Bacterial blight of rice, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), is the most devastating disease of rice (Oryza sativa L). Rice lines that carry resistance (R) gene Xa10 confer race-specific resistance to Xoo strains harboring avirulence (Avr) gene avrXa10. Here we report on genetic study, disease evaluation and fine genetic mapping of the Xa10 gene. The inheritance of Xa10-mediated resistance to PXO99A(pHM1avrXa10) did not follow typical Mendelian inheritance for single dominant gene in F2 population derived from IR24 x IRBB10. A locus might be present in IRBB10 that caused distorted segregation in F2 population. To eliminate this locus, an F3 population (F3-65) was identified, which showed normal Mendelian segregation ratio of 3:1 for resistance and susceptibility. A new near-isogenic line (F3-65-1743) of Xa10 in IR24 genetic background was developed and designated as IRBB10A. IRBB10A retained similar resistance specificity as that of IRBB10 and provided complete resistance to PXO99A(pHM1avrXa10) from seedling to adult stages. Linkage analysis using existing RFLP markers and F2 mapping population mapped the Xa10 locus to the proximal side of E1981S with genetic distance at 0.93 cM. With five new RFLP markers developed from the genomic sequence of Nipponbare, Xa10 was finely mapped at genetic distance of 0.28 cM between proximal marker M491 and distal marker M419 and co-segregated with markers S723 and M604. The physical distance between M491 and M419 on Nipponbare genome is 74 kb. Seven genes have been annotated from this 74-kb region and six of them are possible Xa10 candidates. The results of this study will be useful in Xa10 cloning and marker-assisted breeding.