Abstract
Course of growth of eri silkmoth, Samia ricini Donovan was studied by rearing larvae on leaves of two food plants (castor, Ricinus communis; Tapioca, Manihot utilissima) with four combinations (TT, TC, CT and CC) at fixed abiotic conditions (26±2℃ temperature and 60–90% relative humidity). It was observed that peak of growth was reached on 22nd day in TT-fed larvae. It was one day sooner on TC. It was 22nd day on CT and 21st day on CC dietary regimen. It is observed that highest point of growth is reached in CC and lowest peak of growth was seen in TT diet. Peak in CT dietary regimen was little higher than that of TT. Value of angle theta,
89.515 was largest on CC diet followed by on TC, 89.500, CT, 89.069 and TT, 88.493. The above observations indicate that CC diet was best followed by other dietary regimens in the order of TC, CT and TT.
