Room temperature absorbance and 77 K fluorescence measurements were ušed in order to identity Pchlide and Chlide spectral forms involved in protochlorophyllide photoreductíon in greening leaves of barley. Pchlide55o (the subscript refers to the in vivo absorbance maximum of the pigment) is the main photoactíve Pchlide throughout the first 8 h of greening. Its photoreductíon triggers a succession of Chl(ide) spectral forms that are identícal to those normally found after photoreductíon in uitírradiated leaves. Afler an actinic radiation pulse, Chlide5g4 appears within 2 s from an intermediate at shorter wavelength and is transformed to Chlide572 in less than 2 min. The time-scale of the shifts is remarkably shorter than in unirradiated leaves, which is consistent with the acceleratíon of Chl accumulatíon during greening. Pchlide63o and Pchlide64o act as precursors of Pchlide65o during its regeneration, which exhibits a marked inhibition at temperatures above 30 °C.