Alterations in the Nutritional Parameters of Silkworm Bombyx mori L. on Exposure to Selenium

The silkworm, Bombyx mori L. feeds on mulberry leaves from which it ingests various nutrients to support physiological activities. Nutritional parameters like food consumption, excretion, assimilation, food combustion and total food converted under lethal and sub lethal doses of selenium at 3, 4, 5, and 6 days of V instar silkworm were studied. The selenium at lethal doses could decrease the parameters like food consumption assimilation efficiency and food conversion rate. However, the sub-lethal doses of selenium, particularly at 6 days of exposure, could exhibit significantly increased levels of the above parameters in the silkworm leading to its better survival.