Effect of medicinal botanical extracts on survivability of silkworm Bombyx mori (PM × CSR2)

Experiment on effect of some plant leaf extracts on larval and pupal mortality of Bombyx mori L. revealed that the larvae fed on mulberry leaf treated with aqueous extract of Psoralea coryleifolia registered lower larval and pupal mortality (3.00 and 3.08%). Among the botanicals tested, lower larval mortality (3%) was noticed in Psoralea coryleifolia followed by Phyllanthus niruri (5%), Tribulus terrestris (7%), Withania somnifera (12%) and Adathoda vasica (13%) and was significantly higher in control without any botanical treatment (24%). Further, the formulation 1:3 of all the botanicals exhibited lower (9.33%) larval mortality than 1:1 formulation (12%). The pupal mortality was also significantly influenced by feeding mulberry treated with different medicinal plant extracts during fifth instar. In addition Phylllanthus niruri (5.00 and 4.21%), Tribulus terrestris (7.00 and 5.39%), Withania somnifera (12.00 and 5.73%) and Adathoda vasica (13.00 and 11.63%), registered increased level of mortality when compared to Psoralea coryleifolia. However, these values were found significantly superior to control (24.00 and 18.41%). Among the formulations prepared by using distilled water and botanical extracts, 1:3 proportion registered better performance with respect to larval and pupal mortality (9.33 and 6.65%) and was significantly superior to 1:1 proportion (12.00 and 9.50%).