Abstract: Flowers with branches of cut rose ‘Belami’ (Rosa hybrida ‘Belami’)，a cultivar with middle range tolerance to water deficit stress, were treated with 30 h water deficit stress at room temperature and 40％relative humidity. Then the flowers were reput in water, and vased continuously until loss of vasing value．
Changes of the contents of soluble protein and free amino acid， and endopeptidase activity in petals were determined. The contents of soluble protein and free amino acid were increased obviously in treated petals as
como．-,~1 with untreated contro1． and the efect Was lasted even after rehydration and during flowers vasing．
Endopeptidase activity of petals in treated flowers Was much higher than in control immediately after treatment，
however the activity in treated flowers Was lower than in control at pH6 determination condition although it Was
higher at pHlO after rehydration．A new kind of endopeptidase might be induced by the treatment．

Key words: Rose, Cut flower, Water deftcit stress, Endope ptidase activity