REARING PERFORMANCE OF OAK TASAR SILKWORM, ANTHERAEA FRITHI MOORE ON DIFFERENT HOST PLANTS DURING SPRING AND AUTUMN SEASON IN MANIPUR, INDIA

The studies on rearing performance of Antheraea frithi, a wild silk moth of oak tasar was conducted by feeding with three different host plants viz., Lithocarpus dealbata, Quercus serrata and Q. griffithii during spring (April-May) and autumn (September-October) seasons. The rearing was done outdoor and it was observed that L. dealbata is better than Q. serrata and Q. griffithii for rearing of A. frithi during spring and autumn season in Manipur. Economic parameters such as cocoons per dfl (42 nos.), cocoon weight (4.50g), shell weight (0.52g) and shell ratio (11.55%) were recorded higher during spring crop when worms fed with L. dealbata foliage followed by worms reared on Q. serrata with cocoons per dfl (17.66nos.), cocoon weight (3.20g), shell weight (0.30g) and shell ratio (9.37%) during spring crop. The shortest average larval period of 33 days ranging 32 to 34 days was recorded when the worms feed on L. dealbata foliage in both the seasons.