BOTANICAL FEATURES OF MELASTOMA MALABATHRICUM (FUTUKOLA PLANT)-A FOOD PLANT OF WILD TASAR SILKWORM IN ASSAMAparupa Borgohainand Rekha DekaAbstract The plant M. malabathricum is an evergreen shrub native to Southeast Asian countries and also abundantly found in Assam. In India, this plant serves as a food plant of wild tasar silk producing insect Antheraea frithi. Presently the market demand of tasar silk has been increasing with vast scope to enhance livelihood security therefore the present investigation was conducted in two districts of Assam i.e., Jorhat and Dhemaji to study the botanical features of the plant. The present study was conducted at College of Sericulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during the year 2019-20. |