Growth And Dietary Efficiency of Artificial Nutrients Fortification of Bombyx Mori (L).

Abstract

Sericulture has been serving the humanity by providing natural animal silk for several centuries. The quality as well as the quantity of mulberry leaves along with environmental factors have a direct influence on the production of raw silk spun by Bombyx mori L.  Larvae before pupation in the form of cocoons. Study on the nutritional aspect of the silkworm is an essential prerequisite for its proper commercial exploitation. Silkworm nutrition is the sole factor which has almost individually augmented the quality and quantity of the silkworm cocoon production and productivity. Despite the balancing of the silkworm nutrients by the mulberry leaf, the quantity available is not sufficient for the larval growth owing to variation in mulberry plant and in its management. This created a requirement for the dietary fortification with good quality mulberry leaves in optimum quantity for successful cocoon production.  In this study, mulberry leaves were fortified with Honey, Glucose, B- complex, Lemon and Calciferol and the growth and dietary efficiency of the larvae fed with the fortified diet were evaluated. The results indicated improvement in terms of growth as well as cocoon parameters. Our studies support the concept of dietary fortification the Mulberry leaves fed to silkworm for netter production of silk.