UTILIZATION OF ALOE VERA (L) HERBAL TONIC FOR TREATING MULBERRY LEAVES BEFORE FEEDING THE FIFTH INSTAR LARVAE OF SILK WORM, BOMBYX MORI L. (RACE: PM X CSR2).

The influence of the dietary supplementation of Aloe vera (L) herbal formulation (containing principally the extract Aloe vera ) on the larval growth and the cocoon (economic ) parameteres of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori L. commercial cross breed race: PM x CSR2 during its fifth instars was experimented. Treating the mulberry leaves with the aqueous solution of Aloe herbal formulation and feeding the fifth instar larvae, in general, elicited better response of the growth and the cocoon characteristics of this silkworm. Specifically, the Aloe vera L. at 2.0 % concentration resulted higher larval growth and increased the weight of cocoon. The mean larval weight, relative growth rate, effective rearing rate, larval consumption index of the final instar larvae of silk worm, Bombyx mori L. increased with the supplementation of Aloe vera tonic. The average pupal weight and mother moth weight also increased as a result of this supplementation. Maximum shell weight and shell ratio were noted in the group of larvae fed with Aloe treated mulberry leaves. The fibroin content of the cocoon shell produced by this silkworm in response to the dietary supplementation of Aloe vera tonic treatment also showed significant increase over control. The overall performance of Bombyx mori in response to the Aloe vera herbal treatment observed in the present study and the evaluation index values worked out showed that the growth and the cocoon parameters could be improved with the supplementation of A. vera herbal formulation. Aloe tonic may serve to orchestrate the progression of larval growth through the fortification of digestion capabilities in the fifth instar larvae of silkworm, Bombyx mori (L) (Race : PM x CSR2).