Mutants deficient in nitrate reductase(NR) were classfied into two groups,nia types are deficient in apoprotein and cnx types are lack of Mo－ Co. This paper reports the characteristics of low NR mutants,which are not deficient in NR activity but 40%～60% of the NR activity of the wild type,Nipponbare. Mutants NR676 and NR827 were selected as seedings showing poor growth with nitrate as sole mitrogen source from M2 population. They exhibited chlorate resistance. Genetic analysis in the F1 and F2 indicated that chlorate resistance in the mutants was transmitted by a single recessive nuclear gene and that NR676 and NR827 were induced by a mutation at a single locus. In the F2 population,all of the seedings showing yellow green leaves were resistant to chlorate and low in NR activity. Photosynthetic rate and mRNA expression of NR676 and NR827 were lower than wild type. These results suggested that low NR activity and chlorate resistance of NR676 and NR827 were caused by a defect in photosynthetic process.