Impact of artificial diet on growth, development and economic parameters of late age eri silkworm

Eri silkworm rearing was conducted to evaluate the suitability of artificial diets to mitigate host plant requirements during unfavorable conditions. Late-age eri silkworm worms were fed with both castor and tapioca-based diets. In control, leaves of the respective host plants were given. Larvae fed on a castor-based diet from the fifth instar onwards recorded the least larval duration among the artificial diet treatments. Fifth-instar larvae fed a castor-based diet recorded a better shell ratio (11.06%) than larvae fed on the tapioca-based diet. Nil healthy moths were developed in both castor and tapioca-based diets reared fourth and fifth instar larvae. These results proved the unsuitability of both artificial diets for rearing and it must be improved further concerning the anti-nutritional factors present in the diets.