A comparative study of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) rearing under different sources of peptides isolated from Dudhiya and S1 mulberry leaves

Abstract

Silkworm is a domestic monophagous insect, produces only natural animal the fibre. Growth of silkworm larvae depends on nutritional components of mulberry leaves. In present study one attempt was made to investigate the role of low molecular weight (0.5-3 kDa) mulberry peptides on silkworm rearing. For peptide extraction, two different types of mulberry leaves were chosen, one from S1 which was preferred by larvae for feeding, another is a germplasm named Dudhia, refused by larvae. Peptides isolated from young S1 leaves showed higher larval growth followed by peptides isolated from mature and senescence leaves. High ERR% along with enhanced weight of single cocoon and single shell was observed in silkworm fed with S1 peptide treated mulberry leaves as compared with the same by Dudhia peptides. Elevated antioxidant activities were exhibited by S1 peptides than Dudhia at all maturity stages (young, mature and senescence). Significant correlation was obtained between antioxidant activities of S1 peptides and economical attributes of silkworm rearing such as ERR %, weight of single cocoon, weight of single shell etc. From our observation it might be stated that the farmers would have been benefited if they could use mulberry leaves treated with antioxidant enriched peptides as a food for silkworm rearing.