Adsorption and desorption of boron in the main upland soils of Hubei Province and the boron uptake of rape shoot were studied. The experimental results were fitted to the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherm equations. It was found that there was a significant hysteretic desorption of boron in some tested soils. In this case, the shape of adsorption curve was different from that of desorption curve, and K_e' or n' of desorption equation was larger than that of adsorption equation. Hence, the difference due to hysteretic desorption could be described by the hysteretic coefficient (△K+△n) qualitatively. When △K+△n>0.25, the hysteretic desorption was more significant. The reasons for the hysteretic desorption of boron in soil were very complicated. The contents of amorphous Al and Mn oxyhydroxides were positively correlated with the hysteretic coefficient in the experiment (n=11, r=0.790^** and 0.744^**,respectively).The boron content of plant had a better relationship with adsorption-desorption property of soils. The value of △K+△n was significantly correlated with the content of boron taken up by the plant shoot(r=-0.761^**, n=11). In the case of boron application, the effect of hysteretic desorption on boron uptake by plant could be decreased partly, and plant could absorb more boron in the soil.