Recombinant plasmid pCZ2(pKC1139::475 bp aveD) was used for aveD gene disruption in Streptomyces avermitilis 76-9. The plasmid was inserted into the chromosome by homogenous recombination between partial aveD gene in the plasmid and aveD in the chromosome. Disruptants were confirmed by Southern blotting. Shaking flask experiments and HPLC analysis showed that the disruptant produced only four components, which were C5-oxo-avermectin B1a, B1b, B2a, B2b as identified by UV, IR, NMR, and MS. This revealed that both aveD and aveF were not expressed in the disruptant. This is consistent with that aveD and aveF are in a transcription unit. This paper also provided a new genetic method to obtain C5-oxo-avermectin B-producing strain.