A spotted-leaf mutant of rice HM143 was isolated from an EMS-induced IR64 mutant bank. Brown lesions randomly distributed on leaf blades were observed about 3 wk after sowing. The symptom lasted for the whole plant growth duration. Histochemical analysis indicated that cell death occurred in and around the site of necrotic lesions accompanied with accumulation of hydrogen hyperoxide. Agronomic traits were largely similar to the wild type IR64 except seed setting rate and 1 000-grain weight which were signiifcantly decreased in the mutant. Disease resistance of the mutant to multiple races of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae was signiifcantly enhanced. Genetic analysis showed that the mutation was controlled by a single recessive gene, tentatively termed splHM143. In addition, using molecular markers and 1 023 mutant type individuals from an F2 segregating population derived from the cross HM143/R9308, the spotted-leaf gene was ifnally delimited to an interval of 149 kb between markers XX25 and ID40 on the long arm of chromosome 4. splHM143 is likely a novel rice spotted-leaf gene since no other similar genes have been identiifed near the chromosomal region.