• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.37-49
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• 1982

Larvae of the silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) were reared during the 5th instar on the four kinds of artificial diets on the basis of the different amounts of soybean meal used as the protein source. In this experiment it was shown that the various levels of protein in the diet affected not only the growth and silk production but the digestibility of the diet. haemolymph protein and uric acid excretion. The results obtained are summarized as follows; 1. By an increase of the level of protein in the diet the apparant digestibility was increased. but the protein digestibility was comparatively decreased. 2. Larval body weight increment was not observed by the 3rd day of the 5th instar, but was increased from the 4th day as the level of protein was increased in the diet. 3. After the 3rd day of the 5th instar, protein content in the hemolymph was increased steeply by an increase of the protein content in the diet. However, the percentage of hemolymph protein to the ingested protein was decreased from the 2nd day of the 5th instar and increased more or less after the 4th day. 4. An increase of the uric acid excretion was observed as the content of protein in the diet was increased but the pattern of the uric acid excretion was different between high and low-protein diet. However, the percentage of the uric acid excretion to the ingested protein and to the hemolymph protein were both decreased steeply after the 2nd day of the 5th instar. 5. It was also evident that the high-protein diet increased the cocoon productivity. 6. It showed that the feed efficiency for body weight increment and silk formation was high by an increase of the level of protein in the diet, but the protein efficiency was not.