Effects of Selected Varieties of Mulberry, Morus alba L. on the Growth and Productivity of the Mulberry Silkworm Bombyx mori L

Sericulture is highly dependent on the quality of mulberry leaves fed to the silkworms. The suitability of mulberry varieties is crucial as it directly affects silkworm growth and cocoon quality. Identifying optimal mulberry varieties for local sericulture development is essential for improving productivity and enhancing the economic potential of industry. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of six selected mulberry varieties on silkworm growth and cocoon traits, with the goal of identifying the best‐performing varieties for silk production in Kenya. A completely randomized design (CRD) was employed, with six mulberry varieties (ExThika, Ex‐Embu, Ex‐Ithanga, Thailand, Ichinose, and V1) replicated three times. Each replicate consisted of 300 silkworms, and key parameters measured included larval length and weight, single cocoon weight, reelability, cocoon filament weight, raw silk percentage, filament size, cocoon filament length, and thread length of reelability. Results indicated significant varietal differences in larval growth, with silkworms fed on V1 exhibiting the highest larval weight and length across all instars. In terms of economic cocoon traits, V1, Thailand, and Ex‐Ithanga varieties resulted in superior performance. Specifically, V1 yielded the heaviest single cocoon and highest reelability, while Thailand produced the highest raw silk percentage and longest reelable thread length. Ex‐Ithanga produced the longest cocoon filament (900 m). Lower performance was observed with Ex‐Thika, Ex‐Embu, and Ichinose varieties across most measured parameters. The study concludes that V1, Thailand, and Ex‐Ithanga mulberry varieties are highly suitable for supporting optimal silkworm growth and cocoon quality, making them ideal for sericulture development in regions with similar agroclimatic conditions.