FEEDING PREFERENCE OF SILKWORM LARVAE DEPENDING ON BIOCHEMICAL ATTRIBUTES RELATED TO MULBERRY GENOTYPES

Objective: The silkworm rearing was influenced by different mulberry cultivars according to the biochemical properties of leaves. In this present study, a comparative analysis was made to investigate feeding preference of silkworm larvae depending on biochemical attributes of mulberry genotypes.Methods: For this purpose, seven different mulberry cultivars and one germ plasm namely Dudhiya was selected. F1 hybrid (Nistari × bivoltine) of silkworm larvae was reared under selected cultivars of mulberry leaves at different seasons. Biochemical assessment of all leaves was also done.Results: Among these, S1, V1 and S1635 mulberry cultivars showed higher amount of total protein, total sugar and chlorophyll, also exhibited better feeding response on economic attributes of silkworm. Maximum accumulation of ascorbic acid and glutathione was recorded during winter in Dudhiya leaves. The accumulation of H2O2, superoxide and lipid peroxidation was comparatively higher than other cultivars during stress period in Dudhiya. Statistical analysis revealed that larval growth and economical parameters depend on biochemical properties of leaves and inversely associated with excessive production of Reactive oxygen species (ROS).Conclusion: The scavenger and ROS ratio was properly maintained in S1, V1 and S1635 leaves which might help leaf metabolic homeostasis. Proper metabolic activities of leaves possibly will produce higher proteins and carbohydrates which were required for larval growth and silk production as established from the PCA plot analysis. Therefore S1, V1 and S1635 might be recommended for silkworm rearing or commercial cultivation purpose throughout all season.Keywords: Silkworm, Mulberry cultivars, Proline, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), MDA, Single cocoon weight.Â

Analysis of the Phytochemical Composition of Leaves of Six Superior Salt-Tolerant Mulberry Germplasm Grown Under Coastal Saline Soils of South 24 Parganas District of West Bengal, India

The nutritive value of mulberry leaves makes it the only food of silkworms (Bombyx mori L.). It is recorded that 6.73 million hectares of area are affected by salinity and sodicity stresses covering various states of the country, which is becoming one of the major threats to popularizing sericulture in India. In the present study, chlorophyll, protein, catalase, peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase content of leaves of six mulberry germplasm viz., English Black, Kolitha-3, C776, Rotundiloba, BC259, and S1 grown under coastal saline soils of South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India was investigated. Results demonstrated a sharp decrease in the chlorophyll (2.35 to1.19 mg.g FW-1) and protein (30.10 to 15.20 mg.g FW-1) contents of leaves of all the mulberry germplasm with increasing soil salinity (1.60 to 22.70 dS.m-1). On the contrary, the number of stress-related antioxidant enzymes like catalase, peroxidases, and superoxide dismutase increased from 1.15 to 5.43, 1.43 to 4.76, and 8.65 to 25.15 g-1 FW.min-1, respectively. Overall, the field study indicated the superiority of Kolitha-3 and C776 grown in Canning (Canning I and II), Basanti, Namkhana, Kakdwip, and Sagar blocks of coastal regions of South 24 Parganas. The study deals with issues of the utilization of scarce land promoting income-generating avenues like sericulture in saline areas

Antioxidant effect of ethanolic extract of <i style="">Piper betle</i> Linn. (Paan) on erythrocytes from patients with HbE-beta thalassemia

241-246HbE-beta thalassemia is caused by an interaction between HbE and defective b globin gene of thalassemia. Repeated blood transfusions cause an iron overload, triggering an enhanced generation of free radicals. In the present study, the anti-oxidant property of ethanolic extract of the leaves of Piper betle Linn. (PB) was evaluated in the erythrocytes from patients with HbE-beta thalassemia. In patients with HbE-beta thalassemia (n = 30) and age- and sex-matched healthy individuals (n = 30), the baseline level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radical scavenging activity in the erythrocytes was measured by flow cytometry using dihydrodichlorofluorescein diacetate (H2DCFDA), in terms of the geometric mean fluorescence channel (GMFC). The baseline generation of ROS was significantly higher in the erythrocytes from patients with HbE-beta thalassemia, as compared to healthy volunteers, the GMFC being 67.20 ± 4.64 vs. 23.03 ± 1.88 (p2O2 (0.5-1.0 mM) induced a higher increase in the GMFC in the erythrocytes from patients with HbE-beta thalassemia, as compared to controls which was effectively reduced by PB. Taken together, PB showed promising anti-oxidant activity against the erythrocytes from patients with HbE-beta thalassemia