Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Vol. 6(9), pp. 539-546. December, 2018.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASRD2018.085

Full Length Research

Performance of different Mulberry /Morus sp. / genotypes and their effect on mulberry silkworm,  Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)

Metasebia Terefe¹, Kedir Shifa¹_, Abiy Tilahun¹, Ahmed Ibrahim¹ Kassa Biratu² and Afework Bogale³

¹Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, P.O.Box-436, Adama Ethiopia

²Jimma Agricultural Research Center, P.O.Box-192, Jimma, Ethiopia

³ Hawassa Agricultural Research Center, P.O.Box-06 ,Hawassa, Ethiopia

Corresponding author: Metasebia Terefe, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research Center, Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Melkassa. E-mail: metasebiaterefe@gmail.com

Accepted 19 November 2018

Mulberry silkworms (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae) feed only on mulberry leaves and the performance of mulberry silkworms are influenced by mulberry varieties. The studies were conducted in field and laboratory conditions with the objectives to evaluate the agronomic and their rearing performance of different genotypes of mulberry on silkworms. In the present study, six different mulberry genotypes K-2, S-13, M-4, Nekemte, Jimma and Local check were evaluated in the field and laboratory for agronomic and their effect on mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori). The treatments were arranged with Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in the field and Completely Randomized Design (CRD) for laboratory experiments in three replications. Significant differences were observed in agronomic and rearing performances of mulberry silkworms. In field, maximum leaf production per plant (371.3 and 373.1), fresh leaf weight (26,503 and 26,333 kg/ha) and dry leaf weight (8027 and 8268 kg/ha) were recorded from S-13 and K-2, respectively. However, minimum fresh leaf weight (9435kg/ha) was recorded from Local genotype. Moreover, there were significant differences in rearing performance of silkworms fed on different genotypes of mulberry. Among different genotypes, silkworms fed on leaf of S-13 and K-2 gave better results such as cocoon weight (1.11g and 1.03g), pupal weight (0.924g and 0.864g), shell weight (0.187g and 0.168g), silk ratio (16.82% and 16.35%), as compared to other genotypes. In general, S-13 and K-2 showed better results in agronomic performances as well as in rearing performance of silkworms for improving silk production as compared to other genotypes. Thus, the result obtained by feeding of S-13 and K-2 genotypes of mulberry contributes for improving the rearing performance of mulberry silkworms. Therefore, these genotypes are recommended for further research and development works of Sericulture in the Country.

Key words: Mulberry genotypes, Agronomic, Mulberry Silkworm and Rearing Performance

How to cite this article (APA Style):

Terefe, M., Shifa, K., Tilahun, A., Ibrahim, A., Biratu, K., Bogale, A. (2018). Performance of different Mulberry /Morus sp. / genotypes and their effect on mulberry silkworm,  Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 6(9): 539-546