Background: Ensete plant (Enset ventricosum) is a monocarpic perennial crop, found under genus Ensete. It is mainly known and planted by farmers as a drought resistant crop and staple food in the rural community of southern Ethiopia. Large numbers of enset clones are growing in a wide range of altitude. Currently, enset plant diversity and production has been endangered by devastated enset bacterial wilt disease (EBW) which is caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum. The study aimed at to assess the spatial distribution of enset clone richness and diversity, and enset bacterial wilt disease in Yem special district of southern Ethiopia using ArcGIS geostatistical (Kriging) techniques. Results: The highest diversity was recorded in Semu Awash kebele with Shannon index of 3.38 and the lowest was in Nuba kebele an index of 2.56. The Sorenson similarity/variation indices showed that Gurmina Hangeri/Meleka and Ediya/Gurmina Hangeri each pairs of kebeles share 18 clones with index value of 0.81 and 0.67, respectively. While lowest share recorded between Laignaw (upper) Kesheli and Tachignaw (lower) Kesheli kebeles with Sorenson indices of 0.16 (only five clones in common recorded). Enset bacterial wilt disease is distributed in all sampled kebeles in varying ranges. The rate of disease prevalence, incidence and severity lies between ranges of 75-100%, 46.8-88.9%, and 36.1-81.4%, respectively. Semu Awasho and Laignaw Kesheli kebeles scored 100% prevalence while in Shemona Metelo kebele it is scored 75%. Conclusions: Therefore, the analyzed results indicate that it is necessary to compact EBW distribution and to conserve enset richness and diversity in the district for the sake of enhancing food security of farmers at household level in Yem special district. Otherwise, in the longer run the food security and enset plant species would be endanger and it may have significant impact on socioeconomic development of the rural community. This study considered limited bio-physical factors for EBW analysis, we recommend in further research in the future should be conducted including other socio-biophysical factors.

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