[Objective] Study on the genetic diversity in main cultivars of safflower distributing in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region by means of RAPD makers.[Method] Genomic DNAs of 29 safflower accessions from Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region were extracted for PCR amplification using 20 RAPD primers.[Result] Totally 156 bands were amplified,among which 144 bands were polymorphic(accounting for 92.31%),indicating that safflower is endowed with plentiful genetic diversity.Based on the DNA fingerprint,the 29 safflower accessions were grouped into four populations,the classification results may be not related with ecological regionality.[Conclusion] RAPD technique is an available tool to analyze the genetic diversity of safflower germplasm at molecular level.
