When melon seedlings (Cucumis melo L. Ximiya No. 1) were cultured in a growth chamber with about 150 micro mol m(-2) s(-1) photon flux density, the leaf photosynthetic ability reduced dramatically as leaf position decreased from the top. The application of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) solutions significantly increased the net photosynthetic rate (P(n)) as well as apparent quantum yield (AQY), carboxylation efficiency (CE) and stomata conductance (G(s)). After irrigation with 10 ml of ALA solution (10 mg l(-1) or 100 mg l(-1)) per container filled with approximately 250 g clean sand for 3 days, the leaf P(n) was about 40-200% higher than that of controls, and AQY, CE and G(s) increased 21-271%, 55-210% and 60-335%, respectively. Furthermore, ALA treatments increased leaf chlorophyll content and soluble sugar levels, as well as the rate of dark respiration, but decreased the rate of respiration under light. On the other hand, after melon seedlings that had been cultured in the chamber suffered chilling at 8 degrees C for 4 h and then recovered at 25-30 degrees C for 2 and 20 h, the P(n) of the water-irrigated plants was only 12-18% and 37-47%, respectively, compared with the initial P(n) before chilling treatment. If the seedlings underwent the same treatment but with ALA (10 mg l(-1)), the respective P(n) was 22-38% and 76-101%, compared with that of the control before chilling stress. If chilling was prolonged for 6 h, the ALA-pre-treated plants only showed a few symptoms in the leaf margins whereas all water-irrigated plants died, which suggested that ALA presumably promoted chilling tolerance of the plants under low light.