Consumption and Utilization of Food by Different Instars of Oak Tasar Worm Antheraea Proylei (Jolly) Fed on Quercus Lucotricophora Plant

Abstract

The indoor rearing of Oakrntasar silkworm Antheraea proylei (Jolly) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) wasrncarried out in order to study its nutritional parameters viz. consumption,rnassimilation and tissue growth by feeding them oak twigs. During this study thernecological efficiencies of Antheraea proylei (Jolly) was studied in thernlab condition. Total duration of instar stages was found as 4.80±0.418,rn4.00±Nil, 4.80±0.418, 8.00±Nil, 11.66±0.723 days for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5thrnlarval instars, respectively. The recorded food consumption was 0.5841±rn0.4051, 1.0174 ± 0.253, 1.6289 ± 0.344, 4.4205± 1.602 and 6.4945 ± 1.503g insect-1 day-1 in 1st, 2nd,rn3rd, 4th and 5th larval instars respectively.rnThe values of leaf assimilation were 0.5779rn± 0.405, 0.9984± 0.250, 1.5656 ±0.3145, 4.050 ± 1.599 and 5.4992± 1.539 g insect-1 day-1, respectively. The tissuerngrowth was 0.0103± 0.0058, 0.0514±0.0436, 0.2158 ± 0.089,rn0.5165 ± 0.241 and 0.4453 ± 0.219grninsect-1 day-1 in all respective stages. The 1strninstars larvae showed maximum approximate digestibility (98.9634 ± 0.396),rnwhile the minimum value (84.7489± 1.972) was recorded for fifth instar larvae. They indicate the negativerncorrelation of approximate digestibility against food Consumption. The ECD value wasrnminimum (1.8152±0.330) in 1strninstar, while maximum (13.6596±2.596) in 3rd instar larvae. However, the ECI was also minimum valuern(1.7972±0.334) in 1strninstar larvae, while maximum values (13.1477±2.688) in 3rd instar larvae.