Effect of Zinc Chloride on Commercial Trails of the Bivoltine Silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

Oral supplementation of zinc chloride to silkworm larvae in different concentrations (30, 60 and 90 ${\mu}g$/ml) to the fourth and fifth instar resulted in a significant increase in commercial traits, like larval weight, silk gland weight, cocooning percentage in lower concentrartion (30 ${\mu}g$) treated group. The female cocoon weight, shell weight and its ratio were significantly increased in 30 and 60 ${\mu}g$ treated groups, male cocoon weight, and shell weight in 30 ${\mu}g$ treated group and its ratio in 60 and 90 ${\mu}g$ treated groups, filament length, weight and moth emergence percentage in all the treated groups and egg productivity in 90 ${\mu}g$ treated group were increased significantly. The remaining groups did not show any significant changes compared with that of carrier control.