SUPPLEMENTATION OF SUGARY PRODUCTS TO THE MULBERRY SILK WORM, BOMBYX MORI TO ENHANCE ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.

The feeding efficiency of mulberry silkworm Bombyx mon was tested by supplementing mulberry leaves coated with three types of sweety products, Palmyrajaggary, Protinex - jaggary and honey - jaggary. The silkworms fed with mulberry leaves that were coated with jaggery and Protinex - jaggary showed a higher feed consumption rate and conversion efficiencies when compared with control. Also the high consumption of mulberry leaves supplemented and that were coated with sugary products increasd the economic parameters of the silkworm. Jaggery and Protinex - jaggary provided worms showed an increase in cocoon weight (18.43%, 16.01%), shell ratio (34.0%, 26.6%) and filament length (15.9%, 40.3%). Also the incidence of.bacterial infection was less in jaggary - Prôtinex trated worms. This observation adds an interesting note that the silkworm B. mon too prefers sugary products like other insects.