Effect of Nutritional Supplementation of Quercus serrata Leaves on Growth, Development and Productivity of Oak Tasar Silkworm (Antheraea proylei)

Sapna Devi

Department of Zoology, Sri Sai University, Palampur 176081, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Shalini Sugha

Department of Zoology, Sri Sai University, Palampur 176081, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Priyanka Rana *

Department of Zoology, Sri Sai University, Palampur 176081, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Payal Thakur

Department of Zoology, Sri Sai University, Palampur 176081, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Ankita Vats

Department of Zoology, Sri Sai University, Palampur 176081, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India.

Ankita Dhiman

Department of Zoology, Sri Sai University, Palampur 176081, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

Oak tasar sericulture is an important agro-based activity that supports the livelihoods of rural and tribal communities in the Himalayan region of India. The nutritional quality of host-plant leaves consumed by larvae strongly influences oak tasar silkworm growth, cocoon formation and silk productivity. This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation of Quercus serrata leaves on the growth, development, nutritional efficiency and silk output of the oak tasar silkworm, Antheraea proylei. The experiment was conducted from August to December 2025 at the Central Tasar Research and Training Institute, Chauntra, Himachal Pradesh, using a completely randomised design with six treatments: Amla extract, Tulsi extract, Neem extract, Sericin extract, Spirulina extract and an untreated control. Biological, nutritional and economic traits, including larval length, larval breadth, larval weight, cocoon weight, silk filament length, leaf consumption, larval assimilation, tissue growth efficiency, approximate digestibility and moth emergence, were recorded. Nutritional supplementation influenced most measured traits. Among the supplements tested, Spirulina extract produced the most favourable response, with higher larval growth, nutritional utilisation, cocoon weight and silk filament length than the untreated control. Sericin extract also improved several growth and cocoon-related traits, while Amla, Tulsi and Neem extracts showed moderate effects. The findings indicate that enrichment of Q. serrata leaves can improve larval performance, food utilisation and silk productivity in A. proylei, with Spirulina extract showing the greatest practical potential under the conditions of this study.

Keywords: Antheraea proylei, Quercus serrata, oak tasar silkworm, host-plant supplementation, Spirulina extract, sericin extract, larval growth, nutritional efficiency, cocoon weight, silk filament length


How to Cite

Devi, Sapna, Shalini Sugha, Priyanka Rana, Payal Thakur, Ankita Vats, and Ankita Dhiman. 2026. “Effect of Nutritional Supplementation of Quercus Serrata Leaves on Growth, Development and Productivity of Oak Tasar Silkworm (Antheraea Proylei)”. Archives of Current Research International 26 (7):599-616. https://doi.org/10.9734/acri/2026/v26i72032.

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