Evaluation of some dietary components on certain biological aspects and digestive efficiency of eri silkworm [electronic resource]: i. Biological studies.

Includes references.

The different components of artificial diet offered the late larval instars of the Eri silk worm, Philosamia ricini (Boisd.) were evaluated to select the most appropriate components, which gave normal biological values, high amounts of natural silk and the maximum fecundity of mated female moths. The highest larval and pupal weights, the heaviest silk gland, the maximum weights of fresh and dry cocoons and cocoon shell as well as the high cocoon ratio were recorded after rearing the larvae on the artificial diet Suggested by Kaleemurrahman and Gouri (1982) after replacing tapioca leaf powder with castor leaf powder and adding sucrose, ascorbic acid (D5), followed by the same diet after replacing soybean powder with bran powder (D1), and the same diet after adding casein, sucrose, and ascorbic acid (D6). Therefore the first diet (D5) was recommended as a simple artificial diet for rearing this beneficial insect to obtain the highest fecundity and silk production.

Summary in Arabic.

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