Prevalence of Enterococcus mundtii in the Fat Body and Its Effect on the Development of Silkworm, Bombyx mori L.

Abstract

The bacteria isolated from fat body of silkworm larvae Bombyx mori have been characterized as Enterococcus mundtii strain NBRC 100490 and tested for its sensitivity using antibiotic. Effect of the E. mundtii NBRC 100490 on the development and silk production has been evaluated. The oral inoculation of bacteria affected the growth of silkworm larvae including silk production, whereas, larvae treated with antibiotic resulted in reduction in mortality and better health, no significant difference in quality and quantity of cocoons, filament length as compared to control. Thus it may be concluded that treatment of erythromycin able to improve the silkworm growth by improving the haemolymph protein and silk cocoon characters. Since bacteria isolated from the fat body is naturally occurring bacteria in tissue may be involved in digestion of fat body tissue when ever is needed especially during starvation to produce energy for maintaining the routine process and act as non pathogenic, whereas turns into the pathogenic for the silk worms, when they are introduced through oral feeding into digestive system.