Abstract: We studied the relationship between genetic diversity and taxol content of Taxus wallichiana var. wallichiana using AFLP and HPLC . The results of AFLP fingerprinting indicated that two patterns were discovered among seven populations. Through PopGene 1 . 31 and Arlequin 3. 1 software , stable genetics within population and significant differentiation among populations (F_st = 0. 67 ) were revealed . However, taxol content was markedly different within and among populations when testing the one-year twigs . Among wild forests, the highest taxol content was found in Luxi population which average percentage was 0. 0185%. While the taxol content level was low in Tengchong and Yongde populations , which were 0. 0049% and 0. 0087% respectively . The cultivated population in Lufeng showed the highest taxol content level which was 0. 0225% comparing with that in the populations of wild forests. There were relations between genetic diversity and taxol
content at the population level to some extent , while no corresponding relations were found at the individual level .

Key words: Taxus wallichiana var. wallichian