This document discusses the effects of providing growth promoting substances to silkworms to enhance cocoon yield. It describes how botanical extracts, protein and carbohydrate supplements, and other additives like vitamins, minerals, and honey byproducts have been shown to improve various silkworm rearing parameters like larval weight, cocoon weight, shell weight, silk filament length, and yield. Studies demonstrating the positive effects of supplements from plants like spirulina, aloe vera, and various medicinal herbs are summarized along with tables showing their impacts on cocoon characteristics.

1. Welcome
1

2. Extra foliation of growth promoting substances to
mulberry silk worm for enhancing cocoon yield
Muraghendra P. Ibrahimpur.
PGS12AGR5769
2

3. Contents
 Introduction
 Terminologies
 Effect of growth promoting substances:
 Botanical extracts
 Protein and carbohydrate supplements
 Vitamins and minerals
 Honey by products, milk and others
 Summary
 Conclusion
3

4. Introduction
4

5. Systemic classification of mulberry
silkworm
Kingdom- Animalia
Phylum- Arthropoda
Class- Insecta
Sub Class- Pterygota
Order- Lepidoptera
Super Family- Bombycoidea
Family- Bombycidae
Genus- Bombyx
Species- mori
5

6. Table 1: Nutrient contents in fresh Mulberry leaves
(Nutrition Value per 100 g)
Principle
Energy
Carbohydrates
Protein
Total Fat
Cholesterol
Dietary Fiber
Folates
Niacin
Pyridoxine
Riboflavin
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Nutrient Value
43 Kcal
9.80 g
1.44 g
0.39 g
0 mg
1.7 g
Vitamins
6 mcg
0.620 mg
0.050 mg
0.101 mg
25 IU
36.4 mg
0.87 mg
7.8 mcg
Principle
Nutrient Value
Electrolytes
Sodium
10 mg
Potassium
194 mg
Minerals
Calcium
39 mg
Copper
60 mcg
Iron
1.85 mg
Magnesium
18 mg
Selenium
0.6 mg
Zinc
0.12 mg
Tulasi and Buddolla, 2013
6

7. Terminologies
• Extrafoliation :
• Nutrition :
• Growth promoting substances :
7

8. Effect of growth
promoting substances
8

9. Botanicals
• Any deficit in the quality and quantity of mulberry leaves:
• Enrichment of deficit nutrients through botanicals:
• Biochemical
constituents
amino
acid, proteins, alkaloids, glucoside, phyllanthine, psoralem, betasitos
terol - phagostimulants and attractants.
• Administration - plants extracts to larvae increases phagostimulant
activity.
9

10. • Botanicals - immense ability to influence the metabolic activities.
• Many attempts - fortify mulberry leaf with botanical extracts to
improve mulberry leaf quality and feed efficiency of silkworm increase cocoon production and silk quality.
• Many studies - plant extracts on various metabolic activities
resulting acceleration of most of economical parameters
viz., spinning, increase in larval, cocoon & shell weight, silk gland
weight, improvement in reeling parameters, increase in silk
content, silk filament length and weight.
10

11. Supplementations of botanicals
• Administration of mulberry leaves
treated with aqueous leaf extracts of
Adhatoda vasica, Phyllanthus niruri
and Terminalia arjuna to first instar
larvae of PM x CSR2 hybrid resulted
in positive response with respect to
rearing parameters.
• Highest larval weight in all
instars,
high
silk
productivity,
increased filament
length and reduced denier was
noticed in P. niruri followed by A.
vesica and T. arjuna.
Saritha Kumari et al., 2011
11

12. Table 2: Effect of botanical extracts on cocoon parameters of PMxCSR2
Botanical extracts
Silk productivity
(cg/day)
Filament
length (m)
Denier
Adhatoda vasica
3.84
898.93
2.36
Phyllanthus
3.94
912.51
2.31
Terminalia arjuna
3.57
887.97
2.41
Control
3.54
874.95
2.41
F test
*
*
*
SEm
0.024
3.066
0.012
CD at 5%
0.072
9.193
0.035
* : Significant at 5%
Saritha Kumari et al., 2011
12

13. Spirulina- 18 amino acids and vital vitamins
- biotin, tocopherol, thiamine, riboflavin,
niacin, folic acid, pyrodozoic acid, betacarotene and vitamin B12.
Supplememtation - Spirulina at 300ppm
was found significant increase in all the
quantitative cocoon characters- single cocoon
weight, single shell weight, pupal weight and
silk filament except shell percentage
compared to control, 100ppm and 200ppm.
Venkatesh Kumar, 2009
13

14. Table-3: Mean value of quantitative cocoon characters of silkworm under different
concentrations of blue green algae (spirulina).
S. No
1
2
3
4
F Test
CD @ 5%
CD @ 1%
Treatments
Concentration
(ppm)
Cocoon
weight
(gm)
100
0.905*
22.250*
0.645*
25.250
664.575
200
0.935*
22.250*
0.675*
24.615
682.203*
300
1.083**
24.500**
0.828**
22.640
866.605**
Control
0.805
20.500
0.590
25.975
661.943
HS
HS
NS
HS
1.585
0.081
-
14.192
2.208
0.113
-
19.770
HS
0.080
0.112
Shell weight Pupal weight
Shell
(cgm)
(gm)
percentage
Silk
filament
length (m)
Note:
HS-Highly Significant (p = 001); NS-Not Significant
**-Significant at 1% level
*-Significant at 5% level
Venkatesh Kumar, 2009
14

15. The administration of mulberry
leaves fortified with medicinal
botanical
extracts of
Withania
somnifera, Terminalia arjuna and
Tinospora cordifolia to silkworm
(CSR2 x CSR4) and (PM X CSR2)
recorded highest cocoon weight, shell
weight, shell ratio, silk filament
length, silk filament weight and finer
denier compared to control.
Sridevi, 2003
15

16. Table 4: Effect of meditional extract treated mulberry leaves on 5th instar larval duration, mature larval weight
and effective rate of rearing (%) of silkworm, Bombyx mori L.(CSR2 XCSR4)
Treatments
5th instar larval duration(hrs)
Concentration (%)
0.1
0.5
T1: Sauropus
androgynus
144.00
144.00
T2 : Phyllanthus niruri
141.66
T3: Withania
somnifera
T4 :Tagetes errecta
Mean
Mature larval weight
Concentration (%)
0.1
2.07
1.98
143.00
142.33
2.15
140.00
140.00
140.00
143.00
143.00
T5 : Tinospora
cordifolia
141.00
T6: Leptadenia
reticulata
Mean
0.5
144.00
Effective rate of rearing
Concentration (%)
Mean
0.1
0.5
2.02
82.55
76.77
79.66
2.04
2.09
82.33
79.33
80.83
2.48
2.34
2.41
92.66
90.99
91.82
143.00
2.25
2.11
2.18
82.00
80.00
81.00
141.00
141.00
2.39
2.24
2.31
87.00
83.67
85.34
142.00
142.00
142.00
2.38
2.18
2.28
84.67
82.00
83.34
T7: Terminalia arjuna
141.00
141.00
141.00
2.43
2.21
2.35
90.34
88.00
89.16
T8: Adathoda viscica
143.00
143.00
143.00
2.34
2.13
2.23
83.34
81.67
82.50
T9: Control
144.00
144.00
144.00
1.96
1.89
1.92
68.54
64.78
66.66
Mean
142.18
142.33
142.33
2.27
2.13
84.03
80.69
F-Test
SE
CD
(0.05%)
F-Test
SE
CD
(0.05%)
F-Test
SE
CD
(0.05%)
NS
-
-
*
0.0051
0.0137
*
0.845
1.730
Treatments
*
0.761
2.0594
*
0.0108
0.0291
*
1.580
3.237
Interaction
NS
-
-
*
0.0152
0.412
NS
-
16
Concentrations
Sridevi, 2003

17. Table 5: Overall performance of the silkworm B. mori in response to the influence of Aloe vera tonic
during final instar
Experimental Rearing (%)
Manimuthu, et al., 2010
17

18. • The A. vera @ 2.0 % - higher larval growth and increased the
weight of cocoon.
• The larval weight, relative growth rate, effective rearing rate, larval
consumption index of the final instar larvae of silk worm, increased
with the supplementation of A. vera tonic. Maximum shell weight
and shell ratio - noticed.
Rajkumar and Vitthalrao , 2013
18

19. Rajesh, 2011
19

20. • Ethanol extract of 20 botanicals
in 3, 2.5%, 5% and 10%
concentrations were evaluated
for their efficacy to improve
performance
of
mulberry
silkworm
through
feeding
botanical enriched mulberry
leaves.
Pratheesh Kumar et al., 2007
20

21. Five botanicals viz., Asparagus
recemosus, Achyranthes aspera,
Tribulus terrestris, Withania
somnifera, and Parthenium
histerophorus ranked first were
evaluated at 8%, 5% and 3%
concentrations to confirm their
effectiveness and standardize
effective concentration.
Among the rearing parameters,
mature larval weight, shell ratio
and number of cocoons/kg were
not significantly influenced by
the treatments.
21

22. • Fifth instar larvae of mulberry
silkworm (PM x CSR2) fed by
mulberry leaves smeared with
aqueous
extracts
Azolla,
significantly increased the
mature larval weight, cocoon
weight, shell weight, and pupal
weight but non significant in
shell per cent over the control.
The silkworm (PM x CSR2) fed by mulberry
leaves smeared with extracts of Azolla
Patil , 2011
22

23. • Supplementation of mango leaf
water extract ( 30-40%) improved
most of the economic traits
especially larval weight, pupal
weight, shell weight, shell ratio,
filament length and filament
weight by improving ERR.
• The extract of Azadirachta indica
and Vitex negundo supplemented
to mulberry feeding of silkworm
there was significant improvement
in shell ratio and filament length at
2.5 % of neem extract and 5.0%
concentration of Vitex negundo
leaf extract.
Patil et al., 2005
Sujatha et al., 2003
23

24. • Silk worm supplemented - potato leaf
extract recorded the highest larval
weight and lower larval duration.
Krishnaprasad et al. , 2001
24

25. • Improvement in cocoon weight, shell
weight, shell ratio, silk productivity,
filament length, filament weight, denier
due to spraying of Tridax procumbens,
Tribulus terrestris and Parthenium
hysterophorus at 0.4 % concentration.
Murugesh, 2002
• Silkworm fed on mulberry leaf
supplemented with Coffee arabica leaf
extract at 1:25 concentration resulted
significantly higher cocoon weight, pupal
weight and shell %.
Jeypul et al. 2003
25

26. • The Pure mysore - most responsive to 5%
dust formulation of Lantana camara and
Clerodendron inermae.
• Larvae - PM, NB18 and PM x NB18 grew
vigorously and had maximum larval weight,
cocoon weight as compared to control
Santhosh Kumar, 1997
26

27. Proteins and carbohydrate supplements
27

28. The fifth instar larvae of mulberry silkworm hybrids PM x CSR2 and
CSR2 x CSR4 fed on mulberry leaves supplemented with flours (cereals
and pulses) at two ratios (1:10) (1:20) (Flour: leaf) shows significantly
higher filament length, finer denier, more fibroin percentage and lower
sericin content of cocoons - reared on flour supplemented leaf over the
control
Rekha and Neelu, 2010
28

29. Table 7: Influence of feed additives on filament length (m) of mulberry silkworm hybrids
Treatments
H1
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
T9
T10
Feed additive
Ragi
Rice
Wheat
Sorghum
Soybean
Horsegram
Greengram
Cowpea
Bengalgram
control
Mean
F-Test,
S.Em ,
CD @ 5%
Hybrid
H1 - PM X CSR2
H2 -CSR2 X CSR4
Feed additive
mean
929
921
911
857
981
965
945
903
879
836
Hybrid X Feed
additive
Ratio X Feed
additive
H2
D1
D2
Hybrid X Feed additive X
Ratio
H1
H2
D1
D2
D1
D2
851
849
842
809
890
875
856
841
819
786
842
1007
994
980
905
1072
1055
1035
966
940
886
984
932
923
913
854
984
96
947
907
822
841
915
927
919
908
859
978
964
943
900
877
831
911
852
850
84
810
892
877
858
842
820
788
843
849
848
807
807
888
874
854
840
817
785
840
1011
997
983
898
1077
1055
1037
971
943
894
987
*
2.260
*
3.196
NS
1.429
NS
3.169
6.357
8.990
-
1044
991
977
911
1067
1054
1033
961
936
878
981
-
Ratio
D1-1:10 (Flour: Leaf)
D2 – 1:20 (Flour: Leaf)
Rekha and Neelu, 2010
29

30. • Cocoon weight - maximum - larval feeding was supplemented with
soya flour 10g / kg of leaves among all the hybrids as compare to
control.
• The highest shell weight of 0.513g and 0.383g was recorded in
(CSR6 x CSR26) x (CSR2 x CSR27) and CSR2 x CSR4 on soya flour
10g / kg of leaves followed by PM x CSR2, APM2 x APS12 and
APM1 x APS8 (0.332, 0.278g and 0.274 g).
•
It also improved the shell ratio in all hybrids.
Pallavi and Muthuswami, 2012
30

31. Table 8: Cocoon weight (g) of silkworm B. mori reared on feed additives
Cocoon weight (g) in silkworm hybrids
Treatments
PM x CSR2
CSR2 x CSR4
APM1 x APS8
APM2 x APS12
(CSR6 x CSR26)
x
(CSR2 x CSR27)
Soya flour 10g / kg of
leaves
1.770a
1.800a
1.395b
1.293b
2.053a
Soya flour 5g /kg of
leaves
1.730b
1.743b
1.372c
1.278c
1.977c
Corn flour 10g / kg of
leaves
1.703c
1.690c
1.331d
1.266d
1.903d
Corn flour 5g /kg of
leaves
1.670d
1.660d
1.327e
1.252e
1.880d
Horse gram flour
10g / kg ofleaves
1.620e
1.591e
1.301f
1.245f
1.840e
Horse gram flour 5g
/kg of leaves
1.530f
1.583e
1.288g
1.239f
1.810f
Control
1.527f
1.579e
1.283h
1.157g
1.777g
SEd
0.0080
0.0063
0.0017
0.0080
0.0114
CD (0.05)
0.0169
0.0133
0.0036
0.0170
0.0242
Figures followed by similar letters are not different statistically at 5% level
31
Pallavi and Muthuswami, 2012

32. • The highest protein content - recorded on supplementation of soya
flour - 2nd instar @ 10g/kg of leaves on 5 hybrids [PM x
CSR2, CSR2 xCSR4, APM1 x APS8, APM2 x APS12 and (CSR6 x
CSR26) x (CSR2 x CSR27)].
• Highest carbohydrate content - body of young silkworm was
recorded on supplementation of corn flour @ 10g / kg of leaves
followed by corn flour 5g / kg of leaves in all the silkworm breeds.
Pallavi et al., 2011
32

33. Table 9: Protein content (mg) in young age silkworm B. mori reared on feed additives
Treatments
PM x CSR2
Soya flour10g / kg
of leaves
Soya flour 5g /kg of
leaves
Corn flour10g / kg
of leaves
Corn flour 5g /kg of
leaves
Horse gram
flour10g / kg of
leaves
Horse gram flour
5g /kg of leaves
Protein content (mg) in silkworm
CSR2 x CSR4 APM1 x APS8 APM2 x APS12
(CSR6 x CSR26)
x
(CSR2 x CSR27)
24.03a
19.91a
21.44a
19.83a
19.71a
19.61c
21.19c
19.53b
19.43b
23.75c
19.19d
19.18d
19.08c
19.00c
23.45d
19.01e
19.03e
18.96d
18.87d
23.09e
18.07f
18.57f
18.05e
17.92e
22.86f
17.92g
18.25g
17.89f
17.81f
22.76g
Artificial diet
19.86b
21.36b
19.83a
19.72a
23.86b
Control
SEd
CD (0.05)
17.63h
0.0258
0.0547
18.02h
0.0280
0.0593
17.58g
0.0331
0.0702
17.51g
0.0149
0.0316
22.72h
0.0142
0.0302
Figures followed by similar letters are not different statistically at 5% level
Pallavi et al., 2011
33

34. Fig: 1 Protein content (mg) in young age silkworm B. mori reared on feed additives
34

35. • Supplementation - 50, 100 and 150 μg/ml arginine - silkworm larvae
- significant increase - larval weight, cocooning percentage, cocoon
weight, cocoon shell weight, cocoon shell ratio, filament length.
• Silk gland weight and denier in only 150 μg/ml
• The dietary supplementation - 50, 100 and 150 μg/ml histidine significant increase- larval weight, silk gland weight survival rate,
cocoon weight, shell weight and shell ratio, filament length and
weight and denier in all the treated groups but cocoon shell weight
only in 150 μg/ml fed groups.
Chakrabarty and Kaliwal 2012
35

36. • The oral supplementation - 100 and 150 μg/ml mixture of arginine
and histidine to the silkworm larvae resulted in a significant increase
in the larval weight, silk gland weight, survival rate, cocoon weight,
shell weight and it’s ratio, male cocoon weight, cocoon shell weight
and shell ratio and denier were significantly increased in all the
treated groups, but filament length was increased only in 100 and
150 μg/ml treated groups.
Chakrabarty and Kaliwal 2012
36

37. Vitamins and minerals
• Vitamins - required - their function - cofactors of enzymes and
needed -appropriate catalytic activity.
• B- complex vitamins - biotin, cholin, incitol, niacin, pyridoxine,
riboflavin, and thiamine.
• Mulberry leaves - rich in vitamin B complex, except for vitamin
B12. Vitamin B-12 does not occur in in mulberry leaves, but a
considerable amount of this vitamin is present in the silkworm larva
and pupa.
• Ascorbic acid - posses gustatory stimulating activity. β- carotene gustatory stimulating activity.
37

38. Table 10: Amount of minerals present in mulberry leaves and requirement by
silkworms
Vitamins
Biotin(B8)
Choline
Inositol
Nicotinic acid(B3)
Pantothenic acid(B5)
Pyridoxine(B6)
Riboflavin(B2)
Thiamine(B1)
Minimum amount
required mg/g of dry
diet
1
750
1000
20
20
5
5
0.5
Amount in mulberry
leaves mg/g of dry
matter
0.2-0.8
930-1550
4000
69-99
16-35
43-50
13-21
6.7
Ito, 1978
38

39. Table 11: Amount of minerals present in mulberry leaves and requirement
by silkworms
Inorganic elements
Minimum amount
required mg/g of dry
diet
Amount in mulberry
leaves mg/g of dry
matter
Potassium
9.0
25-33
Phosphorous
2-3
1.6-3.4
Magnesium
1.0
2.0-4.9
zinc
0.02
0.021
Horie et al., 1967
39

40. The feed efficacy and growth rate of silkworm larvae (V
instar), enhanced by 0.2% Vitamin C treated group than control and
other Vitamin C treated groups (0.1%, 0.4% and 0.8%)
Balasundaram, et al., 2013
40

41. Table. 12: Morphometric growth rate of V instar larvae of Bombyx mori fed with control and
different concentrations of Vitamin C treated MR2 mulberry leaves
Table. 13: Morphometric data of control and different concentrations of Vitamin C treated MR2
mulberry leaves fed Bombyx mori larvae produced cocoon
Values are Mean ± Standard Deviation of six observations. Values in the same column with
different superscript letters (a, b & c) differs significantly at P<0.05 (DMRT).
Balasundaram, et al., 2013
41

42. Supplementation of vitamin C at 0.5% and 1% in the last larval
stages in the bivoltine hybrid NB4D2 X SH6 of silkworm exerted
significant improvement in the larval weight, cocoon weight, shell
weight, shell % over the control.
Amardev and Shamim, 2012
42

43. Fig 2: Supplementation effect of synthetic Vit C on larval weight, single cocoon weight,
shell % and single shell weight
a) On 10 larval weight (g).
c) On shell %.
b) On single shell weight (g).
d) On single cocoon weight (g).
43

44. Spraying of 100ppm Folic acid solution on mulberry leaf and feeding to
silkworm significantly improved larval weight, silk gland weight and
growth rate, cocoon weight, shell weight and shell ratio.
Rahmathulla, 2007
44

45. • Zinc chloride, pyridoxine, methoprene at 2 μg/ml and with mixed
dose (Zn+B6+H) 2 μg/ml each on alternate days in 4th and 5th instar
significantly elevated economic parameters of the cocoons.
Lakshmi Devi and Yellamma, 2013
• The supplementation of 0.01 mg/lit FeCl3 significantly increases
larval weight and economic parameters such as cocoon weight, shell
weight and shell ratio.
Shrivastava Sudha, 2013
45

46. Honey bee by products, milk
and others
46

47. • Some honey bee products and their mixtures as food additives to 5th
instar larvae increased weights of mature larvae, pupae, fresh
cocoons and cocoon shells in two strains Chinese F1 (SN 1 x Iva 1)
and (SA105)
• Larvae fed on mulberry leaves treated with royal jelly (RJ)
(10mg/ml) - significant increase- weights of mature larvae, pupae,
fresh cocoons and cocoon shells followed by honey (H) (1g/100ml)
and pollen (P) in the broad strain. While in the local strain, RJ gave
the maximum weights followed by P (50mg/100ml) and then H.
Abir , 2013
47

48. Table14: Effect of honey bee products on some biological parameters of B. mori
Chinese F1 (SN 1 x Iva 1)
Abir , 2013
48

49. Bovine milk
The larvae gained 82.5% more weight by the end of fifth instar
larval of CSR2 xCSR4 when fed with mulberry leaves dipped in milk
than when fed with fresh mulberry leaves without milk.
Konala et al., 2013
49

50. Figure 1. Relationship between weight of the larvae during
different days of the fifth instar when fed with fresh
mulberry (M) and mulberry leaves dipped in milk.
Figure 2. The larvae fed with milk treated leaves gained
310% weight from day 1 to day 7 of the fifth instar, while
the larvae fed with fresh leaves (M) gained 153% weight
during th same period.
Figure 3. The relationship between the weights of the
cocoons at the end of the fifth instar when larvae were
fed with fresh mulberry (M) and mulberry leaves
dipped in milk.
Konala et al., 2013
50

51. Table 15: The effects of various nitrogenous compounds on cocoon parameters of
silkworm.
ns: Not Significant
Kayvan Etebari et al., 2007
51

52. • Nutritive additive of 1% “greenleaf” as a foliar applicant on V1
mulberry resulted a maximum increase in the macromolecule
content during rainy season.
•
The bivoltine hybrid CSR2 xCSR4 and poly - bivoltine crossbreed
PM x CSR2 fed on 1% treated leaves showed an increased enzyme
activity and nutritive components in their midgut and haemolymph
tissues.
• The enzyme activity and conversion efficiency of mulberry nutrients
was found to be significantly higher in CSR2 xCSR4, (bivoltine
hybrid) than the PM x CSR2. Which intern showed significant
increase in economic parameters except shell percentage.
Anandakumar and Sandhya, 2012
52

53. The fortification of mulberry leaves with alfalfa tonic and its
inorganic ingradients results in increased 5th instar larval
weight.
Laskar and Dutta, 2000
Topical application of indol 3- acetic acid to the bivoltine breed
(NB18) of B. mori resulted in significant increase in silk gland,
cocoon and shell weight, filament length and egg productivity.
Hugar and kaliwal, 1997
53

54. Summary
54

55. Summary
 Mulbery silkworm is a monophagous insect it is neessary to supply
nutrients through fortification on mulberry leaves.
 Administration - plants extracts to larvae increases phagostimulant
activity.
 Supplementation of locally available botanicles like Adhatoda
vasica, Phyllanthus niruri, Terminalia arjuna, Withania somnifera,
Terminalia arjuna and Tinospora cordifolia increases economic
parameters.
 Supplementation of protein rich sources like soybean enhance
cocoon yield.
 Supplementation of arginine and histidine @ 100 and 150 μg/ml
increases economic parameters of silkworm.
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56.  Supplementation of vitamin C at 0.5% to the bivoltine hybrid
NB4D2 X SH6 in 5th instar of silkworm gives higher larval
weight, cocoon weight, shell weight, shell % over the control.
 Zinc chloride, pyridoxine, methoprene at 2 μg/ml and 0.01 mg/lit
FeCl3 on alternate days in 4th and 5th instar significantly elevated
economic parameters of the cocoons.
 Some honey bee products and their mixtures as food additives at 5th
instar increased weights of mature larvae, pupae, fresh cocoons and
cocoon shells.
 The larvae gained 82.5% more weight by the end of fifth instar
larval when fed with mulberry leaves dipped in milk than when fed
with fresh mulberry leaves without milk.
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57. Conclusion
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58. 58