23 Kas 2024 Cumartesi
Acceptance of tertiary and non-food plants by eri silkworm, Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)
Abstract :Performance of fourth and fifth instar larvae of eri silkworm, Samia cynthia ricini Boisduval (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) on tertiary, papaya (Carica papaya L) (Caricaceae), and non-food plants, Indian acalypha, Acalypha indica L. (Euphorbiaceae), mulberry Morus alba L. (Moraceae), great morinda, Morinda citrifolia (Rubiaceae), white lead tree Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.)de Wit (Fabaceae) compared to its primary food plant, castor (Ricinus communisL) (Euphorbiaceae) was observed under laboratory conditions. Both fourth and fifth stadium larvae preferred castor followed by papaya. The fifth stadium larvae gained their weight both in non-starved and starved conditions whereas, fourth instar larvae losses the weight. Under Palayamkottai condition, first time, the biological traits like developmental times, reproduction and cocoon shell ratio was recorded. Results revealed that the tertiary food plant C. papaya can also be fed to eri silkworm on scarcity of castor leaves for successful production of eri silk
Eri silkworm, biology, tertiary food plant, non-food plants, preference, weight gain or loss, economic traits