Slow growth conservation of Pinellia ternata on medium by adding different concentrations of mannitol,PP₃₃₃,and ABA were carried out.Somatic variation of regenerated plantlets was also studied.The results show that:the three of them all could effectively retard the growth with a high surviving rate.The optimum concentration of mannitol,PP₃₃₃ and ABA were 2%~4%,2.0 mg·L^-1 and 2.0~4.0 mg·L^-1,respectively.No variations were found in the regenerated plantlets which were conserved on medium by adding mannitol 2% or PP₃₃₃ 2.0 mg·L^-1.While,one new marker and one absent marker were found on medium by adding ABA 2.0 mg·L^-1.The locus variation rate was 1.7% and the individual variation rate was 30%.Therefore,ABA was not suggested in slow growth conservation of Pinellia.However,it contributed to the generation of new mutant,and has a special significance in the innovation of P.ternate germplasm.