Effect of preservation of mulberry leaf on the development of bacterial flacherie and on larval and cocoon parameters of silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

Highest larval mortality (59.86%) was recorded when the bacterial flacherie infected larvae were reared with leaves without preservation and lowest mortality (49.71%) was recorded when the flacherie infected larvae were reared on leaves preserved for 24 h. Maximum larval (1.22g), cocoon (1.02g) and shell weights (0.14g) were recorded when infected larvae reared on leaves without preservation and minimum larval (0.89g), cocoon (0.84g), and shell weights (0.07g) were recorded when the larvae were reared on 24 h preserved leaves. Highest shell ratio of 14.20 percent was recorded when infected larvae were reared on fresh leaves. Lowest shell ratio of 8.3 percent was recorded when the infected larvae were reared on 24 h preserved leaves.