Physiological changes of silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) Larvae fed on mulberry leaves supplemented with nitrogenous compounds

Abstract

Effects of mulberry leaves supplementation with three nitrogenous compounds on silkworm, Bombyx mori; larvae were analyzed. Dietary supplements of glutamic acid (0.5, 1 & 1.5%), glycine(0.5,1 & 1.5%) and urea (0.01,0.1 & 1%) were fed to silkworm larvae through Istto5th instar. The larvae were fed by mulberry leaves of Kokusou variety and the supplementary leaves were used once a day. These compounds showed significant changes in larval parameters such as larval weight and nutritional indices but these nitrogenous compounds could not improve the economic trait of silkworm. In some groups of larvae where the nutritional indices had been improved, the amount of cholesterol and triacylglycerol in the hemolymph increased significantly and the supplementation in these groups had a great influence on the amount of glucose in the larval hemolymph.