Rising population, climate change, and dwindling natural resources pose significant risks to food security. To address these challenges, crop genetic improvement is a crucial tool, with plant genetic resources serving as essential and invaluable foundational materials for any crop improvement program. Ridge gourd, an important indigenous cucurbit, requires a diverse collection, conservation, and utilization to meet future genetic resources demands. The harmonization of activities related to plant genetic resources management at both global and national levels has enhanced the utilization scope of ridge gourd genetic resources. This chapter explores ridge gourd genetic resources, focusing on important cultivated species and wild relatives of the genus, examining their phylogenetic relationships and cross-compatibility. The genetics of key traits, methods for collecting and conserving ridge gourd germplasm, their characterization and evaluation, and the available genetic sources are discussed. Additionally, the chapter delves into the use of molecular techniques for identifying and characterizing desirable genes.