Norflurazon-tolerant mutants er1-1, er1-3, er2, and na were obtained by screening lines from a genetic collection of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. on a selective medium containing norflurazon (NF), an inhibitor of carotenoid biosynthesis. These mutants were characterized by a dwarf phenotype and differed in the activities of enzymes that scavenge active oxygen species (peroxidase, glutathione dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase, and superoxide dismutase). The er1-3 mutant had a higher ABA content, and germination of the er2 mutant seeds displayed enhanced sensitivity to this hormone. It is concluded that NF-tolerant mutants of Arabidopsis present a convenient model for studying the role of phytohormones in the induction of plant adaptive response to oxidative stress.