Cucumis SSR Markers Applied to the Study of Genetic Diversity in the Cucurbita Genus

The genus Cucurbita L. includes five cultivated species. C. pepo L., C. maxima Duchesne, and C. moschata Duchesne are the three most economically important. A high level of morphological and agronomical variability exists within these species. Large collections of Cucurbita landraces with a high potential value for breeding are maintained elsewhere. The COMAV’s Genebank at the Polytechnic University of Valencia holds the largest collection of Spanish Cucurbita landraces. This collection also includes many accessions from the areas of origin and diversification of the different species (3).