Impact of Nutritional Composition of Wild and Cultivated Mulberry Varieties on Productivity and some Biochemical Parameters of Silkworm Bombyx mori L. (Bombycidae: Lepidoptera)

Abstract

Two mulberry varieties, the cultivated variety, Morus alba var. Morittiana and the wild variety, M. laevigata, grafted on M. alba branches were investigated to assess the effect of their nutritional components on larval haemolymph biochemical constituents and economic traits of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. Results indicated that there were significant differences (p≤ 0.05) between the two tested mulberry varieties leaves in their nutritional composition. Protein content, free amino acids and nitrogen were significantly higher in the cultivated variety M. alba var. Morittiana, while reducing sugars content was significantly higher in M. laevigata with no significant differences between both varieties. Interestingly, total proteins and total carbohydrates were significantly high in haemolymph of larvae fed on M. laevigata leaves, while free amino acids were significantly high in haemolymph of larvae fed on M. alba var. Morittiana leaves, no significant difference was registered between total lipids content in haemolymph of larvae fed on both mulberry varieties. There were no significant differences between male full grown larvae fed on both mulberry varieties, while female full grown larvae weights were significantly high in larvae fed on M. laevigata leaves. No significant differences were found between cocoon incidences produced from larvae fed on the both mulberry varieties.

Preliminary Studies on the Humoral Immune Response of Mulberry Silkworm, Bombyx mori Larvae Fed on Different Mulberry Varieties

“…Removal of fecal matter and bed cleaning was done consistently. The silkworm rearing was conducted in the laboratory following the method described by Mahmoud (2017).…”