Vol. 12, Special Issue 11 (2023)

Author(s):
Gururaj, Megharani, Vilaskumar and Harish Babu S

Abstract:
In India, castor (Ricinus communis) is grown in various states using various cultivars chosen for the local conditions. Given that castor serves as eri silkworm's (Phylosomia ricini Boisd) major host plant for rearing eri silkworm as a secondary agriculture. In this view the study was planned and conducted in GKVK, UAS, Bangalore to find the effect of selected castor cultivars on consumption indices viz., ingesta, digesta and efficiency parameters like ECI, ECD on FW and DW basis were recorded during the study of Eri Chawki silkworms and DCH-519, 48-1, DCS-9, GCH-4, DCH-177, GAUCH-1, JC-12, and Bangalore local were the castor cultivars that were employed. According to the experimental investigation, Eri silkworms fed on GAUCH-1 cultivar leaves varied significantly in their food intake on a fresh weight basis throughout the first, second, and third instars (0.15, 0.27, and 1.16 g/larva, respectively). Similarly for food digestion during first, second and third instar on fresh weight basis (0.24, 0.23 and 1.04 g/larva, respectively) So, by considering above parameters and results the castor cultivar GAUCH-1 was performed superior in overall rearing parameters compare to other castor cultivars. Hence GAUCH-1 castor cultivar is suitable for Eri Chawki silkworm rearing in southern region of the Karnataka.