The selection of high-quality parental lines is a decisive factor in silkworm breeding. In Vietnam, identifying superior genetic resources is essential to modernize breeding programs and meet rising industrial demands. This study is significant as it provides a comprehensive evaluation of both bivoltine and multivoltine breeds to establish a robust foundation for future hybridization. This study evaluated the biological and economic characteristics of 10 silkworm breeds (including bivoltine silkworm and multivoltine silkworm). Results indicated that multivoltine breeds and bivoltine breeds exhibited considerable diversity in lavae and cocoon characteristics. While multivoltine breeds (TL, ĐJ, THT, 79 and VDK) exhibited superior viability (survival rates >86%). Conversely, Multigenerational silkworm breeds (TL, ĐJ, THT, 79, and VDK) showed superior survival rates (survival rate >86%), while bivoltine silkworm breeds, especially T10 and J1, demonstrated significantly higher cocoon quality and silk quality compared to multivoltine breeds, as evidenced by the cocoon shell rate (18.20%-21.22%) and silk filament length (590-830m).. Based on the Evaluation Index (EI), the breeds T10 (EI=50.54), J1 (EI=50.53), and Tan Cuu (EI=50.32) emerged as the top performers.
This study confirms that while multivoltine breeds offer better survival, bivoltine breeds are indispensable for improving silk quality. T10, J1, and Tan Cuu are identified as the most promising candidates for future breeding programs aimed at enhancing silk productivity in Vietnam.