Effects of four soil moisture levels and four temperatures on seedling mergence of five rice cultivars were studied at EMBRAPA's Experimental Station of Pelotas, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in 1982. The experiment with four replications, was carried out at greenhouse conditions, and for each replication the soil temperature was maintained at 16°C, 23°C, 30°C and 37°C, respectively. A sandy soil with 2,2% of organic matter and field capacity of 15,5% was used in association with 8%, 15%, 6-15% and 15-22% levels of gravimetric moisture (Gm). In the last two levels, the lowest percentage was maintained during the first three days, and the highest during the last twenty-five days until the end of the experiment. The Bluebelle, Brazos, BR-IRGA 409, BR-IRGA 410 and EEA-406 were the cultivars used to evaluate the parameters studied. The effects were evaluated by the "speed of emergence index", initial stand and dry weight of the top part of the seedlings twenty eight days after seedling. The results indicated that the lowest values in the parameters studied were obtained when the soil was maintained at low moisture conditions (8% Gm) and low temperature (16°C). As soil moisture and temperature increased the speed of emergence and the number of seedlings also increased. In each of the parameters studied the cultivars tested showed different results. For instance, the performance of the cultivar BR-IRGA 409 was lower than the other cultivars; on the other hand, the best results were obtained with Brazos and EEA-406.