Application of Amla Juice as Supplementary Nutrient on Biomolecules and Commercial Parameters in Bombyx mori L.

The silkworm Bombyx mori L. is a lepidopteran insect used as laboratory tool for various experiments. Being a domesticated insect it has been reared mainly for the production of silk. The successful production of the silk not only governed by dynamic environmental factors but also affected by quality of mulberry leaf provided to silkworm. Hence, dietary nutrients are the most important factor which determine quality and quantity of silk production. An experiment was carried out to know the impact of mulberry leaf fortified with amla juice at varied concentrations viz., 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6% on protein and carbohydrate contents as well as commercial parameters in the FC1 silkworm hybrid. The larvae reared on amla at 0.2% concentration registered higher protein and carbohydrate contents in the fat body and midgut tissue over absolute and distilled water control. However, carbohydrate and protein contents were relatively higher in the fat body when compared to midgut tissue in all the treatments. A similar trend was also observed at 0.2% concentration for commercial parameters such as larval weight, cocoon weight, shell weight, pupal weight, shell ratio, filament length, filament weight, denier, renditta and raw silk percentage.

Kiran Kumara D*1, M. N. Anil Kumar1, Sandya B. Raju1 and Chethan B. K.2 Click here to download file

Research Article | Published online : 16-Apr-2024