Abstract:Comparative studies on localization and distribution of cyclic adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDEase) activity in the young leaf cells of two different cold resistant wheat (Triticum aestivurn L.) varieties during cold acclimation were carried out by means of ultracytochemical method. The results indicated that the reaction products of cAMP- PDEase activity in two varieties of the seedlings grown at optimum temperature (20–25℃) were mainly localized at plasmalemma, nucleoli and chromatin. When the wheat seedlings were subjected to low temperature acclimation, cAM P-PDEase activity in the strong cold resistant variety Yanda 1817 seedlings was markedly decreased; however, little alteration of this enzyme activity was observed in the weak cold resistant variety Zhengzhou 39-1. cAMP-PDEase activity was recovered after deacclimation. The results suggested that changes in cAMP-PDEase activity during cold acclimation were closely related to the development of plant cold hardiness.