Abstract: A hydroponic experiment was carried out with NaCl and Na₂CO₃ added to simulate saline-alkali stresses with a view to evaluating effects of seed-soaking in La(NO₃)₃ solution on growth and antioxidant enzyme activity of adzuki bean seedlings. Results show that (1) compared with those in the control, the adzuki bean seedlings under saline-alkali stress were short in plant height,and lower in leaf area, fresh weight of stem and leaf,root activity, and activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD), peroxidase(POD) and catalase(CAT) as well,but higher in malondialdehyde(MDA) content in the root, demonstrating the effect of both NaCl and Na₂CO₃ stresses inhibiting growth of the adzuki bean seedlings, and the effect of the latter being greater than the former; (2) seed-soaking in La(NO₃)₃ solution enhanced growth and antioxidant enzyme activity of the adzuki bean seedling, and this effect in the treatments under saline-alkali stresses was remarkably higher than in the control, thus mitigating the detrimental effects of saline-alkali stresses; and (3) in this experiment,soaking-seeds in 30 mg·L^-1 La(NO₃)₃ solution significantly stimulated growth of the shoots and roots of the adzuki bean seedlings.