Vol. 12, Issue 2 (2023)

Author(s):
Sameena Maqbool, Zia H Rufaie, Baqual MF and Sanna Parvez

Abstract:
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) belonging to family Chenopodiaceae was reported to be having insect moulting hormone β-ecdysone or 20-hydroxyecdysone. The Leaves and soft shoots of this plant were collected, washed, shade dried and later on powdered for obtaining plant extract by using methanol. (Hot extraction by Soxhlet apparatus). The presence of moulting hormone was confirmed under high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) by running the marker 20-hydroxyecdysone along with this plant extract with a mobile phase of methanol and water in the ratio of 55:45 respectively. Results confirmed high concentration of 20-hydroxyecdysone (β-ecdysone) in Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) The effect of this plant extract containing phytoecdysteroid (β-ecdysone) on the spinning behaviour of silkworm double hybrid (CSR6×CSR26) × (CSR2×CSR27) was investigated in the present study. Fully grown 5th instar larvae of silkworm Bombyx mori L. were fed with mulberry leaves sprayed with different concentrations of this plant extract. The application of plant extract containing ecdysteroid reduced 3-4 feeds and finished mounting earlier than other treatments. However, a crop was harvested earlier than normal harvesting time. The reduction in the period is almost one day in both the trails. This means a quantum reduction in leaf consumption i.e. 3-4 feeds were saved by application of plant based ecdysteroid at these times of application. The reduction in the larval duration and consumption of mulberry leaves manifests in adverse effect on the quantitative traits like yield etc Usually no farmer would go for such a drastic reduction of yield as well as in cocoon characters unless he is compelled to do so under adverse conditions, like safety of entire crop from diseases and unforeseen shortage of mulberry leaf. However, the farmer would naturally prefer a reduced yield to a much bigger crop loss. Due to this reason, phytoecdysteroid emerges as a crop saver. The present study recommends the application of Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) containing 20- hydroxyecdysone at the onset of spinning, however under stress and adverse conditions the application can be done on and after 5th day of Vth instar for saving cocoon crop to some extent.