title: Lipid and fatty acid composition of muga silkworm, Antheraea assama, host plants in relation to silkworm growth.
abstract: The lipid and fatty acid composition of the leaves (tender, medium and mature) of muga host plants, Machilus bombycina, Litsaea monopetala (primary food plants) and L. cubeba and L. salicifolia (family: Lauraceae) (secondary food plants) was investigated by standard procedures, gas chromatography after saponification and esterification. The total lipid content of M. bombycina and L. monopetala leaves was recorded to be higher (16 and 18 g%), respectively, than that of L. cubeba (10 g%) and L. salicifolia (12 g%). GC analysis identified the presence of eight fatty acids (C14 to C22) and the concentration varied from 0.0297 to 8.1572 g% dry leaf powder. Among the fatty acids, (C14 to C22), polyunsaturated fatty acids were recorded to be highest in concentration in mature leaves of the primary host plants. The concentrations of saturated and polyunsatuated fatty acids were found to be at a minimum level in all the types of leaves of secondary muga host plants.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Regional Research Laboratory (CSIR), Assam, India.
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Unni
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Kakoty
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khanikor
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Pathak
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pillai
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Choudhury
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Saikia
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ghosh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000254:growth & development*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D008055:Lipids