The present study was carried out during spring seasons, 2017 in Sericulture Laboratory Economic Entomology Department Faculty of Agric. Menoufia Univ. The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of light time and color, on some biological, technology and physiology characters of silkworm, Bombyx mori L.
1-Biology aspects:
1.2. Silk gland weight (g):
The highest mean silk gland weight (0.825g) was recorded for green light 24 hr followed by red light 12 hr, which recorded (0.778g) and (0.777g) for red light 24 hr.
1.3. Cocooning percentage (%):
Percent cocooning ranged between 54-88 % for all treatments and there were significant differences for treatment while there were high significant for both color and time .
1.5. Pupal weight (g):
The highest mean treatment was obtained from red light 12 hr (1.39g),followed by natural light treatment (1.03g) then blue light 24 hr treatment(0.954g). light color and time of exposure.
1.6. The fecundity (no. of eggs / female):
The fecundity of female moth resulted from silk worm larvae fed during4th larval instar on mulberry leaves clear that the treatment red light 12 hr proved the most effective
2- Technological and physiological aspects:
2.1. Silk filament weight (g):
The highest mean treatment reeled silk filament weight (0.228g) was recorded for the cocoons spun by B. mori larvae exposed to green light 24 hr .
2.2. Total soluble protein (mg/ml):
The total soluble protein content in silk worm larvae blood ranged between 1.92 mg/ml for blue light 24 hr, 1.88 mg/ml for red light 12 hr and 1.87 mg/ml for green light 12 hr compared to 1.94 mg/ml for the control larvae for silk gland samples.
2.3. Total fats (mg/ml):
The total fats content of silk worm larval silk gland ranged between 139 mg/ml for natural light, 137 mg/ml for red light 24 hr and 131 mg/ml for red light 12 hr compared to 127 mg/ml for the control larvae for silk gland samples.
2.4 ALT content (mg/ml):
The mean content of ALT enzymes ranged 703 mg/ml for red light 12 hr, 519 mg/ml for blue light 12 hr and 510 mg/ml for blue light 24 hr compared to 609 mg/ml for the control larvae for blood samples.
2.5. AST content (mg/ml):
The mean content of AST enzymes ranged 316 mg/ml for red green 12 hr, 284 mg/ml for green light 24 hr and 274 mg/ml for red light 12 hr compared to 302 mg/ml for the control larvae for blood samples.