AbstractJasmonic acid (JA) is involved in the regulation of host immunity in plants. Recently, we demonstrated that JA signalling has an important role in resistance to rice bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) in rice. Here, we report that many volatile compounds accumulate in response to exogenous application of JA, including the monoterpene linalool. Expression of linalool synthase was up‐regulated by JA. Vapour treatment with linalool induced resistance to Xoo, and transgenic rice plants overexpressing linalool synthase were more resistance to Xoo, presumably due to the up‐regulation of defence‐related genes in the absence of any treatment. JA‐induced accumulation of linalool was regulated by OsJAZ8, a rice jasmonate ZIM‐domain protein involving the JA signalling pathway at the transcriptional level, suggesting that linalool plays an important role in JA‐induced resistance to Xoo in rice.