FOOD CONSUMPTION AND NUTRITIONAL INDICES OF OAK TASAR WORM ANTHERAEA PROYLEI (JOLLY) FED ON QUERCUS GLAUCA

Abstract

Studies were conducted under laboratory conditions to evaluate the food consumption and nutritional indices for the development of Antheraea proylei larvae fed on Quercus glauca. Larval duration was 5.4±0.489, 6.4±0.48, 7.2±0.4, 9.8±0.74 and 14.2±0.74 days in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th instars, respectively. Larvae consumed a total of 28.85 g insect– ¹ day– ¹, egested 4.164 g insect– ¹ day– ¹ and assimilated 24.69 g insect– ¹ day– ¹ of food  provided. 82.3% of tissue growth was observed in the 4th and 5th instar larvae. Approximate digestibility (AD) decreased from 91.94% in the first instar larva to 80.79% in the 5th instar larva. Efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD) into body tissue and efficiency of conversion of ingested food into growth (ECI) increased from 1st instar larva to 5th instar larva. The result obtained in the present study indicate that Q. glauca could serve as an alternate host plant for rearing A. proylei in areas where the main host plant Q. serrata is not found.