The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of techniques of rice cultivation on the physical, chemical and biological parameters of effluent water. The research was conducted at the Experimental Station of IRGA (Rio Grande do Sul Rice Institute), in the municipality of Cachoeirinha, RS, in the Gravataí river basin. The tests were performed using 3 usual techniques of rice cultivation, conventional, pre-germinated and direct planting. During the first 30 days of irrigation, the physical and chemical parameters of the paddy fields presented higher values compared to that of inflow. This shows that during this period the impact on water quality was highest. After this period, the situation changed completely. After reaching adult size, the rice plants acted as a natural swamp, extracting most of the contaminants from the water and the soil until the harvest. Thus the impact of rice farming is more concentrated during the first 30 days of irrigation was confirmed and it can be concluded that, depending on the cultivation technique used, there is efficient decontamination of the irrigation water. The most efficient technique was the direct planting.
irrigated rice; environmental quality; paddy fields water; irrigation water
