Lettuce plants(Lactuca sativa var. capitata L.) were subjected to nitrogen starvation for 18, 14, 11, 7, and 0 days before harvest. The nitrate content of lettuce was decreased greatly by nitrogen starvation and also its fresh weight. The nitrate content of the middle part of leaves was lowest at the treatment of 18 days before harvest. In the inner part it was lowest at the treatment of 11 and 14 days before harvest. The longer the period of nitrogen starvation was, the more were decreased the absorption rates of cations at harvest. During the experiment, the pH was decreased except the treatment of 7 days before harvest. The EC was continuously increased regardless of treatments.