Abstract:Cytokinins and Ca2+ singly retarded senescence of detached rice leaves. When Ca2+ was applied together with cytokinins, the effectiveness of cytokinins was significantly reduced. Ca2+ and cytokinins did not stimulate ethylene production synergistically, ruling out the possibility that ethylene was involved in the inhibition of cytokinin-induced senescence- retarding effect by Ca2+. The experiment with specific compounds known to increase (Ca ionophore A23187), or decrease (EGTA, LaCl3, Verapamil, chlorpromazine) cytosolic Ca2+ level indicated that the elevated cytosolic Ca2+ retards senescence.