Applying fuzzy AHP to determination of optimum selection method for economic cocoon traits improvement in silkworm breeding

Cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight and shell percentage have high heritability, economic values and importance in silkworm breeding. Different selection methods serves to improvement of these traits and each method has its advantages and disadvantages. Generally, Efficiency of selection method evaluates by genetic gain in given trait(s). Additionally, economic gain in production system, inbreeding and constrained costs are important criteria in method evaluation process, too. Methods have different ranking in each criterion and consideration of one criterion to identification of optimum selection method may create problems in long term. The objective of this study was to construct an approach based on fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (fuzzy AHP) for evaluating suitable method of selection to economic cocoon traits improvement in silkworm breeding. In this paper seven selection methods (A1 to A7) and four criteria (C1 to C4) are considered. These alternative and criteria, synthesize from the literature relating to silkworm breeding and experts’ knowledge. Fuzzy AHP has calculated the relative weights of chosen selection methods in order to reduce vagueness and ambiguity of information and ranking. It shows that the proposed fuzzy AHP model for optimum selection method in silkworm breeding can be a useful and effective assessment tool.