RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the genetic diversity among wild germplasm resources of Coix that distributed at altitude of 550-1550 m in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province by comparing the morphological variation, biological and economical factors.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>The field plot experiments were conducted to observation the germination rate, growth period. While the milled rice rate, content of protein, crude fat and ethanol extract of 9 wild Coix germplasm resources were measured.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The germination rate of 9 germplasm was from 22% to 81%, and the growth period was among 139-156 d, which belongs to the medium-late mature type. The germination rate, growth stage, plant height, leaf length and width, tiller number, ramification number, seed number per stem of 9 Coix germplasm were significantly different (P < 0.05), respectively. The range of seed total protein contents were from 15.63% 25.74%, crude fat contents were from 5.05%-7.14%, and the contents of alcohol extract, which showed antitumor activity, were from 5.85%-7.27%.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The fact of quite different in plant morphological, biological and quality characters of 9 germplasm suggested that the genetic diversity in the wild populations of Coix distributed throughout the regions of Xishuangbanna is relatively abundant.</p>