Evolutionary responses for adaptation to hot and humid climate in the silkworms

Insects serve as valuable models for investigating plastic response mechanisms to high temperatures and humidity. However, the resistant genes associated with adaptive evolution and their underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Silkworm (Bombyx mori) is an economically important insect that exhibits a rich diversity of local germplasm, including strains adapted to tropical climates that can produce multiple generations annually. This study aimed to identify the thermal- and humidity-resistant genes and their evolutionary responses by utilizing two resistant strains, 7532 and 932, which have been preserved in tropical and subtropical humid regions.