Effects of putrescine on senescence in detached leaves of Chinese cabbage (Brassica campestris L.) in the light were investigated. The putrescine as a potent antisenescence substane markedly inhibited chlorophyll and protein loss at the 10mM concentraton in the detached leaves during the dark incubation. In the light, however, putrescine showed the opposite effects to dark incubation. The chlorphyll loss by putrescine in the light was stopped with darktransfer, and inhibited competitively by a divalent cation Ca2+. In the light, putrescine reduced the protease activity. Putrescine, in the light, increased H2O2 content and reduced the activities of enzymes -superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1), peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7), catalase (EC 1.11.1.6-involved in inhibiting the accumulation of free radicals. These results suggest that the effects of puterscine on chlorophyll and protein loss in detached leaves of Chinese cabbage in the light are related to the cationic nature of putrescine and the accumulation of free radicals.