Abstract: In this study, the genetic diversity among 70 accessions in cucurbita was analyzed by using RAPD marker and the genetic relationship among the accessionswas revealed by cluster analysis and principal coordinate analysis respectively. 21 polymorphic p rimers, screened out of 100 random p rimers, were used and produced 168 rep roducible bands. Of them, 157 bands (93.5% ) were polymorphic. The cluster analysis divided the germplasm used in this study into 3 groups: Cururbita moschata, C. pepo, and C. maxima, which
was in agreement with the traditional taxonomy on Cucurbita. Moreover, Cururbita moschata was divided further into 3 subgroups, C. pepo into 6 subgroups, and C. maxima. into 5 subgroups respectively by cluster analysis. The clusterswere greatly associated with the origins and the morphologic characters of the tested germplasm. The results obtained by the principal coordinate analysis were consistent with those of cluster analysis.
However, cluster analysis could supply more abundant informations than principal coordinate analysis on revealing the relationship among the closely related accessions.

Key words: Cucurbita, Genus, Genetic diversity, RAPD