Efficacy of hydrogels under sensor based irrigation in tree mulberry on silkworm growth and cocoon productivity

Abstract

The silkworm growth and cocoon productivity during 2022-23 were assessed from a well-established V1 tree mulberry garden raised with the hydrogels under sensor-based irrigation. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with nine treatment combinations and three replications. The hydrogels were applied during beginning of first crop. Main plot includes two different types of hydrogels viz., Pusa hydrogel (T1- Pusa hydrogel @ 1 kg/ac, T2- Pusa hydrogel @ 2 kg/ac, T3- Pusa hydrogel @ 3 kg/ac and T4- Pusa hydrogel @ 4 kg/ac) and Zeba hydrogel (T5- Zeba hydrogel @ 3 kg/ac, T6- Zeba hydrogel @ 4 kg/ac, T7- Zeba hydrogel @ 5 kg/ac, and T8- Zeba hydrogel @ 6 kg/ac) and T9 -control without hydrogel. Tree mulberry grown with the application of Zeba hydrogel @ 6 kg/ac significantly enhanced the Effective Rate of Rearing (ERR) (95.68 per cent), maximum larval weight (46.50 g/ 10 worms), shorter Vth instar larval duration (7.16 days) and cocoon parameters viz., single cocoon weight (2.47 g), pupal weight(1.93 g), cocoon shell weight (0.53 g), cocoon shell ratio (23.02 per cent), single cocoon filament length (1368.67 m), non-breakable filament length (1187 m), filament weight (0.45 g), denier (2.95) and silk productivity (7.42). Hydrogels have the ability to retain moisture which can keep the mulberry leaves fresh for longer period and also lead to better silkworm metabolism which inturn enhances the cocoon and reeling parameters. Increased leaf consumption by silkworms due to their enhanced texture and palatability, resulting in improved nutrient uptake and cocoon formation.