Abstract: The growth and physiological characters of sixteen pepper(Capsicum annum L.)varieties under salinity stress during seed germination and seedling stage were studied by the method of simulation in soil cultivation. The results showed that under salinity stress， percentage of germination， germination vigor， germination index， sprout height， radicle length， fresh mass of sprout and fresh mass of radical of all tested pepper varieties were decreased to different extent during seed germination stage. Peroxidase(POD)activities， catalase(CAT)activities and ascorbate peroxidase(APX) activities of all pepper varieties were increased， while soluble sugar content， soluble protein content of all pepper varieties were decreased， and superoxide dismutase(SOD) activities， different varieties displayed diverse responses to salinity stress. The fourteen character indexes from different varieties， such as relative percentage of germination and relative germination index etc showed significant difference by using multivariate variance analysis. Based on subjection values， the sixteen cultivars were classified into three categories by cluster analysis， Hongyan， Jiansheng1， Wanjiadenghuo， Changhong361， Hongxiu and Beiyanjianjiao No.3 were salt tolerant varieties， whereas Jiansheng2， Bolawuhao， Hongsheng008， Jiansheng3 and Sujiao No.12 were moderately salt tolerant varieties， but Lijian1， Ganxian No.3， Changhong366， Yanhong1 and Yanhong2 were salt sensitive varieties．

Key words: pepper, salinity stress, physiological response, cluster analysis