The effects of an osmoticum (mannitol) on growth, water content, respiration, and proline con tent in epicotyls of etiolated two day old (S 2 ) and three day old (S 3 ) pea (Pisum sativum L., cv. Flora 2) seedlings were studied. Water deficit was produced by placing plant roots in 0.6 M mannitol for 2-4 days. Control S 3 epicotyls contained more water than S 2 epicotyls; they were also characterized by more intense mitochondrial activity (in state 3, V 3 ) and by the higher value of the respiratory control (RC) due to a fourfold decrease of proportion of weakly phosphorylating cyanide resistant respiration (CRR). After 2 day long treatment with the osmoticum, S 2 epicotyls lost more water than S 3 ; water deficit in them attained 40% (28% in S 3 ). In S 3 treatment, epicotyls continued to grow at the almost unchanged rate, and the content of proline in them changed insignificantly, whereas in S 2 seedlings epicotyl growth stopped, and proline accumulated in them. In the presence of the osmoticum, V 3 and RC reduced, but in S 3 treatment they retained higher than in treatment S 2 . In mitochondria of S 3 subjected to dehydration, the proportion of the cytochromic pathway of oxidation (V cyt ) remained high, but the absolute values of the respiration rate reduced, whereas in S 2 both these indices reduced and the proportion of CRR increased. After rewatering, indices of mitochondrial activ ity (the rate of substrate oxidation, RC value) were restored, but in S 3 they were higher. The ratio of V cyt to CRR in S 3 shifted toward CRR, whereas in S 2 , in contrast, it was shifted toward V cyt . When temperature dur ing seedling growth and experiment performing was declined from 22°C (in control) to 18°C, growth of S 3 epicotyls was retarded to the rate characteristic of S 2 at 22°C. Under the effect of osmoticum, they, like S 2 , acquired a capacity to accumulate proline. Nevertheless, mitochondrial activity in such S 3 turned out to be higher than in S 2 grown at 22°C. The results obtained than, as distinct from traditional notes, 3 day old pea seedlings manifested the higher tolerance to water deficit than 2 day old seedlings.Abbreviations: AO-alternative oxidase; RC-respiratory con trol; S 2 and S 3 -2 and 3 day old seedlings, respectively, sub jected to osmoticum action and subsequent rewatering; SHAMsalicylhydroxamic acid; TMPD-N,N,N',N' tetramethylphe nylendiamine; V 3 -the respiration rate in mitochondria in state 3; V 4 -the respiration rate in mitochondria in state 4; V cytactivity of cytochromic pathway for oxidation.