Juvenile Hormone Mimics as Biochemical Enhancers for Silk Production in Bombyx mori L.: Evidence from Plant Extracts

Aim: To study the Effect of juvenile hormone mimics on the biochemical parameters of silkworm.

Study Design: Factorial Complete Random Design.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Sericulture, Forest College and Research Institute, Mettupalayam during 2021-2022.

Methodology: Topical application of 20% and 30% acetone extracts of Juvenile hormone mimics at different interval of larval duration viz. IV and V instar of silkworm as single treatment (on first day of V instar) and double treatment (twice – first day of IV and V instar). Silkworm breed used Double Hybrid (FC1XFC2).

Results: Double administration at 20% and 30% concentration for Pinus and Tapioca treated larvae—increases, it is observed that the amount of expression of biochemical traits increases. Significantly higher silk gland protein content of (119.85 mg/g) was recorded in double dose @ 30% Pinus with highest fat body protein of 51.00 mg/g and least was recorded in untreated control. Serimore recorded highest aspartate aminotransferase activity (264.24 µg/ml) followed by Pinus (269.93 µg/ml) whereas 563.22 µg/ml and 558.31 µg/ml alanine aminotransferase activity recorded when treated with pinus and serimore respectively.

Conclusion: Among the phutojuvenoids, pinus was best followed by tapioca and then custard apple. Among tapioca series, tapioca plant showed best result followed by tapioca leaf and tapioca branch. In case of custard apple series, custard apple plant was better followed by custard apple branch and least by custard apple leaf. Pine was found to be on par with commercially available JHA serimore.