TOXIC IMPACT OF ORGANOPHOSPHORUS INSECTICIDES ON THE GROWTH AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERS OF THE SILKWORM, BOMBYX-MORI L

Effects of widely using commercial grade organophosphorus insecticides namely fenitrothion and ethion on growth and economic characters of t he silkworm, Bombyx mori were studied. The feeding of mulberry leaves treated with lethal and sublethal doses of fenitrothion and ethion to the silkworm larvae from the beginning of the 5th instar to the end of the feeding period resulted in reduced growth, single cocoon weight, single shell weight, silk index and filament length than in the approp riate controls. The reduction was comparatively more during lethal int oxication than in the sublethal intoxication (lethal sublethal). Ethio n seems to be more effective than the fenitrothion on growth and econo mic characters of the silkworm (ethion > fenitrothion).