The activity of phospholipase A$_2$ (PLA$_2$) was identified and characterized from cytosolic and membrane fractions of oat cells, respectively. PLA$_2$ activity was determined fluorometrically in the presence of serum albumin using phospholipids labeled at sn-2-acyl position with 10-pyrenyldecanoic acid. When the cell-free extracts of oat tissues were fractionated by ultracentrifugation at 100,000 x g and the PLA$_2$ activity was assayed, we found that most of the PLA$_2$ activity was revealed from the cytoplasmic fraction rather than from the membrane fraction. The activity of cytosolic PLA$_2$ was dependent on Ca$^{2+}$ concentration and the optimum concentration of Ca$^{2+}$ was found to be 100 $mu$M. It was also found that PLA$_2$ could be translocated toward the membrane site from the cytosol upon increasing Ca$^{2+}$ concentration. These results might suggest that an increased [Ca$^{2+}$]$_i$ by phytochrome action could promote the translocation of the cytosolic PLA$_2$ toward the membrane site.