Green synthesized silver nanoparticles and growth changes in the larvae of the mulberry silk worm bombyx mori

Silkworm being a monophagous insect derives almost all the nutrients required for its growth from the mulberry leaf itself. The silk worm nutrition is considered as a major area of research in sericulture. The traditional method of feeding the larvae with mulberry leaves is suitably replaced by mulberry leaf mixed with supplementation and artificial diets. The pathogenic microbes in the mulberry leaf may affect the gut micro biome of silkworm. This issue can be solved by supplementing the mulberry leaf with natural antibiotics like silver Nanoparticles. In the present study silver Nanoparticles were synthesized using the extract of the plant Acalypha indica as a reducing agent (GAgNPs). Two doses of GAgNPs (10% and 20%) were prepared from the stock solution. The multivoltine race L x CSR2 was reared by feeding with MR2 variety of mulberry leaves. Prior to feeding the larvae, healthy leaves of mulberry were coated with GAgNPs. GAgNPs treated 3rd, 4th and 5th instars larvae of B.mori showed an enhancement in the growth significantly when compared with the control. Our study emphasized that GAgNPs treatment has influenced the metabolic process in the larvae leading to a progressive weight gain.