Rice farming february 2016 by One Grower Publishing

www.ricefarming.com

ONE GROWER PUBLISHING, LLC

PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

FEBRUARY 2016

Projects seek to show cover crop benefits New rice herbicide in the pipeline

Bye, bye birdies EPA OKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s non-lethal seed treatment

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February 2016

www.ricefarming.com

Vol. 50, No. 3

COV ER STORY

COLUMNS From The Editor

A recipe for success

Rice Federation Update

USA Rice readies for legislative season

Rice Producers Forum

Convention brings together technology, rice marketers

DEPA RTM EN TS Industry News

Rice business scene

Specialists Speaking

Bye, bye birdies

Nutrient program costcutting could impact yields

Growers, who annually have had to wait for the Environmental Protection Agency to OK emergency use of a bird-repellant seed treatment, wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to wait any more.

ON THE COVER: A recently registered bird-repellent seed treatment may help battle flocks of marauding birds that can decimate newly planted rice fields. Photo by LSU AgCenter Rice Extension Specialist Emeritus Johnny Saichuk

FEATUR ES

Rice market update Medium-grain exports trend up as long-grain export demand continues to struggle.

New weed control GET CONNECTED Stay up-to-date with the latest from Rice Farming. Like us on Facebook: Search for RiceFarming Follow us on Twitter: @RiceFarming Follow us on Instagram: @ricefarming TWITTER: @RICEFARMING

Dow brands broad-spectrum herbicide, sets launch for 2017 or 2018.

Going under cover Projects seek to demonstrate the benefits of cover crops to rice production.

6 12 18

RICE FARMING â&#x20AC;˘ FEBRUARY 2016

From The Editor

A recipe for success If you’re not involved in routine grocery shopping and preparing the evening meal most nights, you may not realize the role that recipes and recipe development plays in promoting a commodity. And it doesn’t matter the crop, either. Recipes have taken on more importance with the advent of the Food Network, reality-based cooking shows and the rise of the “foodie.” About the same time cooking shows really gained a following, the recession hit, prompting many families to eat more meals at home rather than dining out. The days of commodity groups, processors or manufacturers developing glossy cookbooks has evolved to include social media and the Internet. Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and food blogs are now the main sources of inspiration for many home chefs. If your commodity or product doesn’t have a digital presence to make cooking with it as easy as possible, your competitor likely does. According to many shopper surveys, the main grocery buyer is female with two children at home. In many cases, she also holds an outside job. Growing up, both my parents worked, so our chore after school was to turn on the oven and cook whatever frozen dinner concoction my mom had made the previous weekend. And like the replay button, we kids would utter, “Meatloaf again? We just had meatloaf.” If my mom hadn’t planned ahead, she was met with, “I’m starving! What’s for dinner?” the minute she stepped inside the door. Faced with that common dilemma, the household’s primary shopper looks for foods that are quick to prepare after a hard day of work, are nutritious, and offer something new or slightly different. Coincidently, rice fits the bill because of the various “instant” rice products that can be cooked in just a few minutes. And it lends itself to numerous different flavor additions or ethnic cuisines. Rice’s flexibility also meshes well with millennials — the generation of 18- to 35-year-olds who are quickly becoming a buying powerhouse. This group is expected to surpass Baby Boomers in population within the next few years. Unlike previous generations, millennials don’t follow tradition and aren’t loyal to items or products. Instead, they are open to new experiences and like to explore new or different things. At the same time, this generation wants to connect with their food and search for items that are organically or sustainably produced. Because U.S. rice is grown by family farmers who support sustainable practices, such as flooding for waterfowl, the crop may be just the ingredient they’re looking for.

Vicky Send your comments to: Editor, Rice Farming Magazine, 6515 Goodman Road, Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654. Call 901-767-4020 or e-mail vlboyd@onegrower.com.

4 RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

RiceFarming EDITORIAL/PRODUCTION Editor Vicky Boyd vlboyd@onegrower.com 209-505-3612 Copy Editor Amanda Huber ahuber@onegrower.com Art Director Ashley Kumpe akumpe@onegrower.com

ADMINISTRATION Publisher/Vice President Lia Guthrie 901-497-3689 lguthrie@onegrower.com Associate Publisher Carroll Smith 901-326-4443 csmith@onegrower.com Sales Manager Scott Emerson 386-462-1532 semerson@onegrower.com Circulation Manager Charlie Beek 615-377-3322 Production Manager Kathy Killingsworth 901-767-4020 kkillingsworth@onegrower.com For circulation changes or change of address, call 847-559-7578

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, by One Grower Publishing LLC, 6515 Goodman Road, Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654. Periodicals postage paid at Memphis, TN. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to OMEDA COMMUNICATIONS, CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, P.O. BOX 1388, NORTHBROOK, IL 60065-1388. Annual subscriptions are $25.00. International rates are $55.00 Canada/Mexico, $90.00 all other countries for AirSpeeded 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.

One Grower Publishing, LLC 6515 Goodman Road, Box 360, Olive Branch, MS 38654 Phone: 901-767-4020

RICEFARMING.COM

R ice Feder ation

Update

Prep work USA Rice readies for full plate of issues in Washington, D.C.

J By Betsy Ward President and CEO USA Rice Federation

ust as you’re getting your farms ready for the next rice-growing season, we’re getting ready here in Washington, D.C., for the next legislative season, finalizing priorities and planning for the year ahead. And what a year it is promising to be. The second session of the 114th Congress has what looks like a jam-packed legislative agenda amidst the backdrop of an exciting presidential election. And with the Senate slated to work 149 days and the House 111 days in 2016, they’ll definitely have their work cut out for them. At the top of our list is protecting the great work we accomplished in the 2014 Farm Bill. With such a weak farm economy, the Commodity Title safety net programs built into the Farm Bill are all that are keeping some farmers in business until the markets start to improve. The Actively Engaged in Farming regulations developed as a result of the Farm Bill are also high on our radar. We’re going to do everything we can to reduce the burden on rice operations due to the newly released regulations. Educating producers and figuring out how to best restructure takes a lot of time and finesse to accomplish. In addition, we’re continuously advocating for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development funding that are absolutely vital to our industry and have proven to be well worth the investment by Congress. Reversing losses of market share Outside of Farm Bill-related priorities, we want to ensure that global rice trade is being taken seriously and fully regulated by the World Trade Organization, and we need to press for policies that will reverse the trend of U.S. rice exports losing market share to the bad actors. Additionally, USA Rice will remain the leader in calling for lifting the

Twitter: @RiceFarming

trade embargo between the United States and Cuba to help reopen an important rice market. After the significant progress made in 2015, including reestablishing formal diplomatic relations, we’re excited to see what we can do to keep relations improving. Educating Congress about the importance of maintaining in-kind food aid contributions at their current levels is another battle we’re constantly engaged in, especially considering fortified rice was developed for food aid programs and is currently underused. Congress provided a $250 million increase in Food for Peace funding for 2016, and we’re hoping to prioritize rice in those additional shipments aiding the refugee crisis. Although it looks as if the Trans Pacific Partnership is moving forward to the administration, it’s being put on hold by Congress and is not likely to be considered until after the 2016 elections. USA Rice will continue to monitor the TPP deal and its implications for U.S. rice. Full plate of issues Not unusual for us, we’re planning to work on reducing the regulatory burden on U.S. agriculture by legislation, such as the Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) and other overly duplicative Environmental Protection Agency regulations. We will continue to support the sound tax provisions made permanent in 2015 for Section 179 and bonus depreciation that incentivize equipment and construction investments and generate a diverse pool of jobs. As you can see, our legislative plate is full, and current events could shift or add priorities. Whatever the case, we’re looking forward to another successful year as your advocate in Washington. Although our advocacy never really takes a break, we’ll ramp things up later this month at the annual USA Rice Government Affairs Conference where our members and staff will be conducting important visits with Obama Administration officials and members of Congress to ensure they have a strong understanding of the rice industry’s priorities. I’m looking forward to reporting back to you after those meetings that Washington is indeed ready for rice this season. RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

Market challenges Medium-grain exports strengthen as long-grain export demand continues to struggle By Kurt Guidry

Positive supply and demand fundamentals For long-grain sales, a strong start to the marketing year brought optimism for export demand. Columbia made large purchases of long-grain rough rice and shipments of long-grain milled rice were made to Iraq and Iran. Cash prices responded, improving to about $12.35 cwt ($20 per barrel). However, lack of consistent follow-up demand has since allowed cash prices to settle back down in the $11.10 to $11.75 cwt range ($18 to $19 per barrel). This highlights the difficulty of this market to generate a sustained improvement in price. While consistent demand has been elusive thus far, there are some positive supply and demand fundamentals that would suggest at least the ability to attract more demand for the U.S. rice market. Global production and stocks are down significantly from the past two years, and global rice consumption is projected to be a record. This provides some optimism for continued improvement in

6 RICE FARMING â&#x20AC;˘ FEBRUARY 2016

VICKY BOYD

he rice market continues to struggle with finding the consistent and stable demand needed to help support and strengthen prices. Despite lower overall rice production and supplies for the 2015/16 marketing year, the market has been unable to show consistent price improvement. While the U.S. Department of Agriculture slightly increased yield and overall production for both long-grain and medium-grain rice in its January supply and demand report, total rice supplies remain 30 million hundredweights lower than last year and in line with supplies experienced during the 2013/14 marketing year. This situation is also true for long-grain rice, which has similar supply levels as the 2013/14 marketing year. But unlike the 2013/14 marketing year when the average farmgate price was $15.40 cwt (nearly $25 per barrel), cash prices thus far for the 2015/16 marketing year have been mostly in the $11.70 to $12.35 cwt range ($19 to $20 per barrel). The major culprit for the marketâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inability to improve prices seems to be sporadic demand, particularly export demand. At first glance, it appears that rice exports have been strong, running about 20 percent higher than the previous year through the first week in January. In fact, USDA did increase export expectations for rice slightly in its latest supply and demand report. However, closer examination shows that much of the increase is attributed to stronger medium-grain sales, and while up, longgrain exports still lack the needed consistency to provide for sustainable price strength. After a slow start to the marketing year, medium-grain export sales have shown more consistency and have pushed cumulative sales to nearly 50 percent higher than last year.

rice sales. Positive developments in the ability to move U.S. rice into countries, such as China and Cuba, also bring hope of stronger demand ahead. Until this potential demand becomes reality, it seems apparent that the rice market will continue to struggle. Short-term price strengthening somewhere in and around the $12.35 cwt ($20 per barrel) level could be seen as we move past the inactivity in the market that typically characterizes the start of the calendar year. Long-term price movement will be dependent on the performance of demand and the potential size of the 2016 crop. With a lack of attractive cropping alternatives and some relief in the drought conditions in Texas and California, it is expected that rice acres will remain relatively flat for 2016. If that were to happen, it is easy to see prices maintain in the $11.75 to $13 cwt ($19-$21 per barrel) range. Conversely, a sharp increase in acres and production in 2016 could push prices back to the low levels experienced during the summer of 2015. Dr. Kurt Guidry is an agricultural economist with Louisiana State Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AgCenter. Contact him at KMGuidry@agcenter. lsu.edu. RICEFARMING.COM

Customize Herbicide Programs In 2016 Winston Earnheart, Ph.D. Earnheart Agricultural Consultant Service Tunica, Miss.

I grew up in the small Mississippi Delta town of Tunica — 35 miles south of Memphis, Tenn., and 6 miles east of the Mississippi River. My father and four of his brothers farmed mostly cotton, soybeans and wheat in Tunica County. I got into cotton pest management at the early age of 18 with my brother, Aubrey, who later left the business to me. I expanded my client base and began to consult on rice, soybeans and wheat in addition to cotton. Today, my stepson, Judd Sartin, and I work for 25 growers in five counties in the north Mississippi Delta. In 2015, wet spring weather caused hardships in levee construction, weed control and timely fertilization. We had to apply some pre-flood nitrogen early, which compounded weed control problems. It was almost mid season before the flood was established in certain fields. Despite these challenges, farmers in our area harvested a good crop. Weed pressure in most fields includes barnyardgrass, broadleaf signalgrass and sprangletop. Broadleaves are less of a problem, but we do have to contend with pigweed, morningglory, coffeebean and indigo. Resistant annual flatsedge is becoming more prevalent, and we also have yellow nutsedge in a few areas. We grow about 95 percent hybrid rice — half Clearfield and the other half non-Clearfield. The primary Clearfield hybrid varieties are Clearfield XL729 and Clearfield XL745, and the non-Clearfield hybrid is mostly XL753, with some XL723 being planted, too. Weed control in hybrid Clearfield rice begins with Command applied pre, usually combined with Roundup. At one- to two-leaf rice, most of the crop receives an application of Prowl and Newpath, followed by another application of Newpath pre-flood. The pre-flood dose typically contains a herbicide, such as Facet, Permit or Strada Pro, for broadleaves. If we need to apply Facet, we use Clearpath — a premix of Newpath and Facet. Command and Prowl provide a twoshot approach to keep grass from emerging. In conventional rice, weed control is more of a challenge. Barnyardgrass is our No. 1 enemy, and sprangletop runs a close second. In the past, Propanil and Facet, or Regiment and Facet, have controlled barnyardgrass and broadleaf signalgrass, but they allow sprangletop to flourish. We recently changed our strategy by applying either Ricestar HT and Facet, or RebelEX, pre-flood. Both programs control troublesome grasses and need water to be activated. RebelEX was more economical and also controlled yellow nutsedge compared to the Ricestar HT and Facet combination. When treating rice adjacent to corn, we achieved good weed control with an application of Grasp and Facet. In 2016, farmers indicate that they will plant more rice as the price of soybeans fades. It’s difficult to cover high fixed costs and high land costs by growing soybeans, which gross about half of what a rice crop provides.

• B.S., Agronomy, Mississippi State University; M.S. and Ph.D., Biology, University of Mississippi • Has consulted independently for 44 years on rice, cotton, soybeans and wheat. Farmed for 25 years • President of the Mississippi Agricultural Consultants Association (MACA) • Taught high school in the off-season at Tunica Academy. College professor of natural sciences at Crichton College and Victory University in Memphis, Tenn. • Served as choir director in the First Baptist Church in Tunica for 25 years • Married to wife, Pat. Six children, three grandchildren • Enjoys church and family life, hunting, fishing and guitar

Recap: Customize Herbicide Programs

1. Weed pressure includes barnyardgrass, broadleaf signalgrass and sprangletop. We also contend with pigweed, morningglory, coffeebean, indigo, resistant annual flatsedge and and yellow nutsedge in a few areas. 2. Weed control in hybrid Clearfield rice begins with Command applied pre, usually combined with Roundup. 3. In conventional rice, we changed our strategy by applying either Ricestar HT and Facet, or RebelEX, pre-flood to control barnyardgrass, broadleaf signalgrass and sprangletop. RebelEX was more economical and also controlled yellow nutsedge compared to the Ricestar HT and Facet combination. 4. We achieved good weed control with an application of Grasp and Facet in rice adjacent to corn.

Sponsored By

DOW Diamond, Grasp and RebelEX are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. Grasp Xtra and RebelEX are not registered for sale or use in all states. Contact your state pesticide regulatory agency to determine if a product is registered for sale or use in your state. Always read and follow label directions. ©2016 Dow AgroSciences LLC

®™

Take steps to prevent red rice in California By Vicky Boyd Editor

commercial rice plants, but it also can affect milling yields and increase dockage. As the name implies, red rice kernels tend to be reddish in color and are something that commercial mills don’t want. CLEMSON UNIVERSITY

alifornia’s battle with red rice is reminiscent of Jack Nicolson’s famous quote from “The Shining” — “I’m back!” The state, which prides itself on having zero red rice tolerance, in 2003 identified six fields in Glenn and Colusa counties infested with the weed. An eradication program was undertaken against what some also refer to as “weedy rice.” “When I came here 10 years ago, I was under the impression that it was taken care of, but that wasn’t the case,” says Timothy Blank, certified seed program representative with the California Crop Improvement Association. “We know of three populations in six fields, but I know there are more because I’ve been told there are more by growers.” Speaking at a recent University of California Cooperative Extension winter rice

Clemson University researchers are collaborating with colleagues with the University of California and University of Arkansas to determine the origin of weedy red rice in California and its relationship to infestations elsewhere.

meeting, Blank emphasized the need to nip the problem in the bud before it becomes widespread as it is in the South. Not only can a severe infestation reduce overall rice yields by outcompeting

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Is it red rice or commercial rice? One of the challenges with identifying a problem in a field is that weedy rice is either the same genus and species as commercial rice — Oryza sativa — or a close relative. Early in the growing season, red rice plants may look like lighter colored commercial rice. As the season progresses, red rice plants tend to have a wider canopy, grow taller and have several times more tillers than their commercial counterparts. By the time red rice tillers are fully developed, about 65 percent of the panicles have shattered, dropping kernels in the field. These seeds can remain dormant in fields for up to 12 years. A light infestation of red rice also may be confused with watergrass, Echinochloa spp. But Blank says red rice has ligules and auricles – membranes that go around the junction of the collar and the blade – and watergrass doesn’t. Prevention is the best policy Prevention is the best control method, including the use of only certified rice seed produced in California and never planting seed grown elsewhere, he says. Blank also encouraged California producers who buy used equipment from the South to make sure it is cleaned thoroughly before bringing it back. If growers suspect red rice, Blank urged them to call their local farm adviser or pest control adviser for identification. With the red rice infestations remaining localized, he says he’s confident the weed can be eradicated as it was in the 1930s. “It’s been done before, and it can be done again,” Blank says. “If you don’t have red rice, just be on the look out and know it’s out there.” For a photo guide on how to identify red rice, visit http://bit.ly/1lOUwXC. RICEFARMING.COM

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Mechanic Ag Researcher Meteorologist CEO CFO

Rice growers, like Slade Whiting, wear a lot of hats. So we’re happy to provide advice and best practices. Growers rely on RiceTec for more than just high-yielding rice seed. Our ﬁeld reps are a trusted resource for inputs, timing, disease resistance and other keys to success. By partnering with hardworking folks like Slade to grow their bottom line, our seed has become the most widely grown long-grain rice in America over the past 6 years.

To ﬁnd your local RiceTec representative, call 877.580.7423 • RiceTec.com These statements are not a guarantee of performance, nor do they constitute a warranty of ﬁtness for a particular use.

TERRY L SPIVEY, TERRY SPIVEY PHOTOGRAPHY; BUGWOOD.ORG

Feeding by red-winged blackbirds (pictured), along with grackles and brown cowbirds, has caused significant yield reduction to rice fields in the past.

Bye, bye birdies EPA registers non-lethal bird-repellant seed treatment for rice. By Vicky Boyd Editor

he Environmental Protection Agency has granted a conditional registration to the non-lethal bird repellant, AV-1011, from Arkion Life Sciences of New Castle, Del. Each state has to register the product, but those approvals typically come shortly after the EPA’s. The announcement is good news for Lake Arthur, La., rice producer Kevin Berken, who has battled birds and used the product under an emergency use exemption for several seasons. “We’ve been after this for several years,” Berken says. “For them to give us conditional approval for two years, it’s huge for us to be able to use it. For us down here in Southwest Louisiana, very few of us can get away without using it at planting. “If you drill, (the birds) will walk along the rows and pull the seeds out of the rows. If you water plant, it’s absolutely terrible.” Dustin Harrell, Louisiana State University AgCenter Extension rice specialist, agrees. “Birds are a tremendous problem, especially here in Southwest Louisiana,” he says. “They can pretty much take out a field in a matter of hours, especially if it’s surface broadcast or shallow incorporated.” Altogether, birds caused more than $23 million in losses in 2011 — the last year for which figures are available — to newly planted rice fields in the six rice-producing states, according to the National Wildlife Research Center in Fort Collins, Colo. The offensive flocks are comprised mostly of red-winged blackbirds, grackles and brown-headed cowbirds.

10 RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

In addition to eating recently planted seeds, the birds pull newly germinated seedlings from the ground to eat, reducing stands. Berken says he saw firsthand how much damage the birds can cause when he planted two fields totaling 60 to 70 acres without treated seed in 2014. Those fields yielded about 50 percent less than treated fields because of the large areas devoid of plants. In 2015, Berken waited two to three weeks past his normal planting time while the EPA considered a Section 18 request — he wasn’t going to plant without treated seed. Once the EPA granted the emergency use exemption in late March, Berken says he planted 1,200 acres in six days with treated seed. Non-lethal, natural deterrent AV-1011 contains the active ingredient, anthraquinone, a non-lethal compound found naturally in at least 94 different plant species. It is applied by seed dealers to rice seed. When birds eat the treated seed, it causes them immediate but harmless digestive distress, deterring them from consuming more seed. But it’s harmless to other water dwellers, including crawfish. AV-1011 had been used under a Section 18 emergency use exemption in Louisiana, Texas and Missouri since 2009 and more recently in Mississippi and Arkansas. With the Section 18 came acreage restrictions, which the Section 3 does not carry. RICEFARMING.COM

LSU AGCENTER

Because of their sheer numbers, blackbirds can swoop down and decimate a newly planted rice field in a matter of hours.

Good news travels fast For users, the AV-1011 label will look similar to other Section 3 registrations, says Ken Ballinger, Arkion vice president. Known technically as a Section 3(c)(7) registration, a conditional registration gives the registrant more time to submit outstanding data requirements. In this case, Arkion has until Jan. 5, 2018. Ballinger says meeting the EPA’s timeframe won’t be a problem for the company. Although the information is missing, use of the pesticide won’t increase the risk of unreasonable adverse effects on humans or the environment, according to EPA information. News of the registration spread fast. Within 24-hours of the EPA’s announcement, Ballinger says the company received orders for product to treat about 40,000 acres worth of rice seed. The treatments allow growers to plant up to three weeks earlier when birds are still present, he says. Growers also can reduce seeding rates and not have to worry about overplanting to compensate for bird damage. “It gives them protection for weeks after planting and after Twitter: @RiceFarming

LSU AGCENTER

In addition, each state had to reapply annually for a Section 18 and wait for approval. In 2015, for example, the EPA didn’t grant a Section 18 until mid-March, which was when Louisiana growers were ready to plant, Harrell says. “It’s used on a lot of acres because we plant so early when the blackbirds are still here,” he says. “For the guys down here, it’s big news because they fight for it every year.” Now growers can order treated seed and not have to wait for the EPA.

In addition to directly feeding on seeds, birds pull up newly germinated plants.

they flood,” Ballinger says, adding it also is effective against other rice seed-feeding birds such as ducks. The product has undergone years of study beginning in 1996, he says. John Cummings, a retired wildlife biologist with the National Wildlife Research Center, led researchers in trials at the University of Missouri’s Delta Center in Portageville with red-winged blackbirds in 10 experimental field enclosures. The bird population was equivalent to about 4,440 blackbirds per acre per day. They compared drill-planted rice seed treated with AV-1011 to untreated seed. Under the intense bird pressure, damage to treated rice seedlings was 7 percent compared to untreated seedling damage of 44 percent. That’s an 84 percent reduction. Their results were published in a 2011 issue of the Journal of Wildlife Management. RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

Dow brands new herbicide, sets launch in 2017 or 2018 By Vicky Boyd Editor

ow AgroSciences recently unveiled the name of the new broad-spectrum rice herbicide it anticipates launching in 2017 or early 2018 — Loyant herbicide with Rinskor active. Actual availability will depend on Environmental Protection Agency registration, says Hunter Perry, Dow field scientist at the Southern Research Center in Greenville, Miss. The company is still evaluating its plans for the California rice market. Rinskor is the brand name for the second active ingredient in the new arylpicolinate herbicide class. A post-emergence herbicide, Loyant has activity on several grass, sedge and broadleaf species, including barnyardgrass, junglerice, yellow and rice flatsedges, alligatorweed, purple ammannia, eclipta, ducksalad, hemp sesbania, broadleaf signal grass, jointvetch species, horseweed, amaranth species and ragweed. It provides suppression of sprangletop. It also controls many of the weeds resistant to ALS, propanil, quinclorac, fenoxaprop and cyhalofop herbicides. “Through several studies here at Dow AgroSciences and with university cooperators, we’ve learned that Loyant does an excellent job controlling these resistant biotypes that have been reported in the field,” Perry says. A few of the weeds on which the herbicide is weak are Texasweed, fall panicum and many of the morningglory family, although it does control pitted morningglory, he says.

University trials Jason Norsworthy, a weed scientist with the University of Arkansas, has conducted trials with Loyant both as a stand-alone and in tankmixes for two seasons. “It’s very effective on almost every broadleaf that we’ve looked at,” he says. “It’s very strong on sedges and is probably one of the strongest products I’ve seen on rice flatsedge. And I’d say on the grass side, barnyardgrass would really be its strength.” In his trials, Loyant also had good activity on herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass and rice flatsedge, Norsworthy says. Eric Webster, a weed scientist with Louisiana State University’s AgCenter, has only had the herbicide in trials with water-seeded rice for one year, and he says he likes two years of results before making grower recommendations. But preliminary data show Loyant provides broad-spectrum

12 RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

control of many of the most troublesome broadleaf weeds and sedges as well as barnyardgrass and broadleaf signalgrass. Webster says the product also has activity on many of the aquatic weeds, such as pickerelweed and ducksalad, that plague water-seeded fields. One thing he has noticed is Loyant produces ALS-like symptoms on treated weeds — the plants remain green and appear to still be alive after application. But when you touch them, they break off at the ground because they’re dead. “So that’s going to take some getting used to,” he says. Broad application timing The product has a broad application window from two-leaf rice up to booting, Perry says. “We’ve found that application at pre-flood before permanent flood is where Loyant has the greatest level of performance,” he says. For an early post-emerge application, he says growers may want to tankmix the herbicide with a residual herbicide since Loyant activity is primarily foliar. Dow AgroSciences researchers also have examined Loyant with Clearfield varieties and Clearfield hybrids and found good tolerance to the new herbicide. They have not been able to evaluate Loyant’s compatibility with the Provisia system, another herbicide-tolerant rice program that has yet to be commercially launched. Loyant’s active ingredient, Rinskor, belongs to the Herbicide Resistance Action Committee’s Group O, which includes several synthetic auxins. But the Dow herbicide binds differently than other Group O rice herbicides, such as 2,4-D and triclopyr, to auxin receptors in the plant, Perry says. As with all herbicides, he says stewardship will be key to prolonging Loyant’s utility for the rice industry. “One of the biggest points we’re trying to drive home is Loyant herbicide needs to be used in a full-season rice weed-control program,” Perry says. “We can’t build herbicides overnight. We need good stewardship in order to prolong the lives of Loyant as well as the current chemistries on the market that are still very effective. “Barnyardgrass and rice flatsedge are weeds that have taken full advantage of some of these repeat applications of specific chemistries, and it’s resulted in broad-scale resistance across our area.” Dow plans to hold a series of Mid-South technical tours this summer to educate the market on how Loyant performs in large research plots, he says. RICEFARMING.COM

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Lodging

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CL151

CL152

CL163

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Mid-South Farm & Gin Show offers educational sessions, exhibits across commodities By Carroll Smith

n a few short weeks, it will be time to head to Memphis, Tenn., to attend the 64th Annual Mid-South Farm & Gin Show. Hundreds of exhibitors will be on hand to provide the latest information suited to the region’s diversified operations. The show officially begins on Friday morning, Feb. 26, with the Ag Update Meetings at the Cook Convention Center. The program commences at 8:30 a.m. Shane Stephens, National Cotton Council, will discuss cotton issues; Carl Brothers, senior vide president and chief operating officer of Riceland Foods in Stuttgart, Ark., will present the outlook for rice and wheat; and Joe Nicosia, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, will discuss the outlook for U.S. and world cotton. Show exhibits open at 9 a.m. A special Mid-South Ag Forum — “Profitability and Stewardship Togeth-

Let’s get

SOCIAL! Get connected and stay up-to-date with the latest from Rice Farming.

er — Through Technology” — begins at 1:30 p.m. and features presentations from Dr. Mike Daniels, Dr. Bill Robertson and farmer Steve Stevens. The show resumes on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with another important ag update meeting where Richard Brock, Brock Associates, will talk about grain market outlook/marketing strategies and projections for 2016.

The Exhibit Hall re-opens at 9 a.m., Saturday, and Georgia farmer Randy Dowdy will be on hand at 11:30 a.m. to conduct a special seminar on “Southern Corn Production Success — 486 Bushels Per Acre and Counting!” At 1:30 p.m., Milo Hamilton, co-founder and senior agricultural economist with Austin, Texas-based Firstgrain Inc., will address “What a Rice Farmer Needs to Know to Prosper.” Among the subjects he’ll cover are rice futures, contracts, weather and worldwide production trends. Show closing times are 5 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, respectively. This year’s informative and family-friendly show again promises to be an event that you don’t want to miss. For more information, visit https:// www.farmandginshow.com.

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Going under cover Projects seek to demonstrate benefits of cover crops to rice production. By Vicky Boyd Editor

Public-private partnership Roberts’ project is being funded by a Natural Resources Conservation Service Conservation Innovation Grant of $75,000,

18 RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

DR. TRENT ROBERTS, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

rent Roberts, a University of Arkansas soil scientist, is out to be a myth-buster when it comes to cover crops and rice. Through a three-year project he’s leading called ”Healthy Soils, Happy Rice,” Roberts hopes to demonstrate that rice and cover crops are not mutually exclusive. In fact, when done correctly, cover crops can enhance rice production and soil tilth without negatively affecting spring ground preparation. “I think one of the biggest benefits of this is the potential reduction in fertilizer needs, and that’s something we’ll be able to easily document because we know what the producers have historically needed to apply,” he says. What won’t be as easy to separate out are some of cover crops’ intangible perks, such as controlling erosion, aiding soil compaction, increasing soil organic matter and helping manage herbicide-resistant weeds. “I think cover crops are going to be even more important as we move into the future and we start having to really implement sustainable practices,” Roberts says. “They are going to be a big tool in our tool kit to maintain our production in the next 100 years.” But he isn’t the only one looking at how cover crops might fit into a rice-production system. Xin-Gen “Shane” Zhou, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research plant pathologist in Beaumont, is leading a separate multistate research project on integrated pest management of organic rice production. As part of that effort, researchers will examine how cover crops fit into IPM.

which carried a 50-percent matching-fund requirement. RiceTec Inc. and CPS together provided the $75,000 match. Based on three years of small-plot trials at Rohwer, Pine Tree and Stuttgart research stations, Roberts says he selected Austrian winter peas because they performed well at all three locations and seemed well suited to rice soils and growing conductions. Austrian winter peas also produce a

large amount of biomass, and the plant residue breaks down rapidly so it isn’t a hindrance to spring field preparation. As a “shot in the dark,” he threw in black oats to deter waterfowl feeding. Although waterfowl like peas, he says they don’t like oats. The theory is the oats will emerge and grow taller than the peas, creating undesirable stubble. To get the most from the cover crop, growers need to plant by Oct. 15. That alRICEFARMING.COM

Trent Roberts, University of Arkansas soil scientist

DR. TRENT ROBERTS, UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

“I think cover crops are going to be even more important as we move into the future and we start having to really implement sustainable practices. They are going to be a big tool in our tool kit to maintain our production in the next 100 years.”

Left: Austrian peas produce a large amount of biomass during a short growing season. Top photos: Trent Roberts used a cover crop mix of Austrian peas and black oats. Bottom: In earlier trials, he no-tilled rice into standing oat residue.

lows for plant establishment before colder temperatures slow growth. Most of the growth actually occurs in late winter and early spring as temperatures warm. “The biggest thing is for it to produce a lot of biomass, which equates to a lot of N credits, in a relatively short period of time,” Roberts says. In the colder parts of Arkansas, he says the crop could produce about 40 to 50 units of nitrogen per acre. In the southern parts that rarely see a freeze, the crop could yield 80 to 100 units. Because Austrian peas break down rapidly, between 50 and 75 percent of the nitrogen could be available to the crop during the first year. Weather-related change of plans Roberts had planned to work with three growers last fall, but Mother Nature had other ideas. Initially, the ground was too dry to plant, so he waited. Then torrential rains came, and only one 24-acre field farmed by Fred Schmidt near Walnut Ridge was planted before conditions became too wet. Schmidt had done some dirt work, so the field was fallow. The cover crop was Twitter: @RiceFarming

no-till drilled into the soil. Shortly before planting in the spring, he will use a burndown herbicide to kill it, then disk it under as part of field preparation. Once the rice crop is planted, Roberts will collect soil samples at about the twoto three-leaf stage and use the university’s N-STaR soil test results so Schmidt can adjust his nitrogen accordingly. In fields planted to rice, Roberts says growers roll the rice stubble, then no-till the cover crop into the plant material. With soybeans, growers simply no-till drill the cover crop into the soybean residue. The cost to plant the cover crop, including seed, pea inoculant and drilling, was about $30 to $35 per acre. Each demonstration field will be monitored for three years, and production will be compared to a sister field that is managed similarly by the cooperator except for the cover crop. Roberts points out that the project is a demonstration, so it won’t involve replicated plots. Nevertheless, it should provide growers with useful information. When possible, he says he plans to host grower tours or field days. The challenge will be timing, since the cover crop is

most robust in early spring when most growers are busy with field preparation. Weather permitting, Roberts says this fall he plans to enlist the two producers in Arkansas and Jefferson counties who were scheduled to plant in 2015 but couldn’t as well as three others to seed cover crops. Cover crops and organic rice Meanwhile, researchers with the multistate organic rice IPM project are evaluating crimson clover, annual ryegrass and brassica mustard cover crops. They planted their first cover crops in late fall 2015 at Beaumont and at Pine Bluff, Ark. Part of the research will examine their interactions with disease, weed and insect pests. Researchers also plan to quantify the cover crop’s nitrogen contribution to the soil. Zhou says very few Texas producers of conventional rice plant cover crops because of economic concerns. Instead, they flood fields for waterfowl or possibly plant clovers or other legumes for cattle grazing. “But with organic rice, it’s different,” he says. “They have no choice” since they can’t use any synthetic fertilizers. RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE

The Durands’ laser-leveled fields do triple duty as rice fields, crawfish ponds and waterfowl habitat.

An eye for conservation The Durand family’s crop mix includes rice, crawﬁsh and resource protection.

riving down Highway 347 past massive live oaks dripping with Spanish moss is a sea of sugar cane as far as the eye can see. In the middle of all that sugar is the Durand family rice farm, or as it is known in the spring, the place to buy crawfish. Jeff Durand, his two brothers, C.J. and Greg, along with three sisters — Margot, Joanna and Connie — work side by side to grow rice, farm crawfish under the Teche Valley Seaford name and provide wildlife habitat on their property near St. Martinville, La. 1980 was a watershed year for the Durand family. That was when they began growing rice in earnest, but their love of the land started many years before. “Our dad and his brother cleared some of the property we farm today. He had someone else growing rice in the ’60s and ’70s, and we farmed crawfish,” Jeff says. “As soon as we were old enough to start going to the ponds, all my brothers and sisters would go after school and run crawfish traps.” At one point, the tenant rice farmer retired and the subsequent farmer started growing soybeans that hurt the crawfish business. “So that’s when we decided that we would grow rice ourselves,” Jeff says. Jeff Durand, along with his five brothers “We also cleared some more family and sisters, share a common goal — they want the land to be healthy and property at that time and continued to productive for the next generation. grow the family farm.”

20 RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

RICEFARMING.COM

A rice evolution Over the years, the operation has changed and adapted. At one point crawfish was the biggest crop, but today more acres are devoted to rice production than to shellfish. The Durands plant about 900 to 950 acres per year and fallow about one quarter of the land, typically 250 to 300 acres. They also ratoon about half of their rice acreage, making two cuttings. And Natural Resource Conservation Service programs have played an integral role in helping the Durands reach their conservation goals. “We first started utilizing NRCS programs in the late ’80s, and we’ve been partnering ever since,” Jeff says. From opportunities, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Stewardship Program, Regional Conservation Partnership Program and Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative, he says the NRCS programs have made all the difference. Taking care of business Bart Devillier, NRCS Lafayette Field Office district conservationist, has worked with the Durands since he started in the Lafayette office. “I’ve been a (district conservationist) for 22 years, and working with the Durand family has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had,” Devillier says. “The Durands are so friendly, they are a pleasure to work with because they take care of business.” C.J. echoes that sentiment. “The technical assistance has really been helpful,” he says. “We do a lot of notill or minimum till on our farm; we try to improve the quality of our soil.” The brothers use a chain harrow that minimally disturbs the soil, laying the rice stubble on the ground and leaving it to decompose over the winter. By leaving that residue, water quality has improved significantly. Muddy surface water pumped into the field is almost clear by the time it leaves the property. Laser leveling also has helped with water management and in optimizing rice-growing ground. “One rice field had 32 levees,” Jeff says. “But after the laser leveling, that field now has three levees, which is huge for water conservation.” Through EQIP, the Durands have inTWITTER: @RICEFARMING

Jeff and his siblings have been farming crawfish since they were old enough to run the traps.

The Durands use a chain harrow that minimally disturbs the soil, laying the rice stubble on the ground and leaving it to decompose over the winter.

corporated improvements that include grade-stabilization structures, underground irrigation pipelines and conservation crop rotation to increase their production of rice and crawﬁsh. “Practices that we offer through NRCS, like grade stabilization structures, irrigation land leveling, nutrient management, crop residue use, the Farmstead Energy Improvement (energy audit) and the Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative, have all been used effectively on the Durand farm,” Devillier says. “These conservation practices put in to place on the Durand farm have a positive impact on everyone in this area. By utilizing these NRCS programs, we all have better water quality, lower soil erosion and improved wildlife habitat.”

“We have lots of it,” Greg says, laughing. The rice and crawﬁsh ﬁelds create great wetland habitat. More than 250 different species of birds have been documented on the property. The timing of the rice harvest coincides with migrating birds in the fall and spring. That doesn’t count the other abundant wildlife that includes deer, otters, bobcats, raccoons, alligators and even bald eagles. Looking to the future, the Durands have a singular purpose. “Our next conservation effort is examining our soil quality and working to get it at an optimum balance,” Greg says. “More than anything else, we want this land to be healthy and productive for the next generation.”

Looking to the future And what about wildlife on the Durand farm?

The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Alexandria, La., provided information for this article. RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

Rice Producers

Forum

Unique opportunities Convention brings together the world of technology and rice marketers in Houston.

By Dwight Roberts President and CEO U.S. Rice Producers Association

lthough the focus of the Rice Market & Technology Convention has always be on the rice market of the Americas, the success of this event has spread to other regions of the world. The 2016 edition, scheduled for May 31-June 2 at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Houston, Texas, won’t disappoint. Representatives from 14 different countries have already confirmed their involvement. Riviana Foods, Riceland Foods, MIT Corp. Singapore, Buhler Inc., Satake USA, Zaccaria Brazil, Granos Patron Mexico and IMECO Italy are just a few of the participants. Twenty-eight exhibitors have already reserved space. As mentioned in this column previously, Dr. Robert Zeigler, an internationally respected plant pathologist, will open the conference. He served as the director general and CEO of the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines with offices in 15 countries and a support staff that included more than 1,000 scientists.

A new speaker this year is Rakesh Sodhia, who for seven years has been managing director for Fortuna International Ltd. in Bangkok. Fortuna International is an international trading and consulting company focused on the world rice market and other commodities. Prior to his assignment with Fortuna, Sodhia spent nine years as managing director of Phoenix Commodities, a global rice

22 RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

and commodity trading business that handles 8 million tons of product exported to more than 50 countries. Another new speaker is rice breeder Dr. Alberto Livore from Argentina who released several popular rice varieties in South America. Livore, who coordinated the rice-breeding program in Entre Rios, Agentina, will speak on “Rice Breeding: Are We Listening to the Consumer?” Frigor Tec will conduct a breakout session on grain cooling conservation, which enhances long-term grain storage without quality loss. It is achieved in about three weeks independent of weather conditions by cooling with conditioned ambient air of less than 55 degrees. Gustavo Ludwig, manager of Brazilian Rice, has also been confirmed. The largest producer of rice in the hemisphere with some 13 million tons of paddy rice per year, Brazil’s production trends and export efforts cannot be ignored. Unique opportunity and learning experience This conference is a unique opportunity for the U.S. rice sector and a great learning experience for the young leaders of our industry. Recent developments point to a significant increase in Asian rice being exported into several Latin American countries. And of course, the Trans Pacific Partnership, pending Congressional approval, will make important changes in key markets. The most important markets for U.S. long-grain rice exports, including Mexico, Colombia and Central America, will be well represented. Grain quality remains at the heart of many discussions, so it’s a great opportunity to compare notes with representatives from more than 30 countries. Meeting people and exchanging information is as important as the program itself. Come prepared because this is one event where folks come to buy and sell. Que bueno! Visit www.ricemtconvention.com for more information. RICEFARMING.COM

Industry News efficacy of various products against specific diseases. In addition, the guide contains information for cotton, wheat, corn, peanuts, vegetables, small fruit and tree fruit.

University of California launches new rice website

Mississippi State updates insect guide

LSU AgCenter releases two new rice varieties

COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

The University of California Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources has launched a new website designed to be a one-stop shop of production-related information and research. Found at http://www. rice.ucanr.edu, University of California Rice Online contains information on variety trials, herbicide resistance, degree-days, fertility management, pest management, past Extension presentations and upcoming meetings, among other subjects. The site also has interactive decision tools, such as the degree-day model that projects the date of panicle Website visitors can click on the map initiation, 50 percent head- to view local variety trial yield data. ing and R7 — about three weeks after heading and typically the time to drain fields. Users simply click on a nearby weather station displayed on a map and input their variety and planting date. The tool, drawing from historic weather data, projects the three plant growth stages.

The Louisiana State University AgCenter has released two new Clearfield rice varieties that are tolerant to imadazolinone herbicide. They come from the breeding program of Dr. Steve Linscombe at the AgCenter’s H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station near Crowley. CL 153 is an early maturing semi-dwarf long-grain with excellent grain yield, good grain quality and very good resistance to blast disease. CL 153, however, is susceptible to sheath blight and moderately susceptible to bacterial panicle blight. In trials, CL 153 yielded an average of 200 pounds per acre more than CL 151, which has the highest yield potential among current Clearfield pureline (not hybrid) varieties. The other release, CL 272, is an early maturing semi-dwarf medium-grain with excellent grain yield and good grain quality. It averaged about 300 pounds per acre more than CL 271, the current high-yielding medium-grain, and also has much better grain quality. CL 272 shares similarities with CL 271 for plant height, lodging susceptibility and resistance to major Louisiana rice diseases. In 2016, acreage seeded to the two new varieties will be devoted primarily to registered and certified seed producers. Certified seed of both varieties should be readily available in 2017.

Mississippi State University has published “2016 Insect Control Guide for Agronomic Crops” in a free, downloadable version or in a print edition available at county Extension offices. The updated guide has removed pyrethroid insecticides for bollworm control for all crops because of resistance and poor control. Based on a large, multi-state project, researchers also have added a dynamic threshold for bollworms, also known as podworms, in soybeans. The guide covers cotton, soybeans, corn, grain sorghum, wheat, sweetpotatoes, rice, peanuts and pasture. Download a copy from http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2471.pdf.

University of Arkansas publishes disease guide The University of Arkansas has published its latest guide to diseases of tree and row crops ranging from apples to zucchini, including soybeans and rice. The 95-page manual, known officially as MP154, is available free for the download at http://bit. ly/1QBWTdX. With rice, for example, the guide provides disease-control measures from seed treatments to kernel smut and neck blast. The soybean section addresses seedborne pathogens and continues through to foliar problems, such as soybean rust. It also contains a chart so you can compare Twitter: @RiceFarming

RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

Specialists Speaking

Be on the lookout for new rice pest DR. M.O. “MO” WAY TEXAS Rice Research Entomologist moway@aesrg.tamu.edu

I wanted to alert readers of Rice Farming about a new Texas pest of rice we discovered attacking the ratoon crop last fall. It is the rice delphacid — Tagosodes orizicolus — a planthopper in the order Homoptera; family Delphacidae. It is related to leafhoppers, so it has piercing-sucking mouthparts that it inserts into the vascular bundles of rice leaves. These planthoppers suck up plant juices and cause “hopperburn” when populations are high, which they were last fall. Symptoms of hopperburn are dead or discolored foliage (brown/orange); presence of honeydew (planthoppers excrete a sweet, sticky substance); and sooty mold fungus that grows on honeydew resulting in a black film on foliage. We found the pest widespread in high numbers on ratoon rice in Brazoria, Wharton, Waller, Matagorda, Colorado, Fort Bend

Adult rice delphacids (left) range from about 0.1 inch to about 0.12 inch, depending on sex, with females larger than males. Nymphs are much smaller at about 0.02 inch, depending on the instar.

and Jackson counties. In fact, some fields averaged more than 300 planthoppers per five sweeps of a sweep net. Infestations were found relatively late during heading and grain maturation. Nevertheless, yield and possible quality losses were obvious. We’ve received no reports of planthoppers and/or damage east of Houston. The pest is native to Central America, so we don’t know how or when it got here. It may have been here for awhile because populations were so high last fall. This species was found in Louisiana in the 1950s, then simply disappeared. It may not be able to survive our winters, but again, we just don’t know. We’re trying to find out more about its life history, host range and how to best control it. Check your fields for this pest as soon as rice emerges. If you suspect you it, please contact your local rice scientists or me at 409-658-2186 or moway@aesrg.tamu.edu.

Review: Rice phosphorus research in Mississippi DR. BOBBY GOLDEN MISSISSIPPI Extension Rice Specialist bgolden@drec.msstate.edu

Phosphorus deficiency of rice seems to be a continual issue in the Mississippi Delta each year. In 2015, we experienced what I would consider an above-average amount of P deficiency related issues. Phosphorus deficiency in rice can be characterized by stunting, and leaves may appear very dark green to almost bluish in color. The most distinctive characteristic of P deficient rice is erect spindly leaves with minimal tillers on the plant (Picture 1). Younger tissue may appear healthy while older tissue can turn brown and become necrotic in severe cases. Research to correlate and calibrate soil tests to describe the relationship between rice grain yield and phosphorus first began in 2002, and the program has been maintained with multiple trials placed across the Delta annually. Currently with 34 site-years of data in the model, we still have difficulties explaining rice grain yield response with soil test P data on low P testing soils. Soil test data suggest that when Lancaster P is below 30 lbs P/ac, we have a great chance of observing a yield response when applying P. But in many

24 RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

instances, even when soil test P is extremely low (< 10 lbs P/ ac), we may not observe a statistical yield response. Coupling pH with soil test P data has helped, but more research evaluating P fertilization and its relationship with grain yield at differing initial soil test P levels is needed for more precise recommendations. In general, when a site has a soil test P level that responds positively, we average an 11 bu/ac increase with as little as 50 lbs P2O5/ac. What we have seen over the past 10 years is when phosphorus is needed, we observe a measureable yield increase, and timing of the P application is as important as the rate applied. In general, optimum P fertilization timing in Mississippi is somewhere between preplant and the one- to two-leaf stage of rice growth and development. RICEFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking

Aim for efficiency in fertility program DR. JARROD HARDKE

ARKANSAS Asst. Professor/Rice Extension Agronomist University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service jhardke@uaex.edu Repeat after me — when I look to cut costs this year, I will not cut my fertility program. Again, I will not ... you get the idea. The first nutrient the plant starts to run out of is the one that is most yield-limiting. While we focus on nitrogen (N) fertility, don’t forget everything else. So what fertility can you potentially reduce? The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has revised its soil test recommendations for phosphorus (P) (Table 1). The takehome message is that a lower soil test P level is now needed before P fertilizer is recommended. For instance, the previous range for the “Very Low” category was ≤ 15 ppm but is now < 9 ppm. There continues to be a distinction in the recommendations between soils with pH above or below 6.5. Remember, standard soil test samples for nutrients such as P and potassium (K) should be taken at a 4-inch depth. Table 1. Phosphorus fertilizer recommendations for rice based on soil test P and soil pH. Soil Test Level

New Soil-test P Ranges

Soil pH < 6.5

≥ 6.5 lb P2O5/acre

Very Low

< 9 ppm

Low

9-16 ppm

Medium

17-25 ppm

Optimum

26-50 ppm

Above Optimum

≥ 51 ppm

Timing for midseason N applications also has changed. Previous recommendations called for midseason N applications to be made between beginning internode elongation (BIE or “green ring”) and ½-inch internode elongation. The new recommendation is to apply midseason N in one application a minimum of three weeks after the pre-flood N application AND internode elongation has started. Both conditions must be met before the application is made. Although this change does not result in a direct cost savings, it greatly increases the chance of receiving the maximum yield benefit from the application. Using N-STaR sampling to obtain field-specific N rate recommendations can potentially reduce N input costs. The soil sample depth for N-STaR is 18 inches for silt loam soils and 12 inches for clay soils. Another possibility for reducing N inputs would be to use Twitter: @RiceFarming

an optimum single pre-flood N rate, which omits the need for a midseason application while reducing the total units of N needed. The single pre-flood method saves N by using 20 units less than a typical season-total N recommendation. In order to use the optimum single pre-flood method, several conditions must be met: 1) treat urea with an approved NBPT product or use ammonium sulfate, 2) apply urea onto dry soil, 3) be able to flood timely, and 4) be able to maintain the flood for at least three weeks. For more information on Arkansas rice recommendations, visit http://www.uaex.edu/rice.

Keep crop fertility in mind if you ratoon DUSTIN HARRELL

LOUISIANA Extension Rice Specialist dharrell@agcenter.lsu.edu The ratoon rice crop, also known as the second crop, is important economically to South Texas and Louisiana rice farmers because it traditionally yields approximately one-third of what the main (first) crop yields with few additional inputs. In 2015, Louisiana ratoon rice yields were the highest ever recorded, with many fields averaging one-half or more of what the main rice crop yielded. After such an exceptional ratoon season, I thought I’d cover some of the basic fertility recommendations for the second crop. Nitrogen (N) fertilizer should be applied on dry ground, and the field should be re-flooded as soon as possible after the main crop is harvested. Research has shown that a single application of N at 90 lbs N/ac will maximize ratoon yields in most years for both rice hybrids and rice varieties. Some farmers like to split N applications for the ratoon crop, with the first coming after harvest, flushing it in, followed by a second application about 10 days later. However, this method has not shown to be superior to the single application in research. Two things to keep in mind is the ratoon crop needs about 80 to 90 days to mature after the first harvested and that the first frost will kill the plant. That means the main crop should be harvested by Aug. 15 if you want the greatest chance of a successful ratoon crop. The more N that is applied to the ratoon crop, the longer it takes to mature. Therefore, if you want to attempt a ratoon crop after Aug. 15, reduce the N rate by 6 lbs N per day. I personally believe that by Sept. 1, you do not want to apply any fertilizer N. Phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) soil test-based recommendations in Louisiana are intended only for the main rice crop. Recent research has shown that an additional 30 pounds of P2O5and K 2O fertilizer is needed to maximize ratoon yields when grown on soils testing very low, low or medium in soil test P and K. The additional P and K fertilizer can be applied with the main crop P and K fertilizer or after harvest of the main crop. I prefer RICE FARMING • FEBRUARY 2016

Specialists Speaking to split the applications to minimize potential nutrient losses and to maximize nutrient availability in the ratoon crop. Ratoon stubble management practices have been shown to increase ratoon yields, reduce the incidence of disease (mainly Cercospora), even maturity and increase grain quality. Stubble management practices include post-harvest mowing (flail or bush-hogging) to about 8-inches or post-harvest rolling of stubble. The only disadvantage is that stubble management practices delay maturity of the ratoon crop by two weeks. Therefore, stubble management practices after Sept. 15 are not encouraged.

Two nitrogen issues test California growers BRUCE LINQUIST CALIFORNIA UCCE Rice Specialist balinquist@ucdavis.edu

This year due to the drought, a lot of fields were not flooded as usual and many weren’t even disked after harvest. There may be a lot of standing undecomposed rice straw at the start of the season. If this is the case, your N rates will likely need to be increased. Having a lot of straw in the field will “bind” the fertilizer N (we call this N immobilization) and make it unavailable during the first few weeks of the season. This immobilized N is typically available later in the season once the straw has decomposed. The second issue is the top-dress N application. There has been an increasing trend for a top-dress N application — usually ammonium sulfate — around panicle initiation (PI). Although top-dress N applications are not necessarily a bad idea, they’re often unnecessary. Top-dressing N is expensive as it requires an airplane, and the fertilizer is expensive relative to aqua-ammonia. Top-dress N applications are absolutely needed if the plant is N stressed, which typically shows up as yellowing of lower leaves. That said, I suggest planning so a top-dress N application is unnecessary. Research conducted on-station and on-farm has shown that if an adequate amount of N is applied at planting, a top-dress is not needed to achieve maximum yields. If you find yourself constantly needing a top-dress N application at PI, you might want to increase your preplant N rate. I don’t want you to necessarily take my word on this, but I encourage you to do your own testing to see if this is really necessary. A simple test involves three treatments across a field: (1) standard preplant N rate with no top-dress; (2) standard preplant N rate with top-dress and (3) increased preplant N rate with no top-dress. The total amount of N in treatments 2 and 3 should be the same, and this will tell you if yield improved with a split. Having treatment 1 in the field lets you know if a top-dress or increased N rate was necessary to begin with. At harvest, use a combine with a yield monitor to test for differences within the treatments.

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This year we’d like to coordinate with growers who are doing this to determine results across a number of fields and to share findings with others. Please contact me if you would like to participate.

Sensor helps optimize nitrogen management SAM ATWELL

MISSOURI Agronomy Specialist atwells@missouri.edu The optimal amount of nitrogen required for rice crops changes from year to year. In fact, most producers are aware that their yield levels change significantly, but they may not be aware that the yield response to additional N changes as well. In Southeast Missouri, the common management practice is to apply most of the N (70-120 lbs/ac) pre-flood. Then a permanent flood is immediately established. The remaining N, typically 3045 lbs/ac, is applied based on the plant N status at midseason. Determining the plant status can be challenging for producers. However, recent research from the University of Arkansas has indicated that the newer varieties do not always respond to midseason N when an adequate amount of pre-flood N has been applied. We set up an experiment to compare Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) and yield from three N management strategies. The results are for Southeast Missouri, but they could have a broader application. Dr. A.J. Foster, Extension agronomist specialist, and I established a small plot experiment starting in 2014 at the Missouri Rice Research Farm to evaluate using remote sensing technology to make a midseason N application. The treatments involved two rice varieties (Jupiter, a medium grain, and Roy J, a long grain), three N application strategies and an untreated check. The 2014 treatments were 120 lbs N/ac pre-flood; a pre-flood application of 120 lbs N/ac with 30 lbs N/ac midseason; and a pre-flood application of 120 lbs N/ac with midseason N based on Greenseeker remote sensor recommendations. The sensor readings were collected at stem elongation. In 2015, two treatments were added: 150 lbs N/ac pre-flood and 180 lbs N/ac pre-flood, which served as a reference strip for the sensor. Results from the small plot replicated study found the rice variety did not affect yield and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). Applying 120 lbs N/ac all pre-flood proved to be the optimal strategy to maximize both yield and efficiency. The mid-season strategy was the least efficient. The sensor-based strategy provided decision support to maximize the use of a midseason application. These results indicate that applying adequate (120 lbs N/ac) pre-flood N in combination with using a sensor to determine midseason N rate offer potential for increasing Nitrogen Use Efficiency, optimum yield and maximizing profitability in Missouri. RICEFARMING.COM

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