Abstract

Oral supplementation with 50, 100 and 150 µg/ml potassium carbonate to the silkworm larvae resulted in a significant increase in the larval weight except 50  µg/ml and silkgland weight in all the fed groups, cocooning percentage in all the fed groups, female cocoon weight increased in 100 and 150 µg/ml groups, female cocoon shell weight in only 150 µg/ml groups, female cocoon shell ratio only 150 µg/ml groups, male cocoon weight and male cocoon shell weight increased in only 150 µg/ml treated groups but shell ratio is increased in all the treated groups, filament length and weight were significant increased in all the treated groups. The moth emergence percentage, fecundity and hatching percentage were significantly increased in all the treated groups, number of eggs per ovariole and length of the ovariole were significantly increased in 100 and 150 µg/ml treated groups except 50 µg/ml fed groups.

 

                   The dietary supplementation with 50, 100 and 150 µg/ml magnesium carbonate resulted in a significant increase in survival rate in all the treated groups, female cocoon shell weight was increased only in 150 µg/ml fed groups, no change in shell ratio in 50 µg/ml fed groups, male cocoon weight and shell weight were increased only 150 µg/ml fed groups, shell ratio was increased in all the treated groups, filament length and weight were significantly increased in all the treated groups. The moth emergence percentage was increased only 150 µg/ml fed groups, fecundity, hatching percentage and length of the ovariole were significantly increased in all the treated groups, number of eggs per ovariole was significantly increased in 100 and 150 µg/ml fed groups.

 

                     The oral supplementation with 50, 100 and 150 µg/ml minerals mixture of potassium carbonate and magnesium carbonate to the silkworm larvae resulted in a significant increase in the larval weight, silkgland weight and survival rate in all the treated groups, female cocoon weight, shell weight and it’s ratio, were significantly increased in 100 and 150 µg/ml fed groups, but male cocoon weight was significantly increased only in 150 µg/ml fed groups, where as male cocoon shell weight and shell ratio were increased in 100 and 150 µg/ml fed groups, filament length and weight was significantly increased in all the treated groups. The moth emergence percentage, hatching percentage and fecundity were significantly increased in all the treated groups, number of eggs per ovariole were increased in 100 and 150 µg/ml fed groups where as length of the ovariole was significantly increased in all the treated groups.