For the purpose of utilizing electrical conductivity of paddy soils as an index of soil fertility, both field measurements and laboratory studies were undertaken. A specially prepared conductivity cell with fixed distance between the platinum electrodes was used in field measurements.It was found that for acid and neutral paddy soils of Central China, the electrical conductivity of the plowed layer showed a close correlation with the fertility status of the soil in the majority of cases, especially in the early period of plant growth. The specifics conductivity of the soil decreased and the difference in conductivity between soils became less conspicuous gradually with plant growth, presumably due to the adsorption of nutrient ions by the rice roots. Another evidence supports this supposition, in which the electrical conductivity of the rhizosphere appeared to be less than that of the bulk of the soil.