Effect of levels of mulberry shoots biochar, farm yard manure and NPK fertilizer application to tree mulberry on cocoon parameters of silkworm, Bombyx mori L

An experiment was conducted during summer 2022 to study the effect of mulberry shoots biochar application to tree mulberry on cocoon parameters of silkworm. Tree mulberry grown with the application of 100% NPK+ FYM@ 10 t ha-1 + Biochar @ 15 t ha-1y-1 significantly enhanced the shorter fifth instar larval durations (7.76 days), higher larval weight (9.18 g/10) at fourth instar, higher larval weight (53.21 g/10) at fifth instar and cocoon parameters viz., single cocoon weight (2.63 g), pupal weight(2.04 g), shell weight (0.59 g), shell ratio (22.85%), average cocoon filament length (1499.06 m) and cocoon filament weight (0.59 g) followed by 100% NPK+ FYM@ 10 t ha-1 + Biochar @ 10 t ha-1y-1 with larval weight (2.52 g), pupal weight (2.00 g), shell ratio (22.62%), average filament length (1418.91 m) and cocoon filament weight (0.47 g). The study revealed that, application of mulberry shoots biochar along with FYM and RDF increased the rearing, cocoon and reeling parameters providing all the essential nutrients for mulberry growth compared to application of package of practice and absolute control and in turn it contributed for quality cocoon production. Utilization of sericulture waste generated during mulberry cultivation and silkworm rearing leads to generate additional income, entrepreneurship development in sericulture and value addition in turn contributing to achieve sustainability in sericulture.