Abstract: The soluble protein content ( SPC) and activities of 4 cell protective enzymes ( SOD, CAT,POD and APX) of 12 asparagus bean cultivars under 10℃chilling stress for 5 days with the control of (20 ±3) ℃ were tested. The results showed that the SPC of leaves of seedlings raised significantly by 2.3% - 8.1%
in 6 early maturing cultivars under chilling stress compared with that of relative control, whereas 3 late maturing cultivars inversed, so did the activities of SOD and APX by 27.82% - 128.52% and 10.53% - 39.36% in 8 cultivars and 4 early maturing cultivars respectively. The three indices were sensitive to chilling stress and were suitable to identify the cold resistance of asparagus bean genotypes. The cold resistant cultivars exerted their SPC and activities of SOD and APX to acclimate chilling stress. The changes of activities of CAT and POD could hardly reflect cold resistance of asparagus bean cultivars.

Key words: V igna, Asparagus bean, Chilling stress, Soluble protein, Activities of cell protective enzyme