The objective of this research was to evaluate, in the laboratory, rice seed germination, which received by seeding time different levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. A field plot was selected in a low fertility red dark latosol soil on the Agriculture Department Farm at Escola Superior de Agricultura de Lavras (MG). The experimental design was a randomized blocks in a 24 factorial scheme with four replications. Treatments consisted of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, in the levels of 0 and 20kg/ha of N; 0 and 60kg/ha of P2O5; 0 and 30kg/ha of K2O and 0 and 20kg/ha of ZnSO4. Germinative responses were obtained throught germination tests on seeds in four epochs after harvest: epoch 1: 15 days; epoch 2: 30 days; epoch 3: 60 days; epoch 4: 90 days. Based on the results of this study, it was verified that zinc and phosphorus increased seed germination. The zinc effect was noted when isolated or combined with potassium or nitrogen. The positive effect of phosphorus on the germination was increased by the addition of nitrogen.