DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2014.v02i04.006

Pages: 272-276

The nutritional supplementation of Amaranthus hybridus Linn. plant extract were tested against III, IV and Vth instar larvae of silkworm for improving the performance of growth and cocoon characteristics of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. The various concentrations of Amaranthus hybridus plant extract (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5 %) were administered to III, IV and Vth instar silkworm with mulberry. The larval weight, cocoon characteristics were influenced by various concentration of plant extract. The intensity of influence was depending on the time and dose exposure.The 2.0 % dose of extract was highly effective against the larval and cocoon characteristics of Bombyx mori. The mean larval weight, pupa weight, shell weight, shell ratio and filament length were increased at 2.0 % concentration of dietary supplementation over the control, whereas at 2.5 % concentration of plant extract caused adverse effect on the economic parameters. In the present study moderate concentration of Amaranthus hybridus extract have growth promoting effect in silkworm which helps to improve the economic performance of silkworm, Bombyx mori.