Image segmentation is one of the basic problems of image processing, also is the first essential and fundamental issue in the solar image analysis and pattern recognition. This paper summarizes systematically on the image segmentation techniques in the solar image retrieval and the recent applications of image segmentation. Then the merits and demerits of each method are discussed in this paper, in this way we can combine some methods for image segmentation to reach the better effects in astronomy. Finally, according to the characteristics of the solar image itself, the more appropriate image segmentation methods are summed up, and some remarks on the prospects and development of image segmentation are presented.