The metabolism of reactive oxygen species in pear (Pyrus bretschneideri Rehd.) flower buds changes greatly during their natural dormancy in winter. The O(-.)(2) production rate increases rapidly during the period of dormancy, but decreases when dormancy finishes (Fig. 5). H(2)O(2) content goes up significantly at the early stage of dormancy, but afterwards falls gradually (Fig. 5). However, ascorbic acid (AsA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) contents show a different changing trend: descending at first and keeping at relatively low levels during the process of dormancy, but rising during breaking of dormancy (Fig. 4). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbic peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) descend during the process of dormancy, but rise during breaking of dormancy, although at different rates for different enzymes (Figs. 1, 3). On the contrary, the activity of catalase (CAT) increases sharply at the beginning of dormancy, keeps at a stable high level during dormancy, and gradually decreases at the end of dormancy period (Fig. 2). The activity of peroxidase (POD) even keeps increasing during dormancy and breaking of dormancy (Fig. 1). The results show that the metabolism of reactive oxygen species has certain strong correlation with the natural dormancy of pear flower buds in winter.