Abstract: Effect of temperature on the nitrification of soil at tea plantations was investigated under artificial cultivation in the laboratory. The acidic soil samples from tea plantations were incubated under a constant moisture content at 10, 20, and 30℃. Accumulations of the extractable NH₄⁺-N and NO₃-N, as well as pH, in the soil were monitored continuously for 36 ds. The results showed that, after an apparent initial delay for 11 ds, NO₃^--N changed with time following an exponential function of N=N₀e^kt (P<0.01). The increased temperatures did not affect the delay. However, the net nitrified nitrogen, net nitrification rate, nitrification ratio, and k value of the soil increased with the elevated temperatures from 10℃ to 30℃, while the greatest nitrifying potential (N₀) occurred at 20℃. At 30℃, the nitrification rate was significantly higher than that at 10℃ or 20℃, with no significant difference between 10℃ and 20℃. It appeared that by raising the incubation temperature the nitrification rate could be accelerated, but the NO₃^--N accumulation in the soil remained unaltered. And, the 11 d initial delay on the nitrification activity seemed to be conducive for the soil absorption of NH₄⁺-N.