Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek 'AC Harosprout') seedlings were used to test the hypothesis that moderate oxidative stress offers protection against chilling injury. Chilling inhibits subsequent radicle growth. Decreased radicle elongation at 25°C after 1 to 4 days of chilling at 2.5°C was used as a measure of chilling injury. Exposure of seedlings with 3-5 mm long radicles to pure oxygen (O 2 ) for 24 hours (during which time the radicle grew to 10-15 mm in length) induced partial resistance to 1 or 2 days of chilling, but had no effect on seedlings chilled for 3 or 4 days. Soaking seedlings with 5 mm radicle in 0.1% hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) for 45 minutes decreased the radicle length of chilled and non-chilled seedlings alike. The H 2 O 2 treatment had no effect on chilled and non-chilled seedlings when chilling was delayed until the radicles of H 2 O 2 treated seedlings had grown to 10 mm in length. These preliminary results indicated a possible role of moderate stress in inducing partial tolerance to chilling.