EFFECT OF MATRICARIA RECUTITA L. AS FOOD ADDITIVES ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF SILKWORM, BOMBYX MORI L

The present work was carried out at Plant Protec. Dept. Fac. of Agric., Fayoum Univ. during spring season of 2019 to study the effect of Matricaria recutita as food additives on some characteristics of silkworm, Bombyx mori L. Dried flowers of M. recutita were crushed and dissolved in distilled water to prepare different concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 mg/ml.). Results showed that, the larval mortality % of B. mori fed on mulberry leaves sprayed with different concentrations of M. recutita decreased with increasing each of concentrations and the stages of the larvae. On the contrary, the mean weights of each of the 5th instar larvae and pupae, increased with increasing concentrations with significant differences between treatment and control. For the duration of the 5th instar larvae, statistical analysis proved that there were significant differences between treatments. The means of, cocoon weights, cocoon shell weights and cocoon shell ratio, increased with increasing concentrations. Statistical analysis proved that there were significant differences between 0.4 mg./ml. concentration and each of other concentrations and control.