Response of Bombyx mori L. to leaf nutrition of Nepalese Morus genotypes

Common bivoltine silkworm hybrid was reared in Khopasi on Kanva-2 mulberry leaves till fourth stage. Larvae counted, weighed and placed in petri plates in the fifth stage before resumption and reared on nineteen native and exotic mulberry genotypes. Leaf ingestion was the lowest in Ichinose-C, Khopasi-3 and Chinese hybrid genotypes. The highest body weight gain, single cocoon weight, ECS to larva, cocoon and shell, AI, ECI to larva, cocoon and shell, ECD to larva, cocoon and shell, RGR and NGE  were in worms fed with Kanva-2. The lowest CI, metabolic rate and respiration was on Kanva-2 fed silkworms. The highest PECS, assimilation, RR, AD and GGE were in the silkworms fed with Chinese hybrid. The lowest values of ingestion per gram to cocoon and shell and digestion per gram to cocoon and shell were in silkworms fed on Chinese hybrid. Based on EI and SF values, Kanva-2, Chinese hybrid, Victory-1 S₅₄ and Khopasi-3 were ranked as top five genotypes.