We obtained 1 a low temperature tolerant cultivar E659 by screening from 100 eggplant germplasm resources under low temperature stress. E659 and E646, a cold sensitive cultivar were subsequently Two eggplant genotypes, E659 and cold sensitive cultivar E646, were analyzed for low temperature tolerance to low temperature during early vegetative growth. Through measurements of photochemical capacity, oxidative damage, hydrogen peroxide accumulation, and antioxidant enzyme activities. After 5days of 4°treatment , compared with E646, the low temperature resistant genotype E659 showed, less decrease of FV/FM ratio and less increase of Malondialdehyde(MDA) content and electrolyte leakage, respectively, demonstrating minor damage of PSII system and oxidative damage by lipid peroxidation in this cultivar. Furthermore, within 24 hours of 4℃ treatment, the measurement of the antioxidant enzymes activity showed E659 has higher constitutive superoxide dismutase (SOD), and reduced or delayed damages of the ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and catalase (CAT) activity. These finding indicate that the low temperature tolerant cultivar E659 can possesses a rapid response mechanism and has higher reactive oxygen species system(ROS) clearance capacity to lower cold injury when facing low temperature.