Changes of peroxidase activity, polyamine content and ethylene production during somatic embryogenesis in suspension-cultured carrot (Daucus carota L.) cells were investigated. As compared with nonembyrogenic cells and their medium, embryogenic cells and their medium were characterized by higher levels of peroxidase at all times of culture period. Peroxidase in embryogenic cells showed higher oxidation activity of IAA than in nonembryogenic cells at the torpedo stage, but the IAA oxidation activity of peroxidase released into embryogenic medium was lower than that of peroxidase released into nonembryogenic medium. Peroxidase patterns of embryogenic and nonembryogenic cells showed three cathodic bands, and one anodic band, while peroxidase patterns released into embryogenic and nonembryogenic media did not show any anodic bands and the isoelectric points of cathodic peroxidase were pH 7.7, 7.5 and 6.6. Compared with nonembryogenic cells, polyamine content in embryogenic cells was increased by 15% at the torpedo stage, but polyamine ratio was constant, and ethylene production was extremely low at all times of culture period. Therefore, it is suggested that the peroxidase in embryogenic cells is correlated with embryogenesis by regulating hormone ratios through IAA oxidation, while the peroxidase isozyme patterns may be used as a biochemical marker of embryogenesis. The increase of polyamine content and the decrease of ethylene production suggest an interaction between polyamine and ethlyene during embryogenesis.