Performance of Different Mulberry/ Morus Sp/ Genotypes and their Effect on Mulberry Silkworm, Bombyx Mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)

Abstract

Mulberry /Morus sp / is the primary feed plant for Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). The studies were conducted in field and laboratory conditions with the objectives to evaluate the agronomic and their rearing performance of different genotypes of mulberry on silkworms. About 6 genotypes of mulberry namely, Nekemte, Jimma, M-4, K-2, S-13 and Local were evaluated in the field and laboratory. The treatments were arranged with RCBD in the field and CRD for laboratory experiments in three replications. Significant differences were observed in agronomic and rearing performances of genotypes of mulberry. In field, maximum leaf production per plant (371.3 and 373.1 kg/ha), fresh leaf weight (26,503 and 26,333 kg/ha) and dry leaf weight (8027 and 8268 kg/ha) were recorded from S-13 and K-2, respectively. However, minimum leaf weight (9435kg/ha) was recorded from local genotype. In addition, there were significant differences in rearing performances of silkworms fed on different genotypes of mulberry. Among different genotypes, silkworms fed on leaf of S-13 and K-2 gave better results such as cocoon weight (1.11g and 1.03g), pupal weight (0.924g and 0.864g), shell weight (0.187g and 0.168g), silk ratio (16.82% and 16.35%), as compared to other genotypes. In general, S-13 and K-2 showed better results in agronomic performances as well as in rearing performance of silkworms for improving silk production as compared to other genotypes.