Effect of secondary nutrients on rearing and cocoon parameters of bivoltine double cross hybrid mulberry silkworm (FC1 × FC2)

Abstract

The present study on “Performance of tree mulberry applied with secondary nutrients and its influence on silkworm (Bombyx mori L.)” was carried out in the established V-1 tree mulberry garden at College of Sericulture, Chintamani during 2022-23. The treatments were formulated based on the recommendation for sulphur application in mulberry and proposed the recommendation for calcium, magnesium and sulphur in the ratio of 3:1:0.9, respectively. The rearing parameters viz., the mean larval weight (48.23 g/10 larvae), larval duration (7.26 days) and ERR (97.05%) was observed in the batches of silkworms fed with mulberry leaves of trees that received RDF+soil application of Ca:Mg:S:: 82.5:27.5:25 kg ha-1 yr-1. Also, the cocoon weight (2.54 g/cocoon), pupal weight (1.97g), shell weight (0.55 g/cocoon), cocoon shell ratio (21.66%), cocoon filament length (1356.57m), non-breakable filament length (992.27m), filament weight (0.43g) and filament Denier (2.88) were found significantly higher in the same treatment.