The silkworm Bombyx mori L. is a lepidopteran insect used as laboratory tool for various experiments. Being a domesticated insect it has been reared mainly for the production of silk. The successful production of the silk not only governed by dynamic environmental factors but also affected by quality of mulberry leaf provided to silkworm. The feeding of nutritionally enriched leaves provide better growth and development of silkworm larvae, as well as directly influence the quality and quantity of silk production. Hence, dietary nutrients are the most important factor which determine quality and quantity of silk production. An experiment was carried out to know the impact of mulberry leaf fortified with aloe vera at varied concentrations viz., 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6% on larval, cocoon and silk parameters in the FC2 silkworm bivoltine hybrid. The study reveals that larvae feed on mulberry fortified with aloe vera at 0.6% treatment yielded the most pronounced improvements in economic parameters. Specifically, larval weight (4.96 g), cocoon weight (2.13 g) shell weight (0.50 g), pupal weight (1.62 g), shell ratio (23.64 %), filament length (1288m), filament weight (0.43 g), renditta (0.43), denier (3.04) and raw silk percentage (20.45 %) were all significantly higher compared to both control and lower-concentration treatments. The outcome of the study indicated that, there is profound increase due to aloe vera treatment in larval growth and cocoon characters than the control with enhanced quantity and quality silk production.

Aloe vera, fortification, mulberry, silkworm, cocoon and silk parameter

The silkworm larvae nourished by mulberry larvae fortified with aloe vera reveled promising results. The larvae fed mulberry leaves supplemented with 0.6% aloe vera, enhancing all the commercial parameters. Hence, farmers can use aloe vera (0.6%) for commercial rearing. Mulberry leaves are a traditional food for silkworms, but adding aloe vera to their diet seems to have improved their growth and other commercial parameters. Aloe vera is rich in vitamin A, C, E and other nutrients, which could be contributing to the positive effects observed in the silkworms. By supplementing mulberry leaves with 0.6% aloe vera, farmers can potentially enhance the quality and yield of silk produced by silkworms. This could be particularly beneficial for commercial silk production, as it may lead to higher yields or better-quality silk, ultimately increasing profitability for farmers. Overall, this finding holds promise for silk farmers looking to improve their yields and product quality of mulberry.

Roja V., Yashaswini B.R. and Sushmitha C. (2025). Impact of Aloe vera Juice as Supplementary Nutrient on Larval, Cocoon and Silk Parameters in Bombyx mori L. Biological Forum, 17(9): 39-44.