In order to determine the efficiency of different methods to evaluate physiological quality of rice seed, twenty lots of the cultivars BR-IRGA 409 and BR-IRGA 410 were submited to tests: umidity, 1000 seeds weight, mechanical damage, first antecipated counting, tetrazolium, electrical conductivity, AP colorimetric and field emergence. The study was conducted in the Seed Laboratory of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria during 1993. It was concluded that first anteciped counting and tetrazolium test are both efficient in rapid determination of physiological seed quality and present positive relationship with germination. The tests of first anteciped counting, electrical conductivity, bulk sistem, AP colorimetric and field emergence presents low correlation among themselvess. The tests of electrical conductivity, bulk system and AP colorimetry needs more studies and improvements before being recommended to the rice seed.