RAPD marker based diversity analysis was undertaken to evaluate genetic relationships among 20 silkworm breeds
collected from different sericulture research Institutes of India. Selected 40 primers generated 402 bands, out of
which 302 were found to be polymorphic with an average of 10.05 fragments per primer. UPGMA cluster analysis
grouped the genotypes into two distinct clusters, one with polyvoltine and another with bivoltine breeds with an
average genetic distance of 0.237. Further bivoltines are sub grouped into two, those with high silk content are in
one group and breeds with moderate silk contents are in other group. The overall grouping pattern of clustering
corresponds well with principal component analysis confirming patterns of genetic diversity observed among the
genotypes. The result of this study provides valid information on differentiation of silkworm breeds based on
voltinism and silk content. This result also helps to identify suitable parents for their use in the yield improvement
programme and effective and efficient measures for germplasm conservation
