Industrial Crops Institute, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan 430064, P. R. China.
Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, P. R. China.
J Insect Sci. 2021 Mar 1;21(2). doi: 10.1093/jisesa/ieab018.
Lactic acid is widely used in the food, drugs, cosmetics, and other industries to maintain the microbial stability of low-pH products. However, it is unclear whether lactic acid can affect silkworm (Bombyx mori) growth and reproduction. This study investigated the effects of lactic acid on the growth and reproduction of the silkworm. We analyzed the growth, cocoon quality, and reproductive performance of fifth instar larvae fed on mulberry leaves saturated with different concentrations (0.01, 0.1, 1, and 10%) of lactic acid and the control. Results showed that 0.01, 0.1, and 1% lactic acid supplementation positively affects growth and female cocoon quality, with increased larval weight and female cocoon shell weight compared to the control group. In contrast, 10% lactic acid was toxic to the larvae and significantly decreased growth, leading to larval death. Our study provides a basic reference for the optimal amount of preservatives. In addition, this study can be a desirable intervention for sericulturists and can play an important role in getting high return from silkworm-rearing activities.
乳酸广泛应用于食品、药品、化妆品等行业，以维持低 pH 值产品的微生物稳定性。然而，目前尚不清楚乳酸是否会影响家蚕（Bombyx mori）的生长和繁殖。本研究探讨了乳酸对家蚕生长和繁殖的影响。我们分析了第五龄幼虫在食用不同浓度（0.01、0.1、1 和 10%）乳酸饱和的桑树叶以及对照组时的生长、茧质和繁殖性能。结果表明，0.01、0.1 和 1%的乳酸补充剂对生长和雌性茧质有积极影响，与对照组相比，幼虫体重和雌性茧壳重量增加。相比之下，10%的乳酸对幼虫有毒，显著降低了生长，导致幼虫死亡。本研究为最佳防腐剂用量提供了基本参考。此外，本研究可以作为蚕农的理想干预措施，在养蚕活动中获得高回报方面发挥重要作用。
