The effect of asexual propagation and persistence of the vegetative growth of Morus alba on silk cocoon production. Cien. Inv. Agr. (In English) 34(2):55-62.
Abstract
The goal of this work was to establish an efficient protocol for vegetative propagation of Morus alba. At the same time this study aimed to evaluate the infl uence of this propagation protocol on the feeding of the larvae of Bombyx mori and crude silk production. Vegetatively propagated mulberry plants were transplanted to 4 L containers and treated with 15 g of fertilizer, N:P:K (15:15:15,), and/or 6-benzyladenine (5 mg·L-1) (Ck). In autumn and spring, leaves were used for the feeding of one cohort of third stage larvae. It was observed that 60% of the plants treated with Ck sprouted before the others, in July, and the rest in August. Although the fertilized plants (TF) and those fertilized and treated with 6-benzyladenine (TFCk) sprouted shortly before the control (T), the Ck treated plants were notably uniform and had more and larger leaves. In the TFCk treatment, the percentage of fi ber, insoluble in neutral detergent (FIND) free from ash, was minor (29.73%). The quality of the food was reflected in the weight gain and in crude silk percentage. Although interaction between
TF and Ck was not significant, there were significant differences between control plants (T) and those treated with TF, TCk and TFCk. In the autumn test, the TCk treatment negatively affected the larvae of B. mori. These larvae twisted, assiduously inducing intestine evacuation. This caused reduced food consumption, and it was a transitory effect, but that meant a lower final weight. The results of this work are very promising and useful for massive production since a longer vegetative cycle for M. alba would allow a greater number of B. mori generations per year.
El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar un protocolo eficiente para la propagación vegetativa de la morera ( Morus alba). Al mismo tiempo tuvo el propósito de evaluar la influencia de este protocolo de propagación en la alimentación de las larvas de Bombyx mori y en el porcentaje de seda cruda producido. Plantas de morera, propagadas vegetativamente, fueron transplantadas a macetas de 4 L, tratadas con N:P:K (15:15:15, 15 g) (F) y/o 6-bencilaminopurina (5 mg·L-1) (Ck). En otoño y primavera, se utilizaron hojas para la alimentación de una cohorte de larvas de tercer estadio. Se observó que el 60% de las plantas tratadas con Ck brotaron en julio y las restantes lo hicieron en agosto. Aunque las plantas fertilizadas (TF) y fertilizadas y tratadas con 6-bencilaminopurina (TFCk), brotaron junto al testigo (T), presentaron mayor número de hojas de mayor tamaño. En TFCk se observó menor porcentaje de FIDN (29,73). La calidad del alimento se reflejó en la ganancia de peso y el porcentaje de seda cruda producido. Si bien no se observó interacción entre F y Ck, se encontraron diferencias significativas entre las plantas testigos (T) y TF, TCk y TFCk. En el ensayo de otoño, el tratamiento TCk afectó negativamente a las larvas de B. moriprovocando retorcimiento e induciendo una asidua evacuación intestinal. Esto provocó una menor ingesta de alimento, efecto transitorio, pero que resultó en un menor peso final. Los resultados de este trabajo son muy promisorios pudiendo ser útiles para producciones masivas, ya que una prolongación en el ciclo vegetativo permitiría mayor número de generaciones por año.