Abstract: Primers designed according to published literatures and the gene sequences of chicken and goose were used to amplify the coding sequence of MC4R gene (985 bp). The homology of this sequence with other animals (chicken, goose, Monodelphis, Alopex and dog) was 94%, 94%, 91%, 84% and 84% respectively through Blastn of GenBank. SNPs of MC4R gene coding sequence were identified and genotyped by PCR-SSCP analysis and DNA sequencing in two pigeon populations. 2 SNPs were detected in the research and analyzed by the least square analysis, the result showed that the genotype of T933C mutation had significant association with body weight, carcass weight and holocarcass weight（P＜0.05）in meat pigeon but had no association in the wild population（P＞0.2）.The results of multiple comparison revealed that AA birds had significant higher body weight, carcass weight and holo-carcass weight than BB birds. We can putatively draw the conclusion that MC4R gene was the major gene affecting the body weight in pigeon or linked to the certain major gene.

Key words: MC4R gene; polymorphism; growth traits; pigeon