Effect of plant extracted oils on biological aspects and silk production of mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera : Bombycidae)‎

Abstract EN

The effects of feeding silkworm larvae Bombyx mori L.

(Lepidoptera: : Bombycidae) (Egypt hybrid, Giza) on mulberry leaves supplemented with three plant extracted oils; sesame oil (Seassamum indicum L.), olive oil (Olea europaea.) and nigella sativa oil (Nigella sativa L.) at three concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 %) for one time (At the beginning of the fourth instar) and two times (At the beginning of fourth and fifth instars) on some biological and technological characters were studied.

Sesame oil (0.5%) decreased the grown larval mortality and increased the cocooning percentage, the moth emergency rate and cocoon shell weight, but 1.0% concentration increased fecundity, cocoon weight and silk filament size.

Olive oil (2%) increased the content silk ratio while nigella sativa oil (0.5%) caused more length and weight of reelable filament silk.