This research project was focused in minimizing inorganic arsenic levels in polished rice grain while maintaining crop yield and water productivity of the most planted Indica cultivar in Uruguay, INIA Merin. Two experiments were conducted during seasons 2018-2019 and 2019-2020.

The maintenance of an adequate soil nutrient status is crucial for ensuring food security while avoiding nutrient imbalances, mining, or enrichment that may lead to environmental damage. In Uruguay, the traditional rice-pasture rotation, allowing for direct livestock grazing, has gradually shifted towards more intensive rotations over the last decade, primarily adopting a rice-soybean rotation.

The rice sector is facing the challenge to keep increasing rice yields while maintaining or improving input use efficiency. This research has shown that the recommended nitrogen fertilization rate based on soil analyses, determined the highest yield with no statistically significant differences with the fertilization 50% above it.