Development dynamics of Kavkaz-2 and Sovetskaya-14 NGL silkworm caterpillars on artificial nutrient medium IPS 7.2-G

Silkworm, bred mainly for the production of cocoons (raw materials for the textile industry), has recently become a biological model for research in various fields of science as well as a source of biologically active substances. These applications, however, have certain limitations. Among them are the seasonality of sericulture and the dependence of caterpillar cultivation on its main feed — fresh mulberry leaves. This article discusses the results of feeding two highly productive breeds of silkworm — Kavkaz-2 and Sovetskaya-14 NGL — on an artificial nutrient medium (IPS 7.2-G). The nutrient medium was developed by the team of authors. It is intended for year-round cultivation of silkworm in laboratory conditions to further use it in various experiments or as biomass. With the feeding period of 36 days, the Kavkaz-2 breed showed the highest development dynamics on an artificial diet, followed by the Sovetskaya-14 breed with the feeding period of 43 days. In terms of biomass growth, however, Sovetskaya-14 exceeds Kavkaz-2 by 8.2%.