Biochemical and bioassay studies on the influence of different organic manures on the growth of Mulberry Variety V1 and silkworm, Bombyx mori Linn.

The domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori Linn., is an insect of immense economic importance for sericulture industry, feeds on mulberry leaves during its larval period and spins silk cocoons. Keeping in view of the importance of silkworm, B. mori and its host plant mulberry the present study was carried out. The V1 mulberry plant was grown in four different organic manures viz., poultry manure, piggery waste, goat waste and cow dung to assess the leaf biochemical evaluation and the economic characters of silkworms. Leaf biochemical analysis was carried out for leaf moisture content, carbohydrate fractions, total carbohydrate, protein and lipid. The present study reveals that the poultry manure applied mulberry variety exhibited significant difference for all the parameters studied. The moulting percentage was highest in the larvae fed on poultry manure applied V1 mulberry leaves. The study also proved that the moulting in silkworm has an intimate relationship with nutritive value of the leaf. The nutritive qualities of the leaves of poultry manure applied V1 plant were found superior than that of other organic manure applied for V1 plants as the larvae fed on the poultry manure applied V1 leaves have shown higher values for most of the characters studied.