Ovules from flowers removed 2 days postanthesis (DPA) from greenhouse-grown salt-tolerant [cv. Acala 1517-88 (AC-88)] and salt sensitive [cv.Deltapine-50 (DP-50)], MAR and Coker (CO-312) cotton plants were grown in culture media amended with either 0mM (control conditions) or 100mM (stress conditions) NaCl and at 24 DPA were analyzed for differences in fresh weight and antioxidant enzyme activities. Salt treatment reduced fiber growth in all the cultivars except AC-88. Superoxide dismutase activity increased during salt treatment in AC-88 and MAR, but not in CO-312 or DP-50. Catalase was constitutively high in AC-88 and a salt induced change was recorded in DP-50. Glutathione reductase activity was constitutively high in AC-88, increased in MAR and CO-312 under stress, and decreased significantly in DP-50 when subjected to NaCl stress. Under stress conditions, peroxidase activity increased significantly in MAR and AC-88 and decreased significantly in CO-312 and DP-50. High constitutive levels of ascorbate peroxidase activity were observed in AC-88 and DP-50 while the activity of this enzyme increased in MAR and CO-312 when stressed. Glutathione-S-transferase activity significantly increased in all the cultivars when treated with NaCl. These findings indicate that fibers from the more salt-tolerant ovules did not exhibit a reduction in fresh weight when subjected to salt stress and in addition suggests that the varietal difference in salt tolerance may have been, in part, due to the up regulation of the antioxidant enzymes.