pebrine

American  

[pey-breen] / peɪˈbrin /

noun

1. an infectious disease of silkworms, characterized by a black spotting of the integument and by stunted growth, caused by the protozoan Nosema bomycis.

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Etymology

Origin of pebrine

1865–70; < French < Provençal pebrino literally, peppery, with reference to the black spots. See pepper, -ine ¹

Example Sentences

As a consequence pebrine and flacherie played such havoc that many people were beginning to abandon silkworm rearing and uproot their mulberry trees.

From Notes on Agriculture in Cyprus and Its Products by Bevan, William

After meeting with such great success Mr. Trouvelot lost all his worms by pebrine, the germs being imported in eggs received from Japan through M. Guérin-Méneville of Paris.

From Our Common Insects A Popular Account of the Insects of Our Fields, Forests, Gardens and Houses by Packard, A. S. (Alpheus Spring)

Thanks, however, to the Pasteur system, whereby pebrine and other silkworm diseases have been brought under complete control, the industry both here and elsewhere was not only saved but has been considerably developed.

From Notes on Agriculture in Cyprus and Its Products by Bevan, William

The most fatal and wide-spread disease, and one which since 1854 has threatened the extermination of silk worms in Europe, is the pebrine.

From Our Common Insects A Popular Account of the Insects of Our Fields, Forests, Gardens and Houses by Packard, A. S. (Alpheus Spring)

It may here be mentioned that the famous French cream-coloured race took seventy-five years to become fully established owing to the widespread damage caused by pebrine and, to a lesser extent, by flacherie.

From Notes on Agriculture in Cyprus and Its Products by Bevan, William