EFFECT OF NUMBER OF FEEDING ON DISEASE INCIDENCE IN TASR SILKWORM, ANTHERAEA MYLITTA D.

Abstract

Tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta D. is a polyphagous insect and is reared out door on the food plant like as Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia tomentosa, Shorea robusta. Productivity of cocoon in out door rearing is poor due to attack of number of pests, predators and diseases besides natural vagaries such as, wide fluctuating temperature, heavy rain and stormy wind etc. Attempts were made in the past to increase the cocoon production by adopting various methods of indoor rearing particularly for early instar worms and also by improving the rearing conditions. In the present study, indoor rearing was conducted in wooden tray supported with wooden rearing frames specially designed for young age and late age silkworms. Trials were taken up to determine optimum number of feeds per day for indoor rearing of tasar silkworm and there effects on disease incidence. Three feed per day resulted significantly lower mortality of worms due to diseases and other factors (65% and 70% during I and II crop respectively). Larval period was also recorded less under three feeding condition. Significant increase in commercial characters (cocoon weight and shell weight) was observed under three feedingscondition than other feeding treatments.