AbstractUsing household-based agrobiodiversity assessment, we collected 31 upland rice varieties from three ethnic minority villages (Daka, Baka and Mannalong Villages) of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, and investigated the management and utilization of them. Statistical analyses were conducted on the basis of agronomic and morphological characters. Based on the available data, we devised some in situ conservation strategies for upland rice resources. The results are as follows: (1) According to principal component analysis, the diversity of agronomic and morphological characters was mainly from the variation of production as well as the angle and shape of flag-leaf. The scatter plot diagram from the analysis of the first two principal components showed that the diversity of the upland rice varieties was much higher in Baka and Daka Villages than in Mannalong Village, and some varieties with good agronomic characters were found; (2) The cultures of different ethnic minorities, procedures of seed exchange among farmers, intercropping, and rotation of different varieties played important roles in the maintenance and improvement of upland rice variety diversity. Seed exchange among farmers of different villages or different ethnic minorities enriched the diversity of upland rice varieties, and intercropping and rotation of different varieties were beneficial to the evolution and hybridization of upland rice; and (3) protection of minority cultures and customs, promotion of indigenous knowledge of traditional management, encouragement of seed exchange, and training and guidelines from the government and institutes should be put in place for effective in situ conservation of upland rice resources in communities.