Santalum album L. is a hemiparasitic tree that requires parasitism of host plants in three stages, where the primary host at the nursery stage is critical. The effects of six legume species (Desmodium triflorum, Mimosa pudica, Alysicarpus vaginalis, Crotalaria retusa, Vigna radiata and Crotalaria juncea) and two non-legume species (Alternanthera sessilis and Tagetes erecta) were investigated to select the most promising pot host for sandalwood in the nursery stage. Each host plant was established in 10 poly bags with four plants/bag, in a completely randomized design. When host plants are one month old, 45-day-old S. album seedling per bag was introduced. After six months the number of leaves, seedling height (cm), dry weight (g), root collar diameter (mm), root length (cm), the number of root interactions were recorded and sturdiness quotient (SQ) and quality index (QI) were calculated. S. album seedlings grown with C. retusa had a significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher number of leaves (26), taller (32.4 cm) and higher root collar diameter (7.5 mm), followed by seedlings grown with M. pudica. The highest SQ (5.18) of S. album seedlings grown with M. pudica implies lower growth and survival in the field. Nonlegumes produced taller seedlings than legume hosts except for M. pudica and C. retusa. Sandalwood seedlings with C. retusa had the significantly highest number of (P ≤ 0.05) root interactions (38), tallest shoot (3.3 g), greatest root dry weight (1.1 g), highest QI (0.58) and shortest root length (13 cm). C. retusa was identified as the preferred host for S. album at the nursery stage.
Food consumption and conversion efficiency of eri silkworm Samia ricini Donovan were studied during 4 th and 5 th larval instars by feeding castor leaves fortified with 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 ppm concentrations of aqueous extracts of cyanobacteria Anabaena variabilis. The nutritional indices viz., ingesta, digesta, approximate digestibility (%), reference ratio and efficiency parameters like ECI and ECD were recorded which were significantly high at 400 ppm concentration treated batches of 4 th instar larvae over control batches. The decline in nutritional efficiency parameters of 5 th instar treated larvae might be due to higher utilization of the digested food for metabolic activities. Significant difference of ECI to cocoon % and nonsignificant difference of ECD to cocoon% and shell were observed between the treatments and control. Cyanabacteria feed supplement contains antibiotic and nutritions factors which has reflective effect on the biological parameters in eri silkworm and therefore has greater application in commercial eri silkworm rearing.
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