The preference of paddy rice for NH(4)(+) rather than NO(3)(-) is associated with its tolerance to low pH since a rhizosphere acidification occurs during NH(4)(+) absorption. However, the adaptation of rice root to low pH has not been fully elucidated. This study investigated the acclimation of plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase of rice root to low pH. Rice seedlings were grown either with NH(4)(+) or NO(3)(-). For both nitrogen forms, the pH value of nutrient solutions was gradually adjusted to pH 6.5 or 3.0. After 4 d cultivation, hydrolytic H(+)-ATPase activity, V(max), K(m), H(+)-pumping activity, H(+) permeability and pH gradient across the plasma membrane were significantly higher in rice roots grown at pH 3.0 than at 6.5, irrespective of the nitrogen forms supplied. The higher activity of plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase of adapted rice roots was attributed to the increase in expression of OSA1, OSA3, OSA7, OSA8 and OSA9 genes, which resulted in an increase of H(+)-ATPase protein concentration. In conclusion, a high regulation of various plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase genes is responsible for the adaptation of rice roots to low pH. This mechanism may be partly responsible for the preference of rice plants to NH(4)(+) nutrition.