Fruits were removed (-fruit) or retained (+fruit) on limbs of 'Yanfengyihao' peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batch) trees. In addition to the -fruit and +fruit treatments, leaves on 1-year-old fruit-bearing shoots of 'Bayuecui' peach trees were covered with bags for varying periods of time. Net photosynthetic rate (P(n)), stomatal conductance and transpiration rate around midday significantly decreased in the -fruit treatment and significantly increased in bagged leaves after removal of the bags compared with values in the +fruit treatment. Leaf temperature (T(l)) was higher in the -fruit treatment than in the +fruit treatment, and P(n) decreased in the -fruit treatment, especially when T(l) exceeded 38 and 36 degrees C in 'Yanfengyihao' and 'Bayuecui', respectively. Fruit removal resulted in a significant accumulation of sorbitol and starch in leaves, but it did not decrease activities of enzymes involved in carbon metabolism in leaves of 'Yanfengyihao'. In contrast, activities of aldose-6-phosphate reductase and ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase sometimes increased in leaves in the -fruit treatment. In 'Bayuecui', fruit removal significantly decreased maximal fluorescence and photochemical efficiency and increased minimal fluorescence around midday compared with values in the +fruit and bag treatments. The photosynthetic apparatus of peach may be damaged when T(l) exceeds a critical temperature under conditions of decreased sink demand. Decreased stomatal aperture and increased T(l) may regulate photosynthesis by affecting electron transport.