LARVAL GROWTH AND COCOON TRAITS IN BOMBYX MORI L (PM×CSR2) (LEPIDOPTERA: BOMBYCIDAE) RAISED ON MULBERRY LEAVES FORTIFIED WITH ALPINEA GALANGA (L) RHIZOME EXTRACT

The mulberry silkworm B. mori feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves and the leaf quality is as a sole factor governing the production of good cocoon crop. Improvement in the nutritional quality of mulberry leaves can enhance the efficiency of cocoon and seed production in silkworm. They act as growth promoting factors, indirectly helps in reducing further spread of diseases. Therefore the present work is selected to analyse the efficacy of aqueous extract of medicinally important plant Alpinia galanga on larval growth and cocoon traits. Larval duration, Larval weight (g), Cocoon, pupal and shell weight (g), Cocoon Shell Ratio (CSR) (%) were measured. From the present investigation it was understood that its application is an inexpensive source of fortificant for silkworm rearing. In this study plasmatocytes was increased during the concentration increased. The increased number of granulocytes and plasmatocytes can be related with the defense mechanism in B. mori, as both the haemocytes functions as phagocytes.