Abstract

NUTRACEUTICAL EFFECTS OF SEAWEEDS IN AUGMENTING SILK PRODUCTION IN THE SILK WORM BOMBYX MORI

Jaculin Praba C., Pamdmalatha C., Nagarajan K. and Ranjit Singh A. J. A.*

Abstract

The present study on the nutritive potential of the methanolic extracts of Sargassum wightii on the growth of the larvae of Bombyx mori is found to be the first report. A dose dependent influence of the extract of the sea weed on the growth of silk worm larvae was revealed from this study. This suggests that the sea weed extract of Sargassum wightii is a good neutraceutical agent to promote the growth of B.mori. The contents of the extract might have influenced the palatability of mulberry leaves thereby increasing the digestive potential and metabolic process of B.mori. Form this result it is suggested that Sargassum wightii extract can be given as feed supplementing neutraceutical to B.mori.

Keywords: Sericulture; Bombyx mori; Sea weed; Neutrceutical; Sargassum wightii; Marine algae.