Synergetic Effect of Ascorbic Acid and Lemon Juice on the Growth and Protein Synthesis in the Silkworm, Bombyx Mori and Its Influence on Economic Traits of Sericulture

The effect of ascorbic acid and lemon juice on the silkworm, Bombyx mori has been studied with reference to larval growth, protein synthesis and silk production. Both these exogenous factors, when supplemented with mulberry diet, showed positive impact on larval growth during the fourth and fifth instar developmental stages. The analysis of growth trends in terms of compound periodical growth rates showed that, the larval growth was more pronounced in fourth instar compared to fifth instar. Day-wise analysis of total protein profiles showed that 1% ascorbic acid caused an elevation in their levels in silk gland and haemolymph, but lemon juice showed no significant impact on protein synthesis. Synergetically, both ascorbic acid and lemon juice are quite effective against protein profiles of fat body, but silk protein levels were not much influenced by them. Ascorbic acid yielded significant gains in economic parameters such as the cocoon weight, pupal weight, raw silk weight and denier and the lemon juice in shell weight, shell protein and denier. Synergistically, they caused an elevation in floss protein content, which is a sericultural wastage. Though, the nutritional importance of ascorbic acid is well substantiated, the role of lemon juice needs further investigations at higher concentrations.