LOW COST FISH FEED FORMULATION WITH NUTRITIONAL GOLDMINE, SERI-PUPAE WASTE AND CONVENTIONAL AGRICULTURAL BYPRODUCTS FOR BETTERMENT OF FISH FARMER OF MANIPUR

Manipur is an important sericulture statein India contributing all the four traded species of silkworms viz. Samia Cynthia ricini (Eri), Bombyx mori (Mulberry), Antheraea assamensis (Muga) and A. proylei (Tasar) with a total annual production of 615.45 MT (2017-18). Enormous volume of silkworm pupa is discarded as seri-waste every year (about 70% of silkworm cocoon biomass). On the other hand, both spent and unspent pupae are complete nutritional package rich in protein (~41%), micro nutrients such as Iron (111 mg/100gm), Magnesium (622 mg/100gm), Calcium (~30.51 mg/100gm) etc and high antioxidant property (IC50 %, 68μg/ml, eri pupae) (Lokeshwori et al., 2019). Thus, seri-pupae considered as nutritional goldmine have immense scope forgood quality protein that can be used for animal feed, especially in aquaculture, petfood industry or poultry feed thereby generating additional income in the silk industry. Profitable conversion of by-products to high value utilities through post P harvest/cocoon technologies could reduce the production cost and maximize utilization of the bioresources to cater the ever-growing population and their demanding wants.