UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

The present study evaluated the effect of silkworm pupal oil fortification on the growth performance of bivoltine silkworm larvae (Bombyx mori L.; NB4D2 × SH6) under subtropical conditions of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. Fresh Morus alba leaves were fortified with silkworm pupal oil at 3000, 6000, and 9000 ppm, while untreated leaves served as the control. Growth parameters, including larval body length, larval body weight, larval body perimeter, Overall Growth Rate (OGR), Compound Periodical Growth Rate (CPGR), and Gland-Body Ratio (GBR), were evaluated during the fourth and fifth instars. Silkworm pupal oil fortification significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced larval growth compared with the control. During the fourth instar, larvae fed 3000 ppm fortified leaves exhibited the highest final larval body length (1.34 ± 0.0003 cm), larval body weight (0.54 ± 0.0004 g), and larval body perimeter (2.25 ± 0.0005 cm), with corresponding OGR values of 26.42%, 145.45%, and 39.75%, respectively. In the fifth instar, the 9000 ppm treatment recorded the highest final larval body length (3.47 ± 0.0003 cm), larval body weight (3.06 ± 0.0004 g), larval body perimeter (3.33 ± 0.0001 cm), and GBR (36.75 ± 0.006), with OGR values of 104.12%, 215.46%, and 24.25%, respectively. Compared with the control, the 9000 ppm treatment increased final larval body weight by approximately 26% (3.06 vs. 2.43 g). The study highlights the potential application of silkworm pupal oil as a sustainable dietary supplement for enhancing silkworm performance and sericultural productivity.