The effect of ABA on the chloroplast disassembly of Zea mays was investigated by measuring the changes in the relative distribution of chlorophyll(Chl) between the Chl-protein complexes in ABA treated and untreated sensecting leaves. The reaction center(RC)-light harvesting complex(LHC) regions were rapidly disassembled in the late stage of dark-induced senescence. Plus, during dark-induced senescence, the disassembly of a reaction center of P700 apoproteins containing mainly Chl a was faster than that of a reaction center of LHCI apoproteins containing both Chl a and Chl b. The increase in the relative distribution of Chl-protein complexes in the RC-Core2 in the late stage of senescence was due to the accumulation of core complexes such as CP47/43 and reaction centers including D1/D2 apoproteins disassembled from the RC-Corel containing the dimer of D1/D2 apoproteins. The LHCII region was more stable than the other Chl-protein complexes throughout leaf senscence. Accordingly, it is suggested that the preferential breakdown of Chl a gives rise to the disassembly of Chl a-binding proteins, particularly reaction centers and core complexes during dark-induced senescence, plus the primary target of the photosynthetic apparatus in sensecing leaves would seem to be Chl a along with the proteins associated with Chl a. The application of ABA promoted the disassembly of the P700 apoproteins in the PSI reaction center and the dimer of D1/D2 apoproteins, and the conversion of the trimeric LHCII apoprotein to the monometirc LHCII apoprotein during the middle stage of leaf senescence, thereby suggesting that ABA accelerates the disassembly of both Chl a-binding and Chl a+b-binding proteins, particularly Chl a-binding proteins during the middle stage of leaf senescence.