Four grapevine cultivars, i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon (a member of the Western Europe cultivar group), Rizamat (a member of the East cultivar group), Red Double Taste (a hybridized cultivar from Vitis vinifera L. and V. labrusca L.), and 1103Paulsen (a hybridized rootstock), were treated by three severity orders of drought stress for 25 d. Then net photosynthetic rate (PN), maximal photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm), actual photochemical efficiency (ΦPS2) of photosystem 2, total electron transport rate (JT), electron transport flows used in carboxylation (JC) and in oxygenation (Jo) reactions catalysed by ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/ oxygenase were determined. PN was determined again after re-watering for 2 d by combined measurement of gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence. Along with the increase in severity of drought stress, PN, Fv/Fm, ΦPS2, JT, and Jc in all four cultivars decreased. The range of decrease differed among cultivars. Jo expressed various trends from cultivar to cultivar. In Rizamat that received slight and moderate drought stress, PN evidently decreased, but Jo markedly increased, thus maintaining high values of JT andΦPS2. Prior to the moderate drought stress, the FV/Fm was high in Rizamat, indicating that the photodamage had not happened ahead of the moderate drought stress given. Under the severe drought stress, the photorespiration rate in Rizamat decreased by 70 %, and JT, ΦPS2, and Fv/Fm also dropped to very low values, i.e. the photodamage of photosynthetic apparatus has taken place. This suggested that the photorespiration has consumed the excessive assimilatory power and the photo-protective function of photorespiration is very important for Rizamat. When Cabernet Sauvignon grew under drought stress, its Jo decreased in a small range, thus maintaining higher values of Jc, JT, ΦPS2 and Fv/Fm; hence no serious photodamage occurred. Despite of the fact that PN of cv. Red Double Taste decreased markedly under the slight drought stress, Jo still increased under the severe drought stress. This suggests that photorespiration is important in photoprotection under drought stress. Jo in cv. 1103Paulsen markedly decreased under slight stress. Accordingly, PN, Fv/Fm, ΦPS2, JT, and Jc decreased to extremely low values. Thus photorespiration effectively protects the photosynthetic apparatus from photo-damage under drought, assists in maintaining a relatively highΦPS2, and helps PN to be rapidly recovered after re-watering.