Great Expectations of Garden Cress (Lepidium sativum L.) Seed Powder in Sericulture Industry II. Correlation Studies between Certain Reproductive, Phenotypic, Biochemical, and Economic Parameters in Bombyx mori L.

This paper is a supplementary study of a research article (under publication) entitled: “Great Expectations of Garden Cress (Lepidium sativum L.) Seed Powder in Sericulture Industry”- I. With a Brief View on the Positive Effects of Mulberry Leaf Enrichment with the Various Phytochemicals in L. sativum Seed Powder on Bombyx mori L. Economic Parameters. Analysis of correlation relationships between Bombyx mori different economic parameters revealed that of the studied 39 analyses, eight, six, and twenty-five correlation relationships proved to have a significant correlation, a marginally non-significant correlation, and a non-significant correlation, respectively. The cocoon shell weight or the cocoon shell ratio (%) showed to be a function of the pupal weight or the cocoon weight, respectively. Hence, B. mori pupal weight or cocoon weight is the best reliable predictor of cocoon shell weight or cocoon shell ratio (%), respectively (r=0.936- 0.982 or r=0.545-0.901, in respect). The obtained negative correlation relationships could give evidence for possible trade-offs between B. mori female fecundity and each of the following: pupal weight, female longevity, female body size, spermatophore counts per female moth, or egg size. Also, the ANOVA and the significant negative correlation relationships in the controls indicate that Lepidium sativum seed powder is an influential factor in improving the B. mori economic parameters. Application of correlation-regression analyses in B. mori rearing might be advisable either to predict B. mori economically important parameters or to encourage for trade-off studies between life-history parameters which are important in B. mori rearing and selection or breeding programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]