In order to effectively preserve,utilize and reveal the genetic background of Chinese cherry [Cerasus pseudocerasus (Lindl.) G.Don],we analyzed the genetic diversity and population genetic structure among 18 populations (total 154 individuals) based on ITS sequence.The results showed that:(1)11 haplotypes were yielded based on the alignment of 154 ITS fragments,indicating a low level of haplotypes and nuclear diversity (h=0.559 0,π=0.001 2) with high variation among populations (h=0~0.905 0,π=0~0.006 1).(2)Fairly low level of genetic differentiation (F_ST=0.140 0) was found among these populations,with only 14% of total variability from among populations and 86% of genetic variation within groups.These results suggested that founder and bottleneck effect produced by domestication and recent reduction of population probably affected the genetic diversity.The long alternation of generation and short history of differentiation may lead to a low genetic differentiation among populations.According to these results,a conservational plan for sampling or preserving fewer populations but more individuals from each population for the species was proposed.