Silkworm and Silk: Traditional and Innovative Applications

Dear Colleagues,

The silkworm, Bombyx mori, has been intensively studied since time immemorial because of its economic relevance to silk production; on the other hand, with this insect being completely domesticated, the duration and any parameters of its development can be fully controlled by regulating environmental conditions. For this reason, this insect has been increasingly becoming a useful and suitable laboratory tool for research in genetics, physiology, animal nutrition, medicine, science of materials, chemistry, etc., just to mention some of the multiple application fields. Moreover, advances related to this insect have been accelerated by the sequencing of its genome. This impressive growth of knowledge related to the silkworm has encouraged the proliferation of sericultural advances described in scientific journals dealing with different topics. Therefore, there is a need to focus again on the unity of the sericultural sciences as a group of disciplines, with the silkworm as a binding element. The scope of this Special Issue is to give a comprehensive overview of the fields and applications for which the silkworm can be exploited, and even to reinforce the link between traditional sericulture and new technological horizons. In fact, silkworm rearing techniques and preservation, strain selection and maintenance, which represent the traditional activities, are the starting basis for any innovative application. In light of these considerations, the final purpose of this Special Issue is to establish a virtual dialogue between traditional sericulture and new trends in silkworm and silk valorization.

We would like to invite a) sericulturists dealing with traditional or new applications of sericulture and b) scientists involved in research on the silkworm as a biological model, or B. mori silk as a new material, to contribute to this issue with original research, reviews, or perspective articles focusing on how sericulture can contribute to the development of science, society, medicine, the environment, and economics. Any topics related to molecular, physiological, behavioral, environmental, social, historical, and other aspects of sericulture are welcome, as are reviews attempting to unify different research topics under comprehensive trends for future development.

Dr. Silvia Cappellozza
Prof. Dr. Morena Casartelli
Prof. Dr. Federica Sandrelli
Dr. Alessio Saviane
Prof. Dr. Gianluca Tettamanti
Guest Editors

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