The nutritional status of a host plant has significant effects
on the ecology, behavior and physiology of herbivores
(Schoonhoven
et al
. 1998). Mulberry
Morus
spp. is the only
source of nutrition for silkworm
Bombyx mori
L. The growth
of the silkworm larvae and subsequent silk yield are greatly
influenced by the nutritional quality of the mulberry leaves.
Enrichment of mulberry leaves with supplementary nutrients
and feeding of the silkworms is a useful modern technique to
increase the economic value of the cocoon (Rahmathulla
et al
. 2007). The wide-reaching demand for raw silk
increased from 1960 to 1970 at 2.5% per year in the inter-
national market and the world’s total requirement of the
raw textile is 6000
¥
10
6
(Aslam & Ashfaq 2004). Many
researchers are currently concentrating on raising silkworms
on mulberry leaves supplemented with different chemica