Abstract

                                Studies were undertaken to assess the influence of amino acids onthe larval and cocoon characters of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. For theexperiments, three amino acids namely glycine, alanine and serine wereused at various concentrations viz., 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 ppm.Supplementation of amino acids to silkworm larvae was done once dailyfrom the first day of the fifth instar to spinning. The results revealed that allthe concentrations positively influenced the mature larval weight, effectiverate of rearing,effective rate of rearing, cocoon weight, shell weight, shell ratioand filament length. However, the improvement in all the parameters studiedwas highest at the concentration of 10 ppm, 100 ppm and 100 ppm,respectively in glycine, alanine and serine, over all other concentrationstested. Per os application of amino acids at specific concentrations alsosignificantly reduced the fifth instar larval duration, a desirable character.

Key words : Bombyx mori; Cocoon weight; Shell weight; ERR; Amino acids