27 minute read
More in the pipeline
UArk doubles down on rice breeding efforts with 2 releases.
By Vicky Boyd
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has released a long-grain and a medium-grain rice variety, both with improved yield potentials over previous cultivars. They will undergo seed increase in 2022 with the hope of a limited commercial launch for the 2023 season, said Dr. Xueyan Sha, senior rice breeder who developed the two.
Ozark is a conventional-height traditional long-grain variety with improved yield potential over Diamond, a previous UA release. Taurus is a true semi-dwarf medium-grain variety with significantly improved yield potential over Jupiter, an older medium grain from the Louisiana State University breeding program.
The two releases mark a renewed effort by the University of Arkansas to bring quality rice varieties to the market.
“This is the first step — we’re going to have a lot more coming in the pipeline that will show even better yield potential,” Sha said. “It’s just doubling down on our efforts.”
Ozark
A cross between Diamond and LaKast, Ozark is a tall-statured variety similar to Diamond. Nevertheless, he said, Ozark came through a number of hurricane and tropical storms during fall 2021 with minimal damage.
“Being taller doesn’t necessarily translate to lodging,” Sha said. “When we went through a hurricane last year, this variety performed much better than a semi-dwarf. This tall one stood much better because the sheath stayed green and withstood the wind.” In 2021 Arkansas Commercial Rice Trials, Ozark — trialed as 20AR185 — yielded an average of 212 bushels per acre across 11 locations. Milling yield was 57-70. Diamond averaged 202 bushels per acre across the same 11 locations, with average milling yields of 59-69. Ozark doesn’t have blast-resistance genes and has blast susceptibility similar to Diamond. But it isn’t considered very susceptible like Francis was.
Agronomically, growers should manage Ozark much as they would Diamond. But trials by University of Arkansas Extension plant pathologist Yeshi Wamishe found the new variety exhibited slightly less false smut infection and had slightly improved narrow brown leaf spot tolerance. Disease ratings for sheath blight and bacterial panicle blight were similar to Diamond.
Ozark kernel length falls into that 7-millimeter sweet spot sought by millers and buyers, he said. It also produces kernels less chalky than Diamond. At 23.5% amylose, the new variety has typical Southern long-grain cooking quality. “The milled rice is very white, and also the cooked rice is very white,” Sha said.
He said he settled on the Ozark name based on his previous breeding experience at LSU. There, rice breeder Steve Linscombe chose names, such as Cheniere and Pirogue, that paid homage to Louisiana. “We wanted to stick with an Arkansas connection,” Sha said of Ozark.
Taurus
Taurus is a true semi-dwarf conventional medium grain, standing shorter than Jupiter, Titan and Clearfield CLM04, which is also from Sha’s breeding program. In three years of Arkansas Rice Performance Trials, Taurus showed a significant yield advantage over Jupiter, Sha said.
Across 11 locations in 2021, Taurus yielded an average of 220 bushels per acre, with average milling yields of 62-71. Jupiter yielded an average of 197 bushels per acre, with milling averages of 65-69, while Titan yielded an average of 203 bushels per acre, with milling averaging 50-70.
Taurus’ grain size is similar to CLM04 but larger than Jupiter’s. Compared to Titan, Taurus’ grain size is slightly smaller. The variety produces low-chalk kernels that are very translucent.
The new medium grain is three days earlier than Jupiter but three days later than Titan. Like Titan, Taurus contains the Pi-ks and Pi-z genes for blast resistance.
Sha has already sent 2-pound samples to Kellogg’s for the past few years to get the processor’s take on its suitability. So far, he said they’ve seemed happy. The next step will be to send 1,000 pounds so Kellogg’s can run it through pilot-scale processing.
Sha said he chose to call the new variety Taurus to follow other recent Arkansas medium-grain releases named after constellations or planets.
“The milled rice is very white, and also the cooked rice is very white,” Dr. Xueyan Sha said about Ozark.
VICKY BOYD PHOTO COURTESY DR. XUEYAN SHA Taurus is a new medium-grain with improved yield potential over Jupiter. It is from the breeding program of Dr. Xueyan Sha.
BD FONTENOT
BD Fontenot is joined by his wife, Laurie, and their American quarter horse, Grace.
BD Fontenot grew up in Mamou, Louisiana — a small town in Evangeline Parish surrounded by agriculture. When he was 10 years old, Fontenot got his first job. His relatives had a cotton farm and came to town on Sunday to eat lunch at their grandparents’ house. Fontenot rode home with them in the afternoon and stayed all week to pick cotton. When they brought the cotton bale to town on Saturday, they dropped him back at his house.
While attending the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, he worked on rice farms during the summers, driving a cart or cutting levees. After graduating from USL with a degree in agronomy, Fontenot worked for the Louisiana Farm Bureau but knew he wanted to get closer to agriculture. When a position opened up at a retail outlet in Elton, Louisiana, he took it.
“That’s where I got my education in rice farming and met a lot of people,” Fontenot says. “David Prochaska, who was a consultant, spurred an interest in me to become a crop consultant. Other people I looked up to at that time were Steve Zaunbrecher, who was employed at G&H Seed Co., and Lawrence Trahan, who pretty much ran Crowley Grain. Steve and Lawrence were the go-to guys in rice.
“David encouraged me to start attending the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association meetings. I met a lot of people there and began testing to get my consultant’s license. That’s how I would describe the growth process in my professional life. Today, I am still at the same location in Elton, where I am employed by Nutrien Ag Solutions.”
A Love Of Learning
Fontenot considers himself a lucky fellow because he likes what he does and has had some good people, such as Prochaska, to point him in the right direction. He also has an inquisitive mind.
“When something new comes out, I can’t wait to learn about it and try it,” he says. “I enjoy looking for innovative ways to use a product in an efficacious manner.
“One thing that helped me a lot was attending the parish rice meetings that LSU Extension put on in January and February. I would not only go to the one in Evangeline Parish, I would make three or four of those a year. I learned something different at every one of them. I also got to know Steve Linscombe, Pat Bollich, Dearl Sanders and Eric Webster. The professionals at LSU AgCenter were a great resource for me.”
BD Fontenot and warehouse manager David Gillett (right) discuss the upcoming workday . Louisiana rice consultant BD Fontenot has walked elds for more than four decades.
From le , Malori Lansing, Corteva Agriscience territory manager; David Gillett, warehouse manager; BD Fontenot; and Troy Neal, operations manager, pose in front of Nutrien Ag Solutions in Elton, Louisiana.
Linscombe, who is now rice breeder and director emeritus at the Rice Research Station in Rayne, Louisiana, says Fontenot is by far the best rice consultant with whom he has ever worked.
“He is knowledgeable, meticulous, hardworking and a real pleasure to be around,” Linscombe says. “One thing that has always impressed me about BD is that he will leave no stone unturned in getting the answer to a question or issue that will benefi t one of his growers. He has always been considered an early adapter of new technologies. However, he is somewhat conservative in this aspect until he is convinced that the new technology will benefi t his growers.”
Fontenot’s rice consulting career has spanned more than four decades. During that time, he has seen big advancements in rice production, particularly in weed and insect control.
“We have better tools today for weed management and insect management than we have ever had before,” he says. “I am a big believer in residual herbicides. Malori Lansing, my Corteva territory manager, once said, ‘BD likes rice plants and dirt and water in his fi elds.’ That is my goal as far as weed control. Start clean and stay clean.”
Interacting With Rice Producers
Fontenot and the farmers for whom he consults know each other very well. Ninety percent of the growers he has today are the same ones he started with when he fi rst began working in Elton. Most of these family farms are multigenerational now, so there has been a lot of continuity in his career.
“Any time they need to make an agricultural or agronomic decision, they call me,” Fontenot says. “I usually go out to the farm to talk to them so I can get a better idea of what is going
BD Fontenot (right) visits with John Chatagnier, who works in the fertilizer plant, as Chatagnier cooks up a pot of ducks.
on. I also call on them when it’s time to book seed for the next year and before planting when we discuss what we are planting and how we are going to plant it — drill it or water-seed.
“We talk about new herbicides or new ways to use herbicides. We discuss what problems they had last year that we need to get ahead of this year. We go from planting to harvest and provide whatever services our farmers need. These guys are very good at what they do. If they have practices in place that are working, we don’t change them unless something drives that change. That’s the way things work.”
Randy Ouzts, Nutrien Ag Solutions US rice manager, says his first encounter with Fontenot was at the annual LSU AgCenter Rice Field Day in 2001.
“I developed an immediate sense of respect for him, carefully listening to his ideas about current issues in play, his opinions on things — sometimes very pointed, but always fair — and his predictions on the future of rice production with new tools in hand while holding on to the ‘old’ that couldn’t be quickly displaced.
“Today, his tenacity and willingness to go the extra mile is always evident. He also serves as a mentor to many people within the company who look to him for guidance, and he never says no.”
A Look Behind The Scenes
Reflecting on his career, Fontenot recalls a typical day during the heat of the rice growing season.
“I was up before daylight,” he says. “I wouldn’t fix a lunch, but I did fix a late breakfast to bring along. I left the house early enough to get to the furthest point at daylight. When I got there, I went to work. We worked from daylight to dark and sometimes got home after dark.
“Before we had cell phones, when farmers called the office, the office would call me on my radio. I would write down their names and go out to the farms to work. It became easier after we got cell phones because we could do things along the way.
“It was a six day a week job, and on Sunday afternoons I would knock out a few fires so Monday wouldn’t be so hectic. You had all you wanted and all you could get to. Everything happens so fast during those critical months.”
When asked about his reaction to learning he was selected as the 2021 Rice Consultant of the Year, Fontenot says he was surprised, pleased and honored.
“I didn’t even realize I was a candidate,” he adds.
He says what he does know is the most rewarding aspect of being a rice consultant is looking out for the best interests of his farmers.
“At times, a grower might come to me with a problem on his farm or something he wants to change on his farm,” Fontenot says. “If I can find an innovative way for him to be successful and see a smile on the farmer’s face, that is my reward.”
BD Fontenot and his wife, Laurie, reside in Eunice, Louisiana.
BD Fontenot At A Glance
Background
w Bachelor of Science degree in agronomy, University of
Southwestern Louisiana, 1976. w Employed by Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation in 1978. w Went to work for an ag distributor in Elton, Louisiana, in 1980. w Currently works for Nutrien Ag Solutions in the same Elton location. w Consults on rice in Allen, Evangeline and St. Landry parishes. w Active member of the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants
Association.
Family Life
BD Fontenot grew up in Mamou, Louisiana, in Evangeline Parish. Today, he and his wife, Laurie, reside in Eunice, Louisiana. They have a son Jacques, daughter-in-law Shelly and two grandchildren, Rose and Finn, who live in Youngsville, Louisiana.
Fontenot’s hobbies include starting colts and going to the deer camp. He also enjoys good food and Cajun music.
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The latest and greatest variety to be released Horizon Ag varieties like CL111, CL151, CL153 and CLL15 have won a for the Provisia Rice system, PVL03 is a place on many farms in the South because of their consistent game-changer. You get yield potential that performance year after year. Over the seasons, farmers have learned is comparable to the best Clearfield® how to manage these reliable lines and have confidence in their varieties plus industry-leading tolerance to ability to achieve maximum results. Farmers can also get the proven blast and Cercospora. It’s an extremely effectiveness of the Clearfield system, all at a price point well below robust plant with very good straw strength, so lodging is not a many newer seed lines. problem. It has exceptional grain dimensions and good grain translucency. And you are going to get the Provisia Rice System and 5. Supplies of Clearfield and Provisia PVL03 at a much lower price point than hybrids or competitive Systems Herbicides traited varietals. That is extremely good news for farmers wanting “BASF has a very good portfolio of rice herbicides, and those to maximize profitability next season by minimizing inputs while herbicides are available for the Provisia and Clearfield rice systems,” still effectively controlling costly weedy rice, red rice and grasses. says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. Due to supply 2. CLL16: Consistently High Yields chain issues, there will be products from some companies that are at a Lower Price Than Hybrids limited in availability. In fields from the Missouri Bootheel to the west of Houston, Texas, CLL16 has consistently shown it can yield with or better than top-performing varietals and even hybrids. This is a variety yielding 200plus bushels per acre consistently across a wide range of geographies while offering the advantages of a Clearfield variety at a lower seed cost than hybrids. It has resistance to blast, performs well in both flood and row rice situations and has the high yield potential and great milling quality to truly earn its reputation as
higher yields, outstanding milling quality and, ultimately, a better A long grain Clearfield variety particularly return on investment. well-suited to the Coastal production regions Heading into a 2022 production season that already promises of Louisiana and Texas, CLL17 has one of the more than its share of challenges, farmers who choose Horizon Ag highest nitrogen (N) utilization efficiencies Clearfield® and Provisia® varieties for their farms can be confident of all varieties or hybrids offered. With they’ve made the best choices, based on proven results, strong current nitrogen prices near $1 per pound, using 20-30 pounds less potential and the most reliable weed control traits available. N per acre can provide a significant savings. Combine that potential Compared to more expensive, unproven competitor seed and savings with great main crop and ratoon crop yield potential, systems, there’s really no choice. impressive milling quality and an industry-leading disease package Here are Five Reasons to Plant Horizon Ag Provisia and Clearfield Varieties in 2022: featuring resistance to blast and Cercospora, and you can be confident you’ve made the right decisions to set your farm up for success in 2022.
The latest and greatest variety to be released Horizon Ag varieties like CL111, CL151, CL153 and CLL15 have won a for the Provisia Rice system, PVL03 is a place on many farms in the South because of their consistent game-changer. You get yield potential that performance year after year. Over the seasons, farmers have learned is comparable to the best Clearfield® how to manage these reliable lines and have confidence in their varieties plus industry-leading tolerance to ability to achieve maximum results. Farmers can also get the proven blast and Cercospora. It’s an extremely effectiveness of the Clearfield system, all at a price point well below robust plant with very good straw strength, so lodging is not a many newer seed lines. problem. It has exceptional grain dimensions and good grain translucency. And you are going to get the Provisia Rice System and 5. Supplies of Clearfield and Provisia PVL03 at a much lower price point than hybrids or competitive Systems Herbicides traited varietals. That is extremely good news for farmers wanting “BASF has a very good portfolio of rice herbicides, and those to maximize profitability next season by minimizing inputs while herbicides are available for the Provisia and Clearfield rice systems,” still effectively controlling costly weedy rice, red rice and grasses. says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. Due to supply 2. CLL16: Consistently High Yields chain issues, there will be products from some companies that are at a Lower Price Than Hybrids limited in availability. In fields from the Missouri Bootheel to the west of Houston, Texas, CLL16 has consistently shown it can yield with or better than top-performing varietals and If you have questions about Horizon Ag varieties, even hybrids. This is a variety yielding 200- please contact your Horizon Ag plus bushels per acre consistently across a wide range of District Field Representative or rice seed retailer. geographies while offering the advantages of a Clearfield variety at a lower seed cost than hybrids. It has resistance to blast, performs well in both flood and row rice situations and has the high yield potential and great milling quality to truly earn its reputation as Additional information for elite Clearfield and Provisia varieties is available at HorizonSeed.com.
higher yields, outstanding milling quality and, ultimately, a better A long grain Clearfield variety particularly return on investment. well-suited to the Coastal production regions Heading into a 2022 production season that already promises of Louisiana and Texas, CLL17 has one of the more than its share of challenges, farmers who choose Horizon Ag highest nitrogen (N) utilization efficiencies Clearfield® and Provisia® varieties for their farms can be confident of all varieties or hybrids offered. With they’ve made the best choices, based on proven results, strong current nitrogen prices near $1 per pound, using 20-30 pounds less potential and the most reliable weed control traits available. N per acre can provide a significant savings. Combine that potential Compared to more expensive, unproven competitor seed and savings with great main crop and ratoon crop yield potential, systems, there’s really no choice. impressive milling quality and an industry-leading disease package Here are Five Reasons to Plant Horizon Ag Provisia and Clearfield Varieties in 2022: featuring resistance to blast and Cercospora, and you can be confident you’ve made the right decisions to set your farm up for success in 2022.
The latest and greatest variety to be released Horizon Ag varieties like CL111, CL151, CL153 and CLL15 have won a for the Provisia Rice system, PVL03 is a place on many farms in the South because of their consistent game-changer. You get yield potential that performance year after year. Over the seasons, farmers have learned is comparable to the best Clearfield® how to manage these reliable lines and have confidence in their varieties plus industry-leading tolerance to ability to achieve maximum results. Farmers can also get the proven blast and Cercospora. It’s an extremely effectiveness of the Clearfield system, all at a price point well below robust plant with very good straw strength, so lodging is not a many newer seed lines. problem. It has exceptional grain dimensions and good grain translucency. And you are going to get the Provisia Rice System and 5. Supplies of Clearfield and Provisia PVL03 at a much lower price point than hybrids or competitive Systems Herbicides traited varietals. That is extremely good news for farmers wanting “BASF has a very good portfolio of rice herbicides, and those to maximize profitability next season by minimizing inputs while herbicides are available for the Provisia and Clearfield rice systems,” still effectively controlling costly weedy rice, red rice and grasses. says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. Due to supply 2. CLL16: Consistently High Yields chain issues, there will be products from some companies that are at a Lower Price Than Hybrids limited in availability. In fields from the Missouri Bootheel to the west of Houston, Texas, CLL16 has consistently shown it can yield with or better than top-performing varietals and If you have questions about Horizon Ag varieties, even hybrids. This is a variety yielding 200- please contact your Horizon Ag plus bushels per acre consistently across a wide range of District Field Representative or rice seed retailer. geographies while offering the advantages of a Clearfield variety at a lower seed cost than hybrids. It has resistance to blast, performs well in both flood and row rice situations and has the high yield potential and great milling quality to truly earn its reputation as Additional information for elite Clearfield and Provisia varieties is available at HorizonSeed.com.
higher yields, outstanding milling quality and, ultimately, a better A long grain Clearfield variety particularly return on investment. well-suited to the Coastal production regions Heading into a 2022 production season that already promises of Louisiana and Texas, CLL17 has one of the more than its share of challenges, farmers who choose Horizon Ag highest nitrogen (N) utilization efficiencies Clearfield® and Provisia® varieties for their farms can be confident of all varieties or hybrids offered. With they’ve made the best choices, based on proven results, strong current nitrogen prices near $1 per pound, using 20-30 pounds less potential and the most reliable weed control traits available. N per acre can provide a significant savings. Combine that potential Compared to more expensive, unproven competitor seed and savings with great main crop and ratoon crop yield potential, systems, there’s really no choice. impressive milling quality and an industry-leading disease package Here are Five Reasons to Plant Horizon Ag Provisia and Clearfield Varieties in 2022: featuring resistance to blast and Cercospora, and you can be confident you’ve made the right decisions to set your farm up for success in 2022.
The latest and greatest variety to be released Horizon Ag varieties like CL111, CL151, CL153 and CLL15 have won a for the Provisia Rice system, PVL03 is a place on many farms in the South because of their consistent game-changer. You get yield potential that performance year after year. Over the seasons, farmers have learned is comparable to the best Clearfield® how to manage these reliable lines and have confidence in their varieties plus industry-leading tolerance to ability to achieve maximum results. Farmers can also get the proven blast and Cercospora. It’s an extremely effectiveness of the Clearfield system, all at a price point well below robust plant with very good straw strength, so lodging is not a many newer seed lines. problem. It has exceptional grain dimensions and good grain translucency. And you are going to get the Provisia Rice System and 5. Supplies of Clearfield and Provisia PVL03 at a much lower price point than hybrids or competitive Systems Herbicides traited varietals. That is extremely good news for farmers wanting “BASF has a very good portfolio of rice herbicides, and those to maximize profitability next season by minimizing inputs while herbicides are available for the Provisia and Clearfield rice systems,” still effectively controlling costly weedy rice, red rice and grasses. says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. Due to supply 2. CLL16: Consistently High Yields chain issues, there will be products from some companies that are at a Lower Price Than Hybrids limited in availability. In fields from the Missouri Bootheel to the west of Houston, Texas, CLL16 has If you have questions about Horizon Ag varieties, consistently shown it can yield with or please contact your Horizon Ag better than top-performing varietals and District Field Representative or rice seed retailer. even hybrids. This is a variety yielding 200plus bushels per acre consistently across a wide range of Additional information for elite geographies while offering the advantages of a Clearfield variety at a lower seed cost than hybrids. It has resistance to blast, performs Clearfield and Provisia varieties is available at HorizonSeed.com. well in both flood and row rice situations and has the high yield potential and great milling quality to truly earn its reputation as
higher yields, outstanding milling quality and, ultimately, a better A long grain Clearfield variety particularly return on investment. well-suited to the Coastal production regions Heading into a 2022 production season that already promises of Louisiana and Texas, CLL17 has one of the more than its share of challenges, farmers who choose Horizon Ag highest nitrogen (N) utilization efficiencies Clearfield® and Provisia® varieties for their farms can be confident of all varieties or hybrids offered. With they’ve made the best choices, based on proven results, strong current nitrogen prices near $1 per pound, using 20-30 pounds less potential and the most reliable weed control traits available. N per acre can provide a significant savings. Combine that potential Compared to more expensive, unproven competitor seed and savings with great main crop and ratoon crop yield potential, systems, there’s really no choice. impressive milling quality and an industry-leading disease package Here are Five Reasons to Plant Horizon Ag Provisia and Clearfield Varieties in 2022: featuring resistance to blast and Cercospora, and you can be confident you’ve made the right decisions to set your farm up for success in 2022.
The latest and greatest variety to be released Horizon Ag varieties like CL111, CL151, CL153 and CLL15 have won a for the Provisia Rice system, PVL03 is a place on many farms in the South because of their consistent game-changer. You get yield potential that performance year after year. Over the seasons, farmers have learned is comparable to the best Clearfield® how to manage these reliable lines and have confidence in their varieties plus industry-leading tolerance to ability to achieve maximum results. Farmers can also get the proven blast and Cercospora. It’s an extremely effectiveness of the Clearfield system, all at a price point well below robust plant with very good straw strength, so lodging is not a many newer seed lines. problem. It has exceptional grain dimensions and good grain translucency. And you are going to get the Provisia Rice System and 5. Supplies of Clearfield and Provisia PVL03 at a much lower price point than hybrids or competitive Systems Herbicides traited varietals. That is extremely good news for farmers wanting “BASF has a very good portfolio of rice herbicides, and those to maximize profitability next season by minimizing inputs while herbicides are available for the Provisia and Clearfield rice systems,” still effectively controlling costly weedy rice, red rice and grasses. says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. Due to supply 2. CLL16: Consistently High Yields chain issues, there will be products from some companies that are at a Lower Price Than Hybrids limited in availability. In fields from the Missouri Bootheel to the west of Houston, Texas, CLL16 has consistently shown it can yield with or If you have questions about Horizon Ag varieties, better than top-performing varietals and please contact your Horizon Ag even hybrids. This is a variety yielding 200- District Field Representative or rice seed retailer. plus bushels per acre consistently across a wide range of geographies while offering the advantages of a Clearfield variety at Additional information for elite a lower seed cost than hybrids. It has resistance to blast, performs Clearfield and Provisia varieties is available at well in both flood and row rice situations and has the high yield HorizonSeed.com. potential and great milling quality to truly earn its reputation as
please contact your Horizon Ag District Field Representative or rice seed retailer. Additional information for elite Clearfield and Provisia varieties is available at HorizonSeed.com.
