The changes of photosynthetic properties and cell microstructure in peanut leaves during leaf senescence were studied with two high-yielding peanut cultivars (cv. Luhuall and Fu8707). The main results showed that during the whole process of leaf growth and senescence, changes in the photosynthesis rate (Pn) and contents of chlorophyll in leaves, could be described with a parabolic function, y = A + Bx + Cx2 (where y refers to the values of the above parameters and x to the days after leaf unfolding). During peanut leaf senes-