Abstract.Pressure chamber (PC) and thermocouple pyschrometer (TP) were used to determine leaf water potential in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentumMill.), eggplant (Solanum melongenaL.) and bean (Phaseolus vulgarisL.) seedlings subjected to normal watering regime, drought or chilling temperature. The PC readings were corrected for apoplastic osmotic potential. Similar results were obtained in all species. In unchilled plants, the PC and TP measurements corresponded within a potential range of ‐0.1 to ‐2.5MPa, but discrepancies between the two methods often occurred in chilled plants, with PC water potentials 0.2 to 1.4 MPa higher (less negative) than TP values. The PC measurements appeared spuriously high in chilled plants. In droughted plants leaf dehydration occurred in both the blade and the petiole, whereas in chilled plants, water deficit was generally observed only in the bl