RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the genetic diversity and genetic relationship in different species and populations of Curcuma by ISSR-PCR marker technique.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Eighty populations and 37 samples of Curcuma including C. phaeocaulis, C. kwangsiensis and C. wenyujin were studied by ISSR-PCR markers. The systematic diagram of Similar coefficient and genetic distance were set up by POPGEN32 software and clustered by UPGMA method.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>A total of 65 loci were scored by 5 primers, among which 34 were polymorphic loci. The percentage of polymorphic loci was 52.3%. Genetic similarity coefficient changed from 0.6864 to 0.9997. Nei's gene diversity index (H), and Shannon information index (I) were 0.1521 and 0.2338. The inner genetic diversity of Curcuma species was lower than the outer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The genetic variation of different populations Curcuma was big. The inherited differentiation of inner populations was low. Different populations of Curcuma were related to character of species and geological distribution.</p>