Studies on the growth rate of silkworm bombyxmori (l.)(lepidoptera: bomycidae) fed with control and natural dye treated mr2 mulberry leaves in relation to silk production

The silkworm, Bombyxmori being a monophagous insect, derives all the nutrients required for its growth from the mulberry leaves. The quality of silk produced by the silkworm depends on the quality and yield of mulberry leaf as well as environmental conditions. The larval and pupal parameters of silkworm Bombyxmori fed with vegetable dyes treated MR2 mulberry leaves, the following works have been considered. The vegetable dye was treated on fresh mulberry leaves (Morus alba L.) were sprayed by each concentration and were fed to silkworm from 3rd , 4th and ,5th instar for four feeding were recommended. Then, group T2,T3,T4,T5and control T1 sprayed mulberry leaves with vegetable dye and distilled water, respectively. Silkworm larvae fed on Morusalba (L.) (MR2) leaves sprayed with 1 gram indigo was significantly increased the larvae and cocoon length, width and weight, cocoon shell weight, pupal weight, shell ratio and silk filament length as compared to those fed on control (group T1) MR2 mulberry leaves and other groups (T3,T4 and T5). It has been observed from the present study that 1 gram indigo treated (group T2) leaves fed by silkworms have enhanced the larval and pupal growth and quantity of silk production than control.