Rice Farming March 2015 by One Grower Publishing

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www.ricefarming.com

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

Be aggressive up front Make weed control decisions now

When Rice Shakes the World

Specialists weigh in on troublesome weeds

MARCH 2015

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March 2015

Vol. 49, No. 4

www.ricefarming.com

COVER STORY

COLUMNS From The Editor

Rice: the sterling commodity

Rice Producers Forum

Early RMTC sign up is brisk

USA Rice Federation

Fair trade pudding, Mars, your farm and the WTO

DEPARTMENTS Specialists Speaking Early Season Weed Control

Be aggressive up front Rice producers are encouraged to make weed control decisions now.

FEATURES ON THE COVER: Indian jointvetch is a flowering plant in the legume family and can be a troublesome weed in rice fields.

When Rice Shakes The World

Milo Hamilton pens a thought-provoking book about the future.

Specialists Weigh In On Troublesome Weeds In Rice

Identify weed pests and plan accordingly. WEB EXCLUSIVE www.ricefarming.com Industry News Check out the Calendar of Events and the latest announcements from across the Rice Belt.

Look for the Soybean South supplement following page 12 in the Mid-South/Texas versions of Rice Farming.

RICE FARMING â&#x20AC;˘ MARCH 2015

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RICEFARMING

FROM THE EDITOR

EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Carroll Smith csmith@onegrower.com Copy Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Carol Watson cwatson@onegrower.com

ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie (901) 497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith (901) 326-4443 Sales Manager Scott Emerson (386) 462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Editorial Director Tommy Horton (901) 767-4020 thorton@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Janet Owens (229) 386-8809 Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth (800) 888-9784 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com For circulation changes or change of address, call (800) 888-9784

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC Mike Lamensdorf PRESIDENT/TREASURER Lia Guthrie PUBLISHER/VICE PRESIDENT ASSOCIATED PUBLICATIONS – One Grower Publishing LLC also publishes COTTON FARMING, THE PEANUT GROWER, SOYBEAN SOUTH and CORN SOUTH magazines. RICE FARMING (ISSN 0194-0929) is published monthly January through May, and December, for $25.00 per year by One Grower Publishing LLC, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, TN 38119. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to SUNBELT FULLFILLMENT SERVICES, 307 SOUTHGATE COURT, Brentwood, TN 37027-7987. International rates are $55.00 Canada/Mexico, $90.00 all other countries for Air-Speeded Delivery. (Surface delivery not available due to problems in reliability.) $5.00 single copy. All statements, including product claims, are those of the person or organization making the statement or claim. The publisher does not adopt any such statement or claims as its own and any such statement or claim does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. RICE FARMING is a registered trademark of One Grower Publishing LLC, which reserves all rights granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in association with its registration.

Rice: the sterling commodity For several years, I lived next door to a fascinating elderly gentleman named Mr. Mac. He was a World War II veteran who had served in the Navy, a retired businessman who had worked in the grain industry for most of his life, a loving husband and father, a huge fan of the Kentucky Derby and a really good Gin Rummy player. Mr. Mac was known for hosting small, neighborhood card tournaments that sometimes went on for weeks during the early evening hours. He would pop a Frank Sinatra tape into the cassette player that he kept on top of the counter and bring out a big plate of summer sausage, pepper jack cheese, black olives and crackers. Mr. Mac kept everyone in stitches as he extemporaneously broke into simple songs from his childhood that none of us had ever heard of before. But when Mr. Mac sang them, they were hilarious. Then, after soundly beating us at Gin Rummy, he would jokingly declare himself Champion of the World and offer tips to help us step up our game. This Memphis native was also a captivating storyteller. He loved to entertain his guests with detailed anecdotes drawn from every facet of his life from walking to school and buying an apple for a penny from the vendor who set up shop on the corner of his neighborhood to recounting what daily life was like aboard the huge ship during his time in the service. Mr. Mac also taught me the significance of having a “sterling” friend. He said that throughout life people might claim to have many friends, but only those that you consider “sterling” – of the highest quality – will stand by you under any circumstances. Needless to say, to be counted as a sterling friend of Mr. Mac’s was considered quite an honor. Although he has now passed away, I still think of Mr. Mac from time to time and appreciate having learned so much and laughed so often while in his presence. Oddly enough, I thought of him the other day in the context of the new Farm Bill and the decisions that farmers and landowners have to make as a result of its stipulations. As I have talked with farmers over the past two to three months, I’ve heard many of them say they think their best option is to stick with growing rice if that is what they have been doing in the past. For others who may not have grown much rice, but have ground that is suited for it, some are opting to make rice a big part of their operation. When I ask why, the response is almost always along the lines that compared to the other commodities, rice is the most dependable. Many go so far as to say, “A farmer can always make a rice crop. We can count on it not to let us down.” It occurred to me that these remarks sound a lot like my affable neighbor’s definition of a sterling friend. Thus, in Mr. Mac’s honor, I dub rice as the “sterling commodity” – a grain of the highest quality that hopefully will be there to support our farmers under any circumstances.

One Grower Publishing, LLC 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tennessee, 38119 Phone: 901-767-4020

4 RICE FARMING • MARCH 2015

Send your comments to: Editor, Rice Farming Magazine, 1010 June Road, Suite 102, Memphis, Tenn., 38119. Call (901) 326-4443 or e-mail csmith@onegrower.com.

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“Farmers will have to do their due diligence in researching varieties that are desirable to buyers as well as offering themselves competitive returns on investment. They should keep varieties separate on-farm, if at all possible.” – John Oakes

RICE

QUALITY MATTERS John Oakes Vice President, Rice Farmers Grain Terminal, Inc. The role of Farmers Grain Terminal (FGT) in the U.S. rice industry is unique in that we are a large farmer-owned grain cooperative that also handles rice. FGT is headquartered in Greenville, Miss., with barge loading capabilities on the Mississippi River. At FGT, rice is third in volume following soybeans and corn. However, FGT offers more contract options for rice than anyone else in the South. FGT offers HTA, Basis, Minimum Price, Flat Price and Seasonal Pool contracts. In regard to U.S. rice quality problems, these issues appeared during the disastrous 2010 crop. As large as that crop was, it took all of 2010, 2011 and into 2012 to fully flush it out of the system. Unfortunately, that bad crop has had a long tail and has brought forth quality issues such as high chalk content, comingled varieties, cookability, etc. The United States has likely lost some market share due to these issues. RESEARCH DESIRABLE VARIETIES The “comingling” issue is tough to deal with. At the heart of the problem, we have too many varieties to handle and no easy,

Meeting The Product Handling Challenge economically viable solution for separation at many commercial operations. This is especially true during harvest time at the drying facilities. In the long run, public and private rice breeders have the most potential to solve a large part of the problem. In the interim, farmers will have to do their due diligence in researching varieties that are desirable to buyers as well as offering themselves competitive returns on investment. They should also keep varieties separate on-farm, if at all possible. Commercial facilities will have to do whatever they can to separate varieties, if possible, and/or separate pure-line varieties from hybrids. That is a tall order when there are a dozen or more varieties planted. There is no doubt we are growing a better quality product today. We are also growing a safe product. One of our biggest challenges is to get better at handling our product.

FROM SEED TO SHIPPING • The 2010 crop brought forth quality issues such as high chalk content, comingled varieties, cookability, etc.

• Commercial facilities will have to separate varieties, if possible, and/or separate pure-line varieties from hybrids.

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RICE PRODUCERS

FORUM

Early RMTC sign up is brisk Rice Market & Technology Convention goes to Cancun, Mexico!

B By Dwight Roberts President and Chief Executive Officer USRPA

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uilding on the success of last year’s big event in San Jose, Costa Rica, the 2015 Rice Market & Technology Convention (RMTC 2015) is heading to Mexico, the largest rice-importing country in the Western Hemisphere. The following well known companies and entities have already confirmed registration: Saman (Uruguay), Arrocera Los Corrales (Guatemala), BAPROSA (Honduras), Riceland Foods, Inc. (USA), Poinsett Rice (USA), Arrocera San Francisco (El Salvador), Dos Hermanos (Argentina), Swiss Agri Trading SA (Switzerland), SUNCUE Co Ltd. (Taiwan), Skf Boiler & Driers (India), VA Intertrading (Argentina), ABIA ARROZ (Brazil), INDUARROZ (Colombia), Central American Rice Federation (FECCAROZ), EURICOM SPA (Italy), Industrias Zaccaria S/A (Brazil), Buhler Sortex, Inc. (USA), Satake USA, Inc. (USA), Rice Council of Mexico (Mexico), SINAMCO Trading, Inc. (USA), Farmers Storage (USA) and SELETRON (Brazil). An all-star line up of speakers is guaranteed for this year’s program. The ability to network with a variety of rice businesses from throughout the region is of equal importance to all participants as last year’s attendees told us. Presentation topics include the world market growth of specialty rice, how Uruguayan rice gained such a prestigious reputation in world markets and what the Trans Pacific Partnership will mean to the Western Hemisphere rice trade. Other topics to be addressed are whether consumers are ready for genetically modified rice, new trends for drying rice, useful tips for improving rice milling profits and new seed technology developments for farmers and millers.

Additional remarks will center on world market supply/demand numbers; a look at rice consumption patterns in Brazil, the largest rice-consuming country in the Western Hemisphere; and the outlook for oil prices and the effect on rice farmers, millers, buyers/sellers and more!

Milling School Scheduled We are excited to have for the first time at this year’s Rice Market & Technology Convention, the addition of a unique rice milling school hosted by Applied Milling Systems and Super Brix S.A., organized and conducted by Norris Bond and his colleagues. The two-day workshop will focus on complete rice processing solutions. Mr. Bond, a mechanical engineer known worldwide, has designed training courses and lectured around the world. This workshop provides a great opportunity for all rice mill owners, managers and personnel. Subject material will include an introduction that rice milling is not about rice – its about money, why the miller must be involved in cultivation and harvest, drying, uniform kernel moisture content/glass transition, storage: its all about uniformity of kernel size and strength, husking and paddy separation: two operations, one process, bran removal – make it match the market; and optical sorting: what technology really makes a difference. Other topics on tap are production of value-added products: flour milling and extrusion; utilization of by-products: compete with your partners; managing the modern rice mill: watch the side streams, control costs; basics of mill design layout and plenty of time for questions, answers and general discussion. The Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun, Mexico, is a great location. Delegates and guests will enjoy an allinclusive package and rate to take advantage of all the resort’s amenities. Visit www.ricemtconvention.com.

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Rice Consultant’s Corner

Prepare For Challenges In 2015 Richard Costello Boeuf Delta Ag Services Northeast Louisiana While in college, I interned with Jack McDaniel, an independent consultant at the time, and enjoyed it even though the hours were long. I also did two internships with a crop protection company on a research farm and liked the research end of the industry. As I continued my education, I met several independent consultants and contract researchers and liked what they did. At the end of my Post Doctorate study with the LSU AgCenter, I had the opportunity to start consulting with a group that already had a business. It is amazing how much has changed in those 10 years – from the introduction of new chemistries to new technologies to weed resistance issues. Even though we had issues with late planting and delayed herbicide applications last year, yields were good and, for the most part, harvest season went well. Our weed issues are not much different from other places. Barnyardgrass is our No. 1 target. Sprangletop seems to be getting more prevalent and difficult to control, and Nealley’s sprangletop, which may also prove to be difficult to control, has started showing up in some areas. Our toughest broadleaf weeds are palmleaf morningglory and Texas weed. Jointvetch is becoming more widespread, too. We are facing barnyardgrass that is resistant to multiple chemistries, including the ALS chemistry. Halosulfuron-resistant flatsedge showed up in some fields in 2014. We are going to be more aggressive with our pre-emergence herbicide regimes up front to keep resistant weeds from emerging and becoming an issue. Using multiple modes of action herbicides like RebelEX pre-flood will be critical in controlling resistant weeds and reducing selectivity. It’s absolutely necessary to start clean and stay clean during the first four weeks of rice growth. Planting during the last week of March to mid-April is critical in maximizing yield. The later you plant, the more weed, disease and insect pressure you will encounter. I try to avoid mid-season fungicide applications, but weather conditions and varieties sensitive to sheath blight sometimes call for action. Fungicide premix applications with two modes of action are made at boot to control smut and avoid disease that may reduce milling yield. I am aggressive with stink bug applications, especially the first two weeks of heading and if I am finding signs of reproduction. 2015 is going to be demanding. Low commodity prices will challenge all of us to implement practices that maximize yield, while providing the highest return on investment. Weed control strategies must be aggressive and designed on a field-by-field basis. Resistance screening may be necessary to identify problem areas. Going into the upcoming season aware of weed resistance and planning for it would be a good approach. Sponsored By

• B.S. degree in Agricultural Business – Louisiana Tech University • M.S. degree in Weed Science – University of Arkansas • Ph.D. in Weed Science/Entomology – Louisiana State University • Independent consultant since 2004; contract researcher since 2009 • Member of the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association (LACA) • Married to wife Carla for six years; Two children: Daniel, 4; and Ava Claire, 2 • Enjoys hunting and spending time with the family

Recap: Prepare For Challenges In 2015

▼

1.Barnyardgrass is our No. 1 target weed. Sprangletop seems to be getting more prevalent and difficult to control, and Nealley’s sprangletop, which may also prove to be difficult to control, has started showing up in some areas. 2.We are facing barnyardgrass that is resistant to multiple chemistries, including the ALS chemistry. Halosulfuronresistant flatsedge showed up in some fields in 2014. 3.Using multiple modes of action herbicides like RebelEX pre-flood will be critical in controlling resistant weeds and reducing selectivity. It’s absolutely necessary to start clean and stay clean during the first four weeks of rice growth. 4.Fungicide premix applications with two modes of action are made at boot to control smut and avoid disease that may reduce milling yield. 5.Resistance screening may be necessary to identify problem areas. Going into the upcoming season aware of weed resistance and planning for it would be a good approach.

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RICE FEDERATION

UPDATE

Fair trade pudding, Mars, your farm and the WTO Some trading ‘partners’ fail to live up to their agreements.

T By Betsy Ward President and CEO USA Rice Federation

It is time for the U.S. government to act decisively against what we see are clear tradedistorting practices that are in violation of international agreements.

8 RICE FARMING • MARCH 2015

rade is all about two parties exchanging things the other wants. Competition is when two or more entities vie for a single prize. Fair trade is when all the parties involved agree on rules to govern their competition and then abide by those rules. Unfortunately, today’s global agriculture trade has about as much to do with fair trade as water on Mars has to do with your farm. While supporting fair trade is one of the founding principles of the USA Rice Federation, and the sentiment guides our policy positions, it is time to do more than “urge” and “encourage.” It is time for the U.S. government to act decisively against what we see are clear trade-distorting practices that are in violation of international agreements.

‘Fair Trade Pudding’ Whipped Up The proof is, as they say, “in the pudding.” So we whipped up some fair trade pudding to serve to the world. In 2011, USA Rice commissioned a study of agricultural subsidy programs in India, Brazil, Turkey and Thailand. The study showed conclusively that these countries had actually been increasing agricultural subsidies for their domestic industries since 2004, while the United States was reducing or controlling support as agreed to in the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) Uruguay Round. We use this study to demonstrate to leaders in Congress that illegal agriculture subsidies remain a significant non-tariff barrier to trade. We expect additional evidence to come from a study by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) examining factors affecting the global competitiveness of the U.S. rice industry. The ITC study, ordered by Congress, will be presented in the next few months, and we are looking forward to the agency’s findings. Last year we decided to update the

2011 analysis and add an examination of China to see if we were making progress towards fair trade or slipping dangerously backwards. The results are not encouraging. Our analysis shows that all five countries studied, all major consumers of rice, and in most cases major producers of rice too, are severely violating their commitments under the WTO. In the case of some countries – like Thailand – the impact is having a chilling effect on the global rice trade. Subsidies lead to increased production, and, as in the case of Thailand, unsustainable production at that. We see the results of these unlawful policies as Thailand is now flooding the world market with low-quality rice grown with high government subsidies. While we’ve all long suspected these trading, so-called, “partners” of failing to live up to their agreements, we now have even more definitive proof of this. So what now?

Sharing Analysis To Gain Support We are taking the results of our analysis to our true trading partners who appreciate, desire and participate in actual fair trade. Countries like Canada, Australia and New Zealand. We are also sharing our analysis with international representatives to the WTO to gain support for possible future U.S. government action there. However, the WTO is a slow-moving body, and country-to-country agreements would have a much quicker result for us. Of course, the bad actors have been benefiting from their rule bending and breaking for years; there’s little hope they will suddenly decide to come clean. However, we shine a light on their actions in the hopes that sunlight will prove to be the most powerful disinfectant and true fair trade will be the result. To learn more about the USA Rice Federation, visit www.usarice.com.

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The World Demands,

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GOOD NEWS

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By Carroll Smith

he subtitle reads: “The Importance Of First Grain To World Economic & Political Stability.” Indeed, these words do hint at the theme, but upon settling into this masterfully written, easy-to-read book by Milo Hamilton, the essence of When Rice Shakes the World proves to be much more. The book is extremely thought provoking. It quickly moves beyond the physicality of the small grain itself into the realm of how rice will ultimately affect the future of the entire world and the people involved in all aspects of the industry. For example, many of the comments published in the first few pages support this notion, emphasizing the book’s personal impact on the reader. An Arkansas rice producer says, “I now realize the potential influence of it [the book] when I was fielding questions from my son, Caleb, and Josh, my son-in-law who is working with us now on the farm. These were questions raised after they came into contact with his [Milo Hamilton’s] ideas.” In Beijing, China, an Agricultural Economist and Rice Specialist notes, “When Rice Shakes the World is worth reading for all those who want a better understanding of trends in the world rice industry. It also presents some of the problems that China must face in dealing with all the change that lies ahead.”

Beyond Our Borders Because water has been such as issue in parts of the U.S. rice-growing regions, I was particularly intrigued by Hamilton’s discussion of the relationship between rice and water. He quotes a Zen proverb, “When you boil your rice, know that the water is your life,” then says, “Likewise, when you boil your rice, as this proverb is saying, understand the essence of your existence is in the water that you are using to grow and to prepare your rice to eat.” Hamilton enticed me to think beyond our

own borders with these excerpts: “Rice is grown from rivers in India, Pakistan, and Southeast Asia, and those rivers flow from the ice that melts in the mountains above them. The one who owns the mountains sets the rules of melting ice and rice. Clearly, water matters….In Asia, rice and water are inseparable. To deal with growing populations, with their increasing urbanization, rising income, and concerns over food safety, the nations of Asia must deal with the water issue.” And, in “Asia, which has made self-sufficiency in food grains a number one priority, next to its military strength,” the notion of buying rice equating to virtually buying water – one of three choices that Asia has if it doesn’t have enough water – is definitely “a big change.” When Rice Shakes the World is divided into sections titled: Rice And Water, Joined At The Hip; Trade Route To A Better Future; As Goes Rice, So Goes China; The Tricks Of The Trade and ‘You Can’t Fail,’ that lead up to Hamilton’s concluding thoughts – Time For Reflection On What This Means. But, no spoiler here…. If your interest has been piqued, I invite you to read When Rice Shakes the World for yourself and think about the questions that it raises and the insights into the relationship between rice and water that you may not have considered before turning the first page. When Rice Shakes the World is available on Amazon for $14.50 and will soon be available as an audio book. About The Author – Milo Hamilton • Senior agricultural economist and co-founder with Kevin Ries of Firstgrain.com. • Involved in the rice markets for 32 years. • Managed rice procurement and risk management for Uncle Ben’s Inc. for 18 years. • A journalist, speaker and book author: Professional Farmers of America – 1976-81. • English Literature degree, Stanford University. • Agricultural Economic degrees from the Universities of Missouri and Minnesota. • Lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Jan, and his little Pomeranian, Penny. • Enjoys spending time with his children and their families.

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FINALLY SOME GOOD NEWS ON THE FRONT PAGE. THANKS RICECO. RiceCo only focuses on weed resistance management for one crop… rice. And that focus puts us at the top of the page when it comes to weed control solutions and multiple modes of action for your ﬁeld. If you want to keep the weed death toll on the rise, select RiceCo for cleaner ﬁelds, healthier crops and higher yield potential. WWW.RICECOLLC.COM

INFO@RICECOLLC.COM

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Be Aggressive Up Front Make weed control decisions now By Carroll Smith Editor

trategic herbicide choices and application timing early in the season not only provides better control of target weeds while they are small but also maximizes yield potential and quality when harvest season rolls around. Early season weed competition contributes to yield loss in the first three to four weeks after crop emergence. “Keeping your rice fields clean early gives you a much better chance of getting higher yields,” says LSU AgCenter weed scientist Eric Webster. “Farmers need to be more aggressive up front with their weed control than trying to be more aggressive later on in the season. “The main weed issues we face in south Louisiana are red rice, Amazon sprangletop and Nealley’s sprangletop and the aquatics due to our rice/crawfish rotation,” he adds. “Barnyardgrass can be found in almost every rice field, but it’s not one of our major concerns compared to aquatics like creeping burhead, bulltongue arrowhead, pickerelweed, alligatorweed and ducksalad.” Webster recommends having at least one residual herbicide in the program early season. The decision to make a preemerge or a delayed preemerge application needs to be made now, he says. “A lot of our farmers will apply Command up front as a true pre treatment, then at delayed pre or early post on one to two-leaf rice, they will come back with a mix of Command and pendimethalin (Prowl),” Webster says. “We also still use Facet somewhat as a pre up through the early post timing. And if farmers are growing Clearfield rice, then they will go with their first shot of Newpath in the early post treatment. This is a better choice than waiting to target the weeds with what I call a mid-post – a three to four-leaf or even

RICE FARMING • MARCH 2015

Aquatics such as ducksalad, left, and pickerelweed are troublesome pests in south Louisiana, especially in a rice/crawfish rotation.

a four-leaf to mid-tiller application. The point is to overlay residual herbicides, especially early in the season.” The LSU AgCenter weed control guide also emphasizes the importance of understanding the basic activity of the herbicide when making product choices. For example, “If a herbicide has contact activity, it must be applied to weeds that have emerged above the soil surface and, in most cases, above the flood level….Many herbicides labeled for use in rice have both residual and postemergence activity. It’s very important to take advantage of the entire package the

herbicide can deliver.”

Resistance Issues In Arkansas University of Arkansas weed scientist Bob Scott agrees that farmers need to be focused on starting off the season with a good foundation preemerge herbicide program in rice. “Most of the time our farmers make a preemerge application of Command,” Scott says. “However, some also are considering combinations of Command and Facet that can be put out as a true pre. Others who have been using Command for a long time are switching to something like a Prowl and Bolero

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combination and using that as a dea broad range of grass weeds, includlayed pre. Rotating pre-emerge cheming ALS-resistant grasses, weedy rice istry mainly to address barnyardgrass, and red rice. It has been developed but also to take care of all the grass through traditional breeding techweeds, is another consideration. niques. Registration is anticipated as “We’ve got a growing barnyardearly as 2016 in the United States. grass resistance problem to many of “The new system is comprised of our post-emerge herbicides, includProvisia seed containing the Provisia ing propanil and Facet,” he adds. “We trait, which allows farmers to safely have also seen an increase in ALSapply Provisia herbicide: an ACCase resistant sedges – yellow nutsedge, or group 1 herbicide site of action. rice flatsedge and smallflower umbrelAlthough Provisia herbicide will inila sedge. All of these pests have certially control grass weeds, BASF is tain populations that have developed working on combinations with other resistance to Permit as well as Newherbicides that will also provide conIn Arkansas, barnyardgrass resistance to many of the postpath and Grasp. Usually rice flatsedge trol of broadleaf and sedge weeds.” emerge herbicides is a growing problem. causes the most problems. This is very Scott says the big advantage to the challenging because we don’t have a Provisia Rice System is that it gives lot of good alternatives for sedges.” farmers a rice rotation out of Scott notes that umbrella sedge is Clearfield that will allow them to particularly problematic in zero-grade chemically control red rice. rice fields. “It probably will need to be in a “In this instance, farmers are applyprogram approach with other herbiing RiceBeaux (propanil/Bolero) very cides, for other weeds,” he says. “It early on two-leaf rice,” he says. “Then will not tolerate Newpath, and all the they are coming back with Basagran rotation restrictions that Newpath has and propanil early post or early postwill still apply to Provisia rice. But it flood. It takes a pretty intensive prowill be a new alternative to Newpath gram of RiceBeaux followed by for red rice control. We hope that Amazon sprangletop is shown 14 days after applying Basagran to take the place of an ounce rotating Clearfield and Provisia will 8.4 oz/A of benzobicyclon. of Permit when resistance is present. help protect both technologies.” This problem is not as big as the one we have season to late-season application after perAnother product that will be coming a litwith barnyardgrass, but it is growing. We manent flood is established. If you apply it on tle further down the line is Rinskor technolalso have concerns about fenoxyprop-resistant dry ground and can’t get the flood across the ogy from Dow AgroSciences. Scott emphasprangletop. A true pre program is the best field within 24 hours, benzobicyclon will sizes that early trials with this compound defense against the further development of bind to the soil particles. But if you put it in look very promising in rice. “It’s very strong resistant grasses. That goes for either con- the water and hold the flood, it has what I on aquatics and broadleaves, and it also has call fairly decent residual.” ventional or Clearfield rice.” some grass activity,” he says. “We are very Scott says benzobicyclon’s activity on excited about this product. Jason Norsworthy, barnyardgrass and sprangletop will help another University of Arkansas weed scienWaiting In The Wings The good news in weed control is that the address some of the resistance problems that tist, has been working with it, but 2015 will be calvary is on its way in the form of new rice Arkansas is experiencing. my first year to look at it. “We’re always excited to have new chemherbicides poised to join the product lineup. “Since we are developing resistance to all Benzobicyclon, from Gowan, could poten- istry to work with,” he says. “However, of our rice chemistries, the timing is good tially be one of the first products to hit the because benzobicyclon has to be applied post- for new products,” Scott says. “However, we marketplace. Webster points out that its mode flood, it does not have the best fit for all rice need to get everybody on the same page as far of action (HPPD inhibitor) is not new to other production systems. as resistance management is concerned “For example, benzobicyclon basically has because none of the new products mentioned crops, but it’s new to rice, which means the chance of quickly developing resistance is no fit in intermittent flood or row-watered here is registered yet. It’s still important for us slim because it’s never been used in rice,” he adds. “If you can’t hold a flood or to protect what we have.” have really narrow levees that are difficult rice before. And while it is exciting to think about new The Louisiana weed scientist says he likes to flood, this product may not have the best weed control tools that are on the way, it’s this chemistry because it provides control of fit. On zero-grade and some of the larger, time to take care of business in the present. aquatic weeds such as creeping burhead, bull- leveled fields in Arkansas, it is going to have For now, be sure to focus on making those a phenomenal fit. And it’s going to have a critical weed control decisions to optimize tongue and pickerelweed. “It’s not good on alligatorweed, but it’s real good fit in California.” yield potential for 2015. Remember, you Something else to look forward to is must be aggressive up front. probably the best ducksalad herbicide I’ve ever seen, and it’s excellent on sprangletop,” BASF’s herbicide-resistant Provisia Rice he says. “The drawback to it is that it’s going System. According to BASF, “it will pro- Contact Carroll Smith at (901) 326-4443 or to have to be applied in the water as a mid- vide a new tool for post-emergence control of csmith@onegrower.com.

14 RICE FARMING • MARCH 2015

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Adapt To Planting Challenges Be prepared to adjust herbicides and application timings

eavy rainfall interfered with rice planting in 2014, complicating weed control. Protecting rice crops and preventing yield loss required continuous evaluation and adjustments to weed management programs. Johnathon Morris, an Arkansas consultant, felt the changes of the season. Like many, he had to alter herbicide choices and application timings.

Weed Spectrum With weather pushing planting dates later into the season, Morris managed an inconsistent range of rice growth stages. As the season progressed and preemergence herbicides began to break, he adjusted his herbicide recommendations to reflect the larger and denser weed populations. “Our primary issues are barnyardgrass and sprangletop,” he says. “We have a serious problem with Palmer pigweed. Although it is easier to control in rice, it can be a problem when there is heavy weed pressure.” As weed size and density increased, Morris targeted large barnyardgrass and broadleaf weeds, such as morningglory and Palmer amaranth, with Grasp Xtra rice herbicide. “We’ve had a lot of success with Grasp Xtra herbicide, and we use Grandstand herbicide on well over 50 percent of our acres due to pigweed, morningglory and other broadleaf weeds,” Morris says.

Planting Complications Due to environmental delays, one grower Morris helps was unable to plant into a clean, weed-free seedbed. During planting, emerged barnyardgrass was injured and caused later complications. “The planter injured the grass, which stopped its growth for a short amount of time. It shut down during this time and did not take in the preemergence application of glyphosate,” Morris says.

Arkansas consultant Johnathon Morris saw firsthand an inconsistent range of rice growth stages in 2014 when heavy rainfall delayed planting in some areas. To compensate, he had to adjust his herbicide choices and application timings.

“Because of this, we had very large barnyardgrass pre-flood, but Grasp Xtra cleaned it up nicely,” he adds.

Drift Concerns As the season progressed, the Arkansas consultant had to consider what was not only best for his growers’ rice acres, but also surrounding crops, such as soybean adjacent to Arkansas Consultant Steps Up, Meets Challenges In 2014 • Adjusted herbicide recommendations as preemergence herbicides began to break. • Applied Grasp Xtra to clean up barnyardgrass that was injured during planting. • Considered soybeans adjacent to late-planted rice to address drift concerns.

late-planted rice. “We had to adjust our recommendations because soybeans are very sensitive to a lot of the herbicides,” Morris says. “Soybeans are sensitive to propanil, so we use Clincher herbicide in many situations.”

Quality Crop Although the 2014 season came with its share of challenges, the end result was a quality rice crop, Morris notes. “Quality is why rice is so important here,” he says. “Some of the best-quality rice in the world comes out of the area.” Bader-Rutter contributed this article on behalf of Dow AgroSciences. RICE FARMING • MARCH 2015

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SPECIALISTS SPEAKING DR. M.O. “MO” WAY TEXAS Rice Research Entomologist moway@aesrg.tamu.edu Weeds typically are the most serious and consistent pests of rice production. Failure to control weeds in rice leads to significant and often devastating yield losses. Last year, I observed firsthand the total loss of rice production in organic fields infested with hemp sesbania and rough jointvetch. These weed problems were exacerbated by damage to rice from fall armyworm, which delayed canopy closure and released the growth and rapid development of tremendous populations of these legume weeds forcing farmers to totally abandon harvest of large, infested portions of fields. I could not believe the obvious huge populations of weed seed banks in the soil. For instance, the Penn State Extension Service estimates each barnyardgrass plant can produce over 7,000 seeds and a heavily infested field of barnyard- Dr. Suhas Vyavhare stands in front of a bad patch of hemp sesbania in an organic rice field. The farmer could not harvest the infested areas. grass contains over 2,000 lb/acre of seed! Probably the first thing you should do for your weed management program is make sure you have a clean seedbed before seeds to enter dormancy and become problematic in the future. Conplanting. This can be accomplished using burndown herbicides. trolling weeds on your levees and margins surrounding fields can Tillage also works, but can bury seeds on the top of the soil causing help reduce your weed seed bank. Then there is the old method of

Serious weed pests

Picking a winner SAM ATWELL MISSOURI Agronomy Specialist atwells@missouri.edu Most farmers understand they must farm all year round. Sure, they are working on different tasks each day, but like any sports team they must continue honing all of their skills even in the off season. Weed control is one of those tasks that they evaluate at harvest and begin planning for before the next season begins. For the most part, Missouri rice farmers do a good job controlling our ample supply of weeds. We had a few more spots with sprangletop and sedge escapes than in past years. An increase in flat, umbrella and yellow nutsedge may be on the increase because of less competition due to low seeding rates of rice that we are planting. Most growers want to start clean and stay clean. For 2015, our rice weed control program has already passed from the planning stage to the action stage. Gentlemen, start your sprayer engines. Of course, there are many ways to attack weeds in your rice fields, but which should you choose, when and why? I love the word “choice” because your choices develop into consequences: good, not so good or bad. This is why I have such respect for American growers that blend together very complex choices to produce high-quality economic crops. First, growers must choose their rice production system and then build a weed

16 RICE FARMING • MARCH 2015

control program that will work well in that system. The choice of system (zero-grade, water-seeded, precision-graded, drilled, furrow irrigated) depends on factors such as soil type, topography, grade, field size, Clearfield, variety, water supply, weed species and weed pressure. So, like a coach, growers go about the business of putting a group of weed control tools together to win and feel more comfortable when they start ahead and stay ahead. They can choose either fall tillage with pre-plant residual herbicides, or a strong burndown, plus, or followed by, an effective pre-emergent herbicide. Either system, along with a healthy uniform crop, should take them into the early post stage well ahead of the weeds. Attack again with early post herbicides, followed by a mid-season post herbicide program that should eliminate new weeds. This, with an added residual along with a permeant flood, will allow them to coast weed-free into harvest. This can be accomplished with the Clearfield or conventional system. If the defensive weeds try to make a late-season run, the (coach) grower has many specialist herbicides on the bench to go in and take out a stubborn weed. Correct choices with good consequences can only happen with correct weed identification. Match the right herbicide with the right weeds to form a winning team. There are many herbicide recommendations listed in the “University of Arkansas MP 44” from which Missouri growers can choose to win. The Rice Weed Control Team (choices and combinations) include tillage; burndown herbicides: 12; pre-emergence herbicides: 8; early post-emergence herbicides: 26; Mid-season herbicides: 18; Clearfield herbicides: 4 + 26; water and late post herbicides: 15.

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ADVANCED WEED CONTROL The BASF Advanced Weed Control portfolio has the most sites of action in the industry, in addition to being customizable to ﬁt the needs of your operation. When you need to control difﬁcult weeds, count on BASF. Find the chemistry for your crops at AdvancedWeedControl.basf.us

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SPECIALISTS SPEAKING roguing problem weeds before they head. I know this is not an advanced technological method, but for spot areas, pulling weeds can be very effective. Scouting fields is very important for effective weed control. You have to know your weeds and where they are located in your field. Knowing your weeds includes being able to identify them in the seedling as well as later stages of growth. The LSU AgCenter has a great tool/key for identifying seedling weeds of rice – “Schematic Diagram of Seedling Weeds of Rice.” Here is the link information to this helpful publication: https://store.lsuagcenter.com/p-57-schematicdiagram-for-seedling-weed-identification-in-rice.aspx. If you can’t identify a particular weed, you can take a smartphone picture of the weed. Make sure you take the picture with the sun behind you and light illuminating the weed. Then email the pic to your research/Extension scientist. Or remove the weed (roots and all), place in a bucket or plastic bag with water and bring to your rice research/Extension center for ID. Don’t put the bucket in the back of your pick-up where wind and sun can dry out the plants. Try to select plants that possess reproductive structures that are often necessary for correct identification. Another option for unknown young weeds is to carefully remove the weeds from the field, put them in a pot with rice field soil and grow them to a stage more easily identifiable. Or, you can bring the weeds to your rice research/Extension center, and a scientist can grow the weeds in a greenhouse to a stage more easily identified. There are many effective herbicides to manage your weeds. I don’t have the expertise or space to provide detailed information on these options. But, I do know controlling weeds when they are young is critical to effective weed management. Again, scouting fields early in the season is absolutely crucial to selecting the proper herbicide(s), rates and timings. Soil-applied herbicides with residual activity require a flush or timely rain for “activation.” This means water is needed to get the herbicide into the soil where germinating weed seeds can be exposed to the herbicide. For preflood applications of herbicides, many farmers who did not treat their seed with an insecticide add a pyrethroid to the herbicide to control rice water weevil. This has been an effective treatment and obviously saves money on application costs. Finally, if you are planting a Clearfield variety, make sure you follow the stewardship requirements/guidelines regarding the use of this technology. Google search BASF-2015-CL-Rice-StewardshipGuidelines.pdf to view the “2015 Clearfield Rice Stewardship Guide.”

the spring, growers and consultants should give attention to preplant intervals for burndown herbicides. Glyphosate plus 2,4-D is a popular, broad-spectrum burndown treatment for rice, but 2,4-D should not be applied within 28 days of planting. A spring burndown program for glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass should begin with clethodim (12 to 16 ounces of Select Max or 6 to 8 ounces of 2-lb clethodim formulation) applied not less than 30 days before planting. The only other reliable postemergence herbicide option for Italian ryegrass control is paraquat. Large ryegrass (12 to 24 inches) will require two applications of paraquat (4 pints of Gramoxone SL or 2.67 pints of 3-lb paraquat) spaced 10 to 14 days apart. Barnyardgrass is resistant to five herbicide modes of action in six states across the rice-producing area of the United States. Barnyardgrass management requires a thorough, multi-faceted approach. A good barnyardgrass control program would begin with making certain that all barnyardgrass is controlled at planting. Start clean. This cannot be underrated as a control tactic. Use an at-planting application of a residual herbicide. Like Palmer amaranth in row crops, barnyardgrass is much easier to control before it comes out of the ground. Over-the-top programs should contain mixtures of postemergence and residual herbicides with multiple modes of action. Mixtures containing different modes of action are also important to reduce the selection pressure on the limited chemistries available in rice that are active against barnyardgrass. Regardless of the herbicide mixture, timing is critical. Well-timed, early season applications always provide the most consistent control. Too often, barnyardgrass is sprayed in the three- to four-leaf stage (or tillering) rather than the one- to two-leaf stage. Barnyardgrass cannot be sprayed too early. Finally, strive for 100 percent control before flood. Do not wait for barnyardgrass to emerge to decide how to control it in rice. Use all the tools available, i.e., effective burndown, residual herbicides, well-timed postemergence applications, tank mixtures and the flood.

Burndown is a must DR. JASON BOND MISSISSIPPI Weed Science Specialist JBond@drec.msstate.edu Little-to-no tillage occurs in the spring in most Mississippi rice fields because of the heavy soil textures common in the rice-producing counties. Therefore, burndown herbicide applications are extremely important. As rice planting dates have moved earlier into

18 RICE FARMING • MARCH 2015

Italian ryegrass infests a Mississippi rice field.

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Sign up for our E-News You’re already a long-time reader of Rice Farming magazine. In fact, you’ve been a loyal reader for many years. So, how else can you stay informed on the latest developments in the rice industry? Subscribe today to the Rice Farming monthly E-News. You’ll find a recap of important stories, Calendar of Events, YouTube videos, historic rice photos and quick, informative updates. It’s easy staying informed on everything happening in the world of rice. Rice Farming E-News will help keep you plugged in.

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SPECIALISTS SPEAKING

Begin weed-free and stay weed-free DR. DUSTIN HARRELL LOUISIANA Extension Rice Specialist dharrell@agcenter.lsu.edu

There are many crop management decisions that are made every year that have a direct impact on yield at the end of the year. Weed control decisions have to rank up there on top, especially early in the season when rice seedling competition with weeds can dramatically reduce grain yields. A good weed management program in rice begins with a weed-free seedbed. This can be done with tillage in our conventionally prepared seedbeds or with a good burndown application in our fall or spring stale-seedbed systems. Several herbicide choices or herbicide combinations are available for burndown applications. Many have a plant-back restriction like 2,4-D, Valor and Leadoff, while others, like glyphosate, do not. A complete list of common burndown herbicides and their plant-back restrictions was put together by Dr. Eric Webster and can be found in the “Rice Varieties and Management Tips” publication (www.lsuagcenter.com).

From this point, herbicide programs can begin to deviate due to seed technology used, the weed spectrum at a particular location and personal preference. I like to use a preemergence herbicide application at this time. Most preemergence herbicides require water for activation, so flushing is often needed after application. Don’t waste a good herbicide application because you fail to activate the herbicide. Over the next few weeks, use postemergence and other herbicides as needed, according to the emerging weed spectrum. It is important to stay weed-free going into permanent flood. Most “new” herbicides over the past few years have been the premixed herbicides where two herbicides are packaged together to increase the weed spectrum and sold under a different trade name. These are great, but are not really “new” herbicides with new modes of action. However, this may change in a couple of years. Dr. Webster has been testing an experimental herbicide with the active ingredient benzobicyclon. The mode of action of this herbicide is a photosynthesis inhibitor (HPPD inhibitor). The herbicide causes very little to no injury to rice. In Dr. Webster’s research with the compound, he found that it provided very good control of many aquatic and some perennial weeds. He also found that it had good activity on sprangletop, which will definitely give it a place in Louisiana rice production. He also noted that this herbicide actually had some activity on cattails. This in itself is exciting since we really do not have anything to help us control cattails, which tend to be a big problem in rice fields rotated with crawfish production. The one knock of the herbicide is that it is very slow before you see the herbicide activity. I am not sure what the trade name of this herbicide will be, but, hopefully, we will see it on the market in a couple of years. Another herbicide that will be available in a few years is Provisia (quizalop-p-ethyl), which will be used in conjunction with the new BASF Provisia rice seed technology. The Provisia herbicide will be a postemergence grass herbicide, which will not have any residual control. The great thing about the Provisia technology is that it will be able to control Newpath-resistant outcrosses and weedy rice. Therefore, we can clean up those fields with the Provisia technology where we have basically lost the ability to use the Clearfield technology. The ability to rotate both the Clearfield and Provisia systems will prolong the viability of both technologies. The future looks very exciting when it comes to weed control in rice! But for now, just remember, if you want to maximize your rice yield in 2015, it is important to begin weed-free and stay weed-free.

Herbicide resistance DR. LUIS ESPINO CALIFORNIA Rice Farming Systems Advisor UCCE laespino@ucanr.edu

I would like to focus on how to detect and confirm the occurrence of herbicide resistance. Herbicide resistance is a serious problem in California rice. However, not every herbicide failure can be attributed to herbicide resistance. Other factors can be the cause of control failures. Among the most common are weather, incorrect rate, poor coverage or

20 RICE FARMING • MARCH 2015

Always read and follow label directions. Obey and Command 3ME products are not registered for sale or use in California. Obey, Command and FMC are trademarks and Investing in farming’s future is a service mark of FMC Corporation. The 2015 Obey Herbicide Rice Growers Program is valid for the following states: AL, AR (within speciﬁc areas – see FMC Star Retailer for details), GA, LA, MO, MS, NC, SC, TN, TX. ©2015 FMC Corporation. All rights reserved. F100-038145 2/15

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SPECIALISTS SPEAKING application timing, skips and spray equipment malfunction. When weed control fails, it is important to determine the cause. And when the cause is herbicide resistance, herbicide programs need to be adjusted. Resistance occurs after the same herbicides have been used repeatedly at the same site for several years. You will notice a gradual decline in the efficacy of the herbicide to control weeds that were once susceptible. When herbicide resistance is the problem, you will find healthy plants alongside dead ones of the same species after treatment; surviving weeds form discrete patches that consistently survive the herbicide treatment. The Rice Weeds program at the Rice Experiment Station (RES) in Biggs conducts herbicide resistance testing for the major rice herbicides used in California. Results of these tests help growers improve their weed control programs and also help the rice industry keep track of resistance issues. If you suspect herbicide resistance, collect seeds of the target weed and bring them to the RES to be tested. Follow these guidelines: Don’t wait until harvest to collect the seed. By then, most weeds have shattered their seeds. If you collect after harvest, you may collect seeds from weeds that have emerged late and thus have not been exposed to the herbicide. The objective is to collect seed from plants that have survived the herbicide action. Collect seeds when they are mature and dislodge easily from the seedhead. In general, sprangletop matures the earliest, between rice panicle initiation and heading. Early watergrass, barnyardgrass, smallflower umbrellasedge and ricefield bulrush usually follow, maturing sometime before rice heading until maturity. Late watergrass matures last, at about the same time that early rice varieties (M-205, M-206) mature. Collect seeds, not seedheads. Gently shake the seedhead inside a paper bag. Seeds that shatter are mature and will readily germinate. If seedheads are collected, seeds might not be mature or might have shattered already. Collect seeds from areas of the field where you are certain the herbicide application in question was appropriate. Avoid field borders, tractor tire tracks, skips or areas where you suspect the herbicide was not sprayed correctly or not sprayed at all.

Collect seeds of the target weed to test for herbicide resistance.

22 RICE FARMING • MARCH 2015

Make sure to collect enough seed. In order to have conclusive results, several replications of herbicide resistance testing are needed. When not enough seed is provided, replications may not be possible. For small-sized seed weed species such as sprangletop, smallflower umbrellasedge or ricefield bulrush, collect seeds from at least 20 mature seedheads at each location. For barnyardgrass, early and late watergrass, collect from at least 30 mature seedheads.

Always start at the beginning DR. JARROD HARDKE ARKANSAS Rice Extension Agronomist University of Arkansas, Cooperative Extension Service jhardke@uaex.edu There’s an old saying that goes “start at the beginning, and when you get to the end, stop.” I think that saying can be applied to rice weed control – only you need to start before you begin. A solid pre-emergence herbicide program is crucial to start the season on the right note. The past two years and their cool, wet conditions brought unprecedented herbicide activation and residual activity. The levels of control we observed in those seasons shouldn’t become a regular expectation. Apply a pre-emergence herbicide at planting and fully prepare the field. If no rainfall is received soon after application, a flush may be needed to ensure proper activation. Flushing is an added expense, but the most expensive herbicide application is one that doesn’t work. If you don’t activate a herbicide you applied, then it won’t work for you. Even with proper application and activation, residual activity shouldn’t be expected for more than a few weeks. Early planted rice that endures cool conditions may not grow off quickly and fields could require an additional herbicide application well before we’re ready for flood establishment. If that happens, herbicide selection should focus on weeds present and utilize chemistry that will provide additional residual activity. This may enable us to get to flood without another herbicide application, but environmental conditions will largely dictate that situation. A lack of good herbicide activity prior to flood establishment may lead to a flush of weeds as the flood is being established and a salvage application may be necessary. There are big differences of opinion as to what a “salvage” application is. A salvage application is one that cleans up weeds we missed controlling earlier, but they need to be relatively small – two to three inches. Larger weeds can still get away from us even with high rates of appropriate herbicides. Knee-high weeds aren’t salvage candidates – they’re misses. Attempts to control them are what are referred to as “revenge” applications. Spraying them may make you feel better, but it isn’t economical. Spray early and activate all the way through. Proper selection of herbicides will be critical to consistent, efficient weed control throughout the season. Recipe for early season weed management success: use burndown and residual herbicides (activate!); flush, if needed; and use multiple herbicide modes of action.

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