1Department of Biochemistry, Adarsh Institute of research & postgraduate studies, SRN Adarsh college, Chamarajpet, Bangalore-5600l8, India.
2Department of Life Sciences, Bangalore University, Jnanabharathi, Bangalore-560 056, India
Online published on 11 December, 2012.
Total haemocyte count, differential haemocyte count, changes in nucleus/nucleolar ratios of various haemocytes, as well as haemolymph protein and reducing sugar of fifth instar larvae of Bombyx mori L. inoculated with flacherie were studied. The inoculated worms received 250–300 spores/ml on the third day of fifth instar. The infected larvae showed 15.3% decrease in total haemocyte count (THC) when compared to healthy worms. Prohaemocytes and granular haemocytes, which form the bulk of the total population, were not influenced by Bacillus thurungienses, where as significant increase was observed in differential haemocyte count (DHC) of plasmocytes alone. Bacterial infection also influenced nucleus/nucleolar (N/Nu) ratio of plasmocytes and oenocytoids indicating their role in larval immunity process. Plasma protein and reducing sugars were marginally reduced on infection. The above results were discussed in the light of pathophysiology of silkworm on bacterial infection.
Silkworm, haemocytes, flacherie, Bacillus thurungienses, plasma
