author(s)
A. R. Narasimha Nayaka* S.D.Sharma

abstract
The silkworm, Bombyx mori L. is a delicate and sensitive lepidopteron insect, which has been domesticated for silk production since time immemorial. Due to continuous domestication, silkworm becomes susceptible to various diseases. During the course of infection the cellular defense mechanism in silkworm is mediated by different types of haemocytes. In the present study, popular bivoltine and multivoltine breeds were selected to carry out experiment o understand the day to day changes in total haemocyte count (THC) in silkworm larvae inoculated with newly isolated microsporidian NIK-5hm. During the course of progressive infection of NIK-5hm, significantenhancement of total aemocyte count (THC) was observed till eighth day. Later gradual reduction of the haemocyte population was noticed in the inoculated batches of both the breeds.