breeding program in the development of abiotic and biotic resistant/tolerant breeds. Bioas say is essential in evaluating consistency and stability of results obtained through biotechnological approaches. Data obtained through bioassay is crucial in all the developmental stages of silkworm life cycle from initial research approach to final inference. Other than the physicochemical and biochemical procedures, bioassay conforms precise validation of biotechnological results. It offers and extends the possibility of efficient trait detection as well as selection of individual with desirable features. Bioassay can be performed through qualitative and quantitative method for assessing the physical effects of a substance that may not be quantified, such as abnormal development or deformity, and estimation of concentration/potency of a substance by measurement of the biological response, respectively. Bioassay confers the detection of physiological responses, viz., mortality, larval growth, development, fecundity, and behavioral responses, viz., feeding deterrence, oviposition deterrence, etc. Determination of LC50, LD50, and LT50 is considered as important parameter in bioassay study which can be statistically analyzed through probit regression, and it will be explained in detail with example. Likewise, the survival analysis, viz., log-rank test, will be explained in detail which is a well-known tool that compares the entire survival experience among the groups and determines whether a significant effect on survival is present or is nonsignificant. The chapter will provide detailed information on the magnitude of bioassay mediated with biotechnological approaches to undertake silkworm breeding program efficiently.