Effect of feeding mulberry leaves with additives to fifth instar larvae of silkworm (Bombyx mori (L))

Attempts were made to assess the effect of feeding the leaves of mulberry, Morus alba (L) (Variety: Kokuso-27) and Morus indica (L) (Variety: Kanva-2 and Baramatiwali) on the pattern of protein-banding in fifth instar larvae of silkworm (Bombyx mori (L) - Bivoltine Double Hybrid). Variations in number and position of bands were observed under the influence of various feeding materials. In all, twenty-nine protein bands were observed which received the leaves of Variety: Kokuso-27 of mulberry (Morus alba). Feeding the leaves of mulberry (Morus alba (L) with vitamins C and / or B, or the honey to the silkworm larvae, resulted into the formation of additional protein bands. The protein bands at 290, 35 and 7 KDa appeared in case of the worms fed with untreated leaves of mulberry, while the bands at 303, 49, 44, 37 and 21 KDa were observed due to the treatment with clover honey, which were absent in the control group. Similar variation in protein bands was observed with different types of feeding material e.g. different varieties of mulberry leaves alone, or those treated with vitamins, or clover, cotton and citrus honey.