The rapid senescence of detached Chinese cabbage leaf discs in darkness is first manifested by a sharp rise in malondialdehyde content (indicated by distruption of membrane structure), then by a rise in peroxidase activity and a decrease in catalase activity, and ultimately by chlorophyll degradation. These changes in parameters besides the catalase activity during senescence were delayed by application of spermidine. Especially, 10-4M spermidine almost completely arrested chlorophyll degradation after incubaton over 5 days. Spermidine reduced the amount of ethylene produced by senescing leaf discs. Additionally, it also reduced IAA-induced ethylene production. Calcium ion (1mM, 10mM) supplied together with the spermidine diminished the spermidine action, indicating probable involvement of an initial ionic attachment mechanism. These results suggest that spermidine can be used as an anti-senescence agent for plants and that this agent may stabilize membrane structure through interaction with the negatively charged loci on the membrane and exert the influence during senescence.