When cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cotyledon discs were floated on $delta$-aminolevulinic acid, oxyfluorfen, or rose bengal solution under light condition following 20 h dark incubation, rapid electrolyte leakage from the tissues occurred. The electrolyte leakage from the tissues was dependent on the compounds treated, their concentrations, and the duration of light exposure to the tissues. Dark incubation before exposure to continuous white light enhanced electrolyte leakage from the tissues treated with the compounds and reduced lag period for the activity of the compounds. Electrolyte leakage from the treated tissues was greatly influenced by the light intensity to which they were exposed. Higher light intensities stimulated electrolyte leakage and reduced lag period. Porphyrin biosynthesis inhibitors, gabaculine and 4,6-dioxoheptanoic acid, completely inhibited electrolyte leakage from the oxyfluorfen-treated tissues. Protection against the activity of $delta$-aminolevulinic acid from electrolyte leakage was complete with 4,6-dioxoheptanoic acid, but not with gabaculine. However, gabaculine and 4,6-dioxoheptanoic acid gave no such protection against rose bengal activity. In summary, our results indicate that $delta$--aminolevulinic acid, oxyfluorfen, and rose bengal exert their effects by causing electrolyte leakage from the treated tissues in a similar manner, except that oxyfluorfen has an apparent lag period for its action on electrolyte leakage increase. All above compounds require preincubation of treated tissues in darkness and subsequent light exposure with a high intensity for their maximal activities. Our results also support that in the presence of light, $delta$-aminolevulinic acid and oxyfluorfen cause cellular damage through the indirect generation of singlet oxygen from accumulated tetrapyrroles of porphyrin pathway, whereas rose bengal causes cellular damage through the direct generation of singlet oxygen.