Abstract: Seeds of rice (Oryza sativa var. Yinfang) were treated with different concentrations of CuSO4·5H2O、MnSO4·4H2O、ZnSO4·7H20、H3BO3·H2O and MoO3 for 24 hours, then they were germinated at 25℃ in an incubator. After 10 days, the seedlings were deseeded and the dry weight of shoots and roots was determined as usual. Warburgs manometric method was used to determine the rate of respiration and the activity of succinic oxidase. The antagonism between microelements and respiratory inhibitors was studied by the use of potassium cyanide, malonic acid, sodium fluroide and others. The results are summarized as follows: 1. The optimum concentrations of copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum and boron for growth and respiration are 2, 100, 100, 50, 50 ppm, respectively. 2. Copper, manganese, molybdenum and boron stimulated the growth both of shoots and roots, however, zinc stimulated only the growth of roots. 3. In general, the concentration which stimulates growth was also to accelerate the rate of respiration, the rate of growth and respiration was retarded when the concentration was increase. 4. Antagonism had been observed between microelements such as copper, zinc, manganese, molybdenum and potassium cyanide. 5. The inhibition of malonic acid was increased by the treatment of various microelements. 6. The activity of succinic oxidase was stimulated by manganese, but did not by copper.