Larvae, cocoon and post-cocoon characteristics of bombyx mori L. (lepidoptera: bombycidae) fed on mulberry leaves fortified with Kenyan royal elly

Abstract

Fourth instar Bombyx mori silkworm larvae were fed on mulberry leaves to which royal jelly had been added. The impact on the larval, cocoon, shell and pupal weight, shell ratio percentage, filament length and weight, and the number of breaks during reeling were examined. The results indicate that royal jelly-enhanced diet significantly increased larval, cocoon and pupal weights, but had no significant effect on shell weights and denier. Similarly filament length, weight and filament reeling breaks were significantly different between controls and royal jelly fed groups. The cocoon shell ratio percentage was significantly higher in the control compared to the royal jelly fed groups. Results established positive trends in all the values of different parameters observed in the experimental group against the control group, apart from the cocoon shell ratio percentage. Results imply that supplementing mulberry leaves with royal jelly has the potential to enhance the commercial qualities of silk and can be used in sericulture for yield improvement.