EFFECT OF LEAF STORAGE ON NUTRITIONAL CHANGES IN FOOD PLANTS AND ITS IMPACT ON LARVAL GROWTH AND COCOON QUALITY OF ERI SILKWORM; SAMIA RICINI BOISD.

摘要

Experiments conducted on effect of leaf storage in different methods and duration on nutritional changes in food plants and its impact on larval growth and cocoon quality of eri silkworm during 2012-13 revealed that leaf preservation duration and leafstorage methods had significant effect on the nutritional value of the food plant leaves of eri silk worm. The leaves could be preserved up to 48 hours without much deterioration of moisture, protein and total soluble sugar for rearing of eri silkworm.Leaf preservation in Bamboo basket covered with wet gunny cloth is better than in poly bag and open floor considering the retaining capacity of nutrient contents in the food plants leave and larval growth and cocoon characters of the silkworm. Though castor is nutritionally superior for better larval growth and cocoon yield of eri silkworm, kesseru and borpat are better in terms of economic cocoon characters viz., cocoon weight, shell weight, cocoon shell ratio andpupal weight with higher retaining capacity of nutrients after leaf storage.