Two types of Rhizoctonia solani esterases induced by cutin hydrolysate were partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel filtration. The esterase I with hydrolyzing activity toward both ${ ho}-ni-trophenyl$ butyrate and ${ ho}-nitrophenyl$ palmitate and the esterase II with hydrolyzing activity toward only ${ ho}-ni-trophenyl$ butyrate were inhibited by ebelactone B, an esterase inhibitor produced by actinomycetes with $IC_{50}$ values of 0.01 and $0.09{;}mu extrm{g}/l$, respectively. Spraying on rice seedling with ebelactone B at a concentration of $30{;}mu extrm{g}/ml$ completely suppressed infection by R. solani. Ebelactone B could not protect the wounded rice seedling and did not show any inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth at a concentration of 1 mg/ml. These results indicate that ebelactone B, an esterase inhibitor protects rice plants from infection with R. solani by inhibition of penetration, not through fungitoxic or fungicidal effect.