Abstract: Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to investigate the genetic variation among populations, between populations, and within populations, relationships between genetic distance and geographic distance, and the molecular variation and population size. The effects of geographic and genetic distances, as well as of genetic differentiation and population size, on genetic variations of Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel. are discussed. The present study showed that there was significant RAPD variation between the Baicheng region population and the Daqing region population, with a molecular variance of 6.35% (P < 0.04), and for differentiation among area populations of the Daqing region, with a molecular variance of 8.78% (P < 0.002). A 21.06% RAPD variation among all 16 populations among two regions was found (P < 0.001), as well as 72.59% variation within populations (P < 0.001). Molecular variation within populations was significantly different among 16 populations.

Key words: clonal plant population, genetic distance, genetic variation, geographic distance, molecular variation.