Conservation agriculture in the drylands could lead to sustainable crop production to achieve global food security while reducing soil erosion and improve soil quality by preserving crop residue. A study was conducted to assess winter wheat varieties (Sardari, Rizhav, Baran, Saji, Rascon, Gerdish) response to cold stress under both conservation agriculture (CA) (Wheat-Chickpea rotation + No-tillage practice + Preservation of crop residues) system and conventional method at Dryland Agricultural Research Institute (DARI), Maragheh, Iran, 2018-2020 cropping seasons. Therefore, three different planting dates (late September, October and November) were considered and after planting they were irrigated. Two years data averages indicated that as a result of the first winter frost effect the catalase enzyme activity in seedling stage was 59% higher under CA compared to the conventional method. Also, H₂O₂ level and membrane lipid peroxidation was 11% and 7% lower, respectively in CA system. Grain yield of the late November planting date (cold stress affect seedling in the 2-3 leaf stage) in CA system was 47% more than the conventional method. These findings suggested that CA as a sustainable and environmentally friendly management system in cold dryland areas could improve cold stress tolerance in rainfed winter wheat.