Abstract: The genetic relationships of 14 Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba ) cultivars and one wild jujube species (Z. spinosus ) were analyzed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Thirty-seven primers were screened from 120 10-mer arbitrary primers, and a total of 429 DNA bands were amplified, among which 214 (49.88%) were polymorphic. Based on the RAPD data, genetic distances among the samples were calculated and a dendrogram was constructed by using UPGMA’s method. The results showed that the genetic distances within varieties were larger than those among varieties. We consider therefore that the classification of Chinese jujube varieties was artificial, and those varieties should be reduced. According to the genetic relationships of cultivars, anew infraspecific classification of Chinese jujube should be made.

Key words: Ziziphus jujuba Mill., Infraspecific classification, RAPD