Effect of Synthetic Vitamin ‘C' Supplimentation on Dietary Water Utilization in NB4D2 Race of Silkworm Bombyxmori L.

Abstract

SyntheticVitamin‘C' is also called as L-ascorbic acid or simply ascorbate vitamins which is an water soluble nutrient and essential for both humans and certain plants, and functions as a anti-oxidant and reducing agent. Dietary supplementation of synthetic vitamin ‘C' with different concentrations ranging from 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% fed ad libitum mulberry leaves Morus albain Silkworm NB₄D₂ race from hatching to pupation at 26⁰+2⁰ c with 80+10% Relative Humidity, resulted in a significant increase in the water intake, water absorption, water retention and water transpiration compared to control group. The water utilization parameters like water transpiration rate, water intake rate, water absorption rate, water loss rate, water retention efficiency and absorption efficiency were also studied, and the data were analysed by using Mean, Standard deviation. It has been observed that the 0.5% vitamin ‘C' treated group plays a significant role with a increase in water intake rate and a better water absorption efficiency compared to control group and other vitamin ‘C' treated groups.