Appressorial formation of Pyricularia oryzae on leaves showed no marked difference between highly resistant Tongil and susceptible Norm No. 6. Race N-2 of the blast fungus penetrated directly into motor cells of susceptible cultivar Norm No. 6, later extensively spreading hyphae were developed, while in the cultivar Tongil, after penetration, no further hyphal extension resulted. In discoloration of infected tissues, the highly resistant cultivar Tongil not only discolored rapidly, but also the percentage of discolored cells was higher than the susceptible cultivars, Jinheung and Norm No. 6. The respiratory rate, was generally higher in infected tissue than in healthy tissue. No significant difference in the respiration rate of resistant Suwon No. 180 was not found between the infected and healthy leaf tissue, whereas, in susceptible Jinheung, a marked increase in respiratory rate was caused by blast infection. The respiratory rate increased at the appearance of the first visible symptom in all cultivars resistant or susceptible. Higher peroxidase activity was found in infected tissues as compared with healthy tissue. Peroxidase activity increased in resistant and susceptible reactions. Particularly, in resistant reaction, the increase of the activity was more pronounced. In highly resistant reaction, there was no difference in peroxidase activity between healthy and infected tissues. Ascorbic acid oxidase, hydroquinone oxidase and catechol oxidase had the same trend as the peroxidase. In contrast, activity of catalase rather decreased in leaf tissues infected with compatible races of the fungus.