In this study, the effects of thrip feeding stress on secondary metabolites and defense enzymes in the three different thrip-tolerant alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cultivars, such as the thrip-resistant Gannong No. 9, thrip-sus- ceptible Gannong No. 3,and highly thrip - susceptible WL363HQ, were studied at the alfalfa seedling stage. The changes of flavonoids, tannins, lignin and the peroxidase (POD), phenylalanine aminolyase (PAL), polyphenol oxi- dase (PPO) were compared under the different thrip numbers (0 ,4,5 and 6 -thrip per branch) at 5 days of treat- ments. The results indicated that compared with CK, with the increase of thrip quantities, the content of flavonoid, tannin and lignin in Gannong 9, Gannong 3 and WL363HQ remarkably increased (P<0. 05). In addition, under the 5 and 6-thrips per branch, compared with that in Gannong 3, the tannin contents of Gannong 9 were significantly en- hanced by 53. 49% and 47. 70%, respectively, and were significantly higher than that in WL363HQ (71. 52% and 58. 60%)(P<0. 05). The lignin contents of Gannong 9 were significantly greater than Gannong 3 and WL363HQ under 5 and 6-thrips per branch, with an increase of 5. 60%,3. 50% and 6. 13%,3. 96%, respectively (P< 0. 05). Thrip infestation significantly improved the POD and PAL activities, and reduced the PPO activities of the tested alfalfa varieties (P<0. 05). The activities of POD and PAL in Gannong 9 infested by 5-thrips per branch were significantly higher than Gannong 3(2. 60% and 1. 09%, respectively) and WL363HQ (1. 36% and 3. 54%, respectively). Under 6-thrips per branch the POD and PAL activities of Gannong 9 were 5. 19% and 9. 36% higher than Gannong 3, and were significantly increased by 2. 58% and 11. 18% compared with WL363HQ (P<0. 05).