Abstract: Allozyme genetic variability in 9 populations of Castanea molltaima was investigated using starch gel electrophoresis at 12 loci coding for 11 enzyme systems. The level of genetic polymorphismand population differentiation was greater in C mollissima than was usual for an outbreeding species, with the proportion of polymorphic loci (P) 71 .3 %, average number of alleles (A) 2.27, average expected heterozygosity (He) 0.346. About 89.3% of the total genetic variation was partitioned within populations. The Nei's genetic distance ranged from 0.010- 0. 177. Excep;for these, a principal components analysis of the data based on allelic frequencies revealed a spa-tial pattern of genetic variability in Chinese chestnut and provide some data about selecting enzyme marker. Based on previous research, the effect of artificial selection on the genetic diversi-ty of C. mollissima was also studied and it could be inferred that the southwest area of China was the possible center of the genetic diversity.

Key words: Castanea moltheima