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Does feeding of silkworm Bombyx mori on supplementing vitamin C under thermal stress affect its performance?

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Abstract

The influence of oral supplementation of ascorbic acid to the fifth instar bivoltine silkworm larvae under thermal stress was studied. Dietary supplementation of ascorbic acid (.2%) to silkworm larvae through 1st to 5th instar was done to evaluate the physiological traits like the rate of consumption and utilization of food, the rate of digestibility, coefficient of utilization, and growth rate of larva, and quality parameters of cocoon were studied. The observations were analyzed by using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT). In the present study, it has been observed that the feed efficacy and growth rate of silkworm larvae, enhanced by the supplementation of vitamin C. compared to the control and heat shock exposed groups. The results suggest that ascorbic acid potentiates the antioxidant activity to withstand thermal stress and supplementation of vitamin C may enhance the feeding efficiency of the larvae and inturn produce quality cocoons.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Dr. Mohandas. T.P. Scientist D. P2 Basic Seed Farm, N.S.S.O., Central Silk Board Govt. of India, Pallatheri, Palakkad for providing help during this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PG & Research Department of Zoology, Government Victoria College (University of Calicut affiliated), Palakkad, Kerala, 678001, India

    Aneesha Udayan & C. V. Sreeranjit Kumar

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  1. Aneesha Udayan
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  2. C. V. Sreeranjit Kumar
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Correspondence to Aneesha Udayan.

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Udayan, A., Kumar, C.V.S. Does feeding of silkworm Bombyx mori on supplementing vitamin C under thermal stress affect its performance?. Int J Trop Insect Sci 42, 3771–3775 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-022-00901-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-022-00901-8

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