Impact of Medicinal Plant Extracts on Cocoon Traits of Silkworm Bombyx mori L.

Author: Ovais Ahmad Hajam, Zia-ul- Haque Rufaie, Omais Bin Ayoub, Aroos Rauf Rafiqui, Arif Bashir and Mudasir Hamid

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Abstract

The study investigated the effects of fortifying mulberry leaves with medicinal plant extracts viz., Aloe vera, Ocimum sanctum and Withania somnifera on the cocoon parameters of the silkworm hybrid (CSR2 × CSR4). The experiment was conducted over two seasons (spring and autumn) from 2021 to 2023 under temperate climatic conditions of Kashmir. The research aimed enhance silkworm growth and silk productivity by enriching mulberry leaves with different concentrations (1%, 2% and 3%) of the plant extracts. The experiment was laid down under Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and 200 silkworm larvae per replication per treatment were reared to evaluate various economic traits such as cocoon weight, shell weight and shell percentage. The results revealed significant improvements in cocoon parameters, with O. sanctum (3%) producing the highest single cocoon weight (2.40 g) and shell weight (0.54 g) during the spring season. Similarly, A. vera and W. somnifera exhibited positive effects on these parameters over control. The findings suggest that the fortified mulberry leaves offer a promising strategy to enhance its nutritional quality and ultimately improve silk production.

Keywords

Mulberry, fortification, medicinal, cocoon

Conclusion

The present study demonstrates that fortifying mulberry leaves with medicinal plant extracts, specifically Aloe vera, Ocimum sanctum and Withania somnifera, significantly enhances the cocoon parameters of the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. The enriched diet improved key economic traits, including cocoon weight, shell weight, and shell percentage, with the highest performance observed at 3% concentrations of Ocimum sanctum and Aloe vera. These improvements can be attributed to the bioactive compounds present in the extracts, which enhanced larval growth, silk gland development, and overall silk production. The findings highlight the potential of using fortified mulberry leaves as a strategic nutritional intervention to optimize silkworm rearing, ultimately benefiting sericulturists by increasing raw silk yield and quality. This approach offers a sustainable and cost-effective means to overcome nutritional deficiencies in silkworm diets, promoting better commercial outcomes. Future research should focus on identifying the active principles in these extracts and refining their application methods to further enhance the efficacy and scalability of this fortification strategy in sericulture.

References

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How to cite this article

Ovais Ahmad Hajam, Zia-ul- Haque Rufaie, Omais Bin Ayoub, Aroos Rauf Rafiqui, Arif Bashir and Mudasir Hamid (2024). Impact of Medicinal Plant Extracts on Cocoon Traits of Silkworm Bombyx mori L. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 16(8): 337-342.