Barnyard Millet Extract Enriched Mulberry Leaves (Morus Alba L.) For The Improvement Of Silkworm (Bombyx Mori L) Growth, Cocoon And Silk Production.

Abstract

Mulberry leaves are considered as an effective food for silkworm growth. The present research was conducted to study the growth performance of the 4^th and 5^th stages of silkworm (Bombyx mori L), which were fed with G-4 variety mulberry leaves fortified with barnyard  millet  extract. This supplementary diet was increased the growth of late age silkworms. The 4^th stage of silkworm fed with G-4 variety mulberry leaves fortified with 2.0 % concentration barnyard  millet extract showed an increased average larval weight (0.89 ± 0.27 g) than the average larval weight in the control group (0.82 ± 0.27 g). The 5^th stage of silkworm fed with G-4 variety mulberry leaves fortified with high concentration barnyard  millet extract (1.0 %) showed an increased average larval weight (4.89 ± 0.32 g) than the average larval weight in the control group (4.41 ± 0.15 g). A significant difference was observed in parameters such as average larval weight, specific growth rate, weight gain, leaf supplied, leaf waste, and silkworm larval excreta at different concentrations of the barnyard  millet fed group of silkworms in the control group fed silkworms.