Impact of Leaf Fortification and Semi-synthetic Diet on Pupal Parameters of FC1 × FC2 Silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

Abstract

In sericulture industry, silkworm pupae are often regarded as waste, but this waste material is the treasure of nutrition and has a high demand in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Nutrition affects the larval growth which affects the pupal parameters. So, an attempt was made to evaluate the effect of leaf fortification and semi-synthetic diet on pupal parameters of FC1 × FC2 silkworm, Bombyx mori Linnaeus. Chawki (I and II instars) rearing was done on only mulberry leaves while late age rearing (III, IV and V instars) on fortified leaves and semi-synthetic diet. Fortified leaves contained spirulina (2.5 % w/v), corn flour (4 % w/v), soya flour (5 % w/v), cowpea seed powder (10 % w/v), pumpkin seed powder (50, 100 and 150 mg) dusted per leaf for late age instars larvae (III, IV and V instars), respectively and semi-synthetic diet as per the feeding requirement were fed to third instars onwards. All the fortified leaf treatments as well as semi-synthetic diet treatment enhanced the pupal parameters over control. Ten per cent cowpea seed powder solution fortification significantly recorded superior pupal parameters with pupal length (2.94 cm), pupal breadth (12.32 mm) and pupal weight (1.76 g) followed by pumpkin seed powder fortification with pupal length (2.87 cm), pupal breadth (12.07 mm) and pupal weight (1.74 g). Lower performance in semi-synthetic diet may be attributed to diet transition while lowest performance was observed in the control.