Abstract: Seed dormancy was analysized in cucumber（Cucumis sativus L.）by rate of seed
germination. Inheritance of seed dormancy in the cross M6 × M87 was detected by applying the major gene
plus polygene model of quantitative traits to a joint analysis of multi-generations（P₁，P₂，F₁，B₁，B₂ and
F₂）. The results showed that seed dormancy in the cross M6 × M87 was controlled by one major gene with
additive-dominance effects plus polygene with additive-dominance-epistatic effects（D-0）. Heritability
values of the major gene in B₁，B₂ and F₂ populations were estimated as 35.75%，44.60% and 64.29%，
while those of polygene were 13.89%，13.20% and 3.38%，respectively. The proportion of environmental
variance in phenotypic variance was 50.36%，42.20% and 32.33%，respectively. The environmental and
major gene factors had strong effects on seed dormancy in cucumber and it was not suitable for the
selection in early generation.

Key words: cucumber, seed dormancy, major gene plus polygene, quantitative genetic analysis