Ascorbate peroxidase (APX), an ,antioxidant enzyme, scavenges $H_{2} O_{2}$ that is produced by normal metabolism and cellular oxidative stresses. To investigate its role during germination and seedling growth, we isolated a cDNA encoding cytosolic APX (cAPX) in hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). The full-length clone, Ca-cAPX1, is 1011 bp long and has an ORF encoding 249 amino acid residues. During seedling development, cAPX activity and expression levels were higher at Days 5 and 6 post-imbibition, respectively, whereas those of catalase (CAT) increased at Days 8 and 10. The increased amount of $H_{2} O_{2}$ in that early developmental stage (Day 5) may have been counteracted mainly by APX, and further removed by CAT in cooperation with APX. To determine whether the accumulation of $H_{2} O_{2}$ via suppression of cAPX expression might be a factor in stimulating germination, we constructed a transformant of Ca-cAPX1. Compared with the wild type, the germination rate for the antisense-suppressed Arabidopsis increased by $ 26\% $, while its $H_{2} O_{2}$ content rose by $ 50\% $. Therefore, we propose that the pre-germination suppression of cAPX expression stimulates seed germination by promoting the accumulation of $H_{2} O_{2}$.