Abstract: Peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batch. cv. Beijing 24] fruit at commercial maturity were immersed in 0, 0.35, 0.7 and 1 mmol/L salicylic acid (SA) solution for 5 min, stored at 0°C for 28 days, then moved to 20°C for 3 days to simulate shelf life. Chilling injury (CI) index, decay index (DI), firmness and malondialdehyde (MDA) content of fruit were measured at the end of shelf life. The results showed that only 1 mM SA significantly maintained higher firmness and lower CI, DI, and TBARS content of fruit compared with the control. Studies were then conducted to determine if 1 mmol/L SA alleviated chilling injury by influencing antioxidant systems of the fruit. Reduced-to-oxidized ascorbate ratio (AsA/DHAsA) in 1 mmol/L SA-treated fruit was 39%, 61%, and 55% higher than that in controls at the midpoint of storage, the end of storage and after 3 days of shelf life, respectively. The reduced-to-oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG) in SA treated-fruit was 68% higher than that in controls at the midpoint of storage. Ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities in SA-treated fruit were significantly greater than those in controls during cold storage. The effect of SA on alleviating chilling injury of peaches during cold storage may be related to its ability to induce antioxidant systems .