LSU AgCenter Rice Update

by Bruce Schultz, LSU AgCenter

Reports from Steve Linscombe, Dustin Harrell, Mike Salassi, Mike Stout, Don Grouth and Eric Webster of the LSU AgCenter at the Vermillion Parish rice growers meeting on Feb. 5...

Steve Linscombe, LSU AgCenter rice breeder:

  • A Kellogg company representative reported that testing went well for the LSU  variety CL272 variety.  The next step will be a larger plant run of the variety after more of the rice is harvested in 2016.
  • Rice millers reported that the Jupiter rice variety had more chalk than usual last year. But that could have been the result of abnormally cloudy weather and the hot temperatures just before harvest. Chalk is the opaque area in the rice grain and occurs because of malformed starch granules with air spaces between them. High levels of chalk will cause appearance issues and cooking results will be slightly differently.
  • A new Clearfield medium-grain, CL272, released by the LSU AgCenter last year, has better grain appearance and quality than its predecessor, CL271.
  • Work continues on Provisia, a new herbicide-resistant rice.

Dustin Harrell, LSU AgCenter rice specialist:

  • EPA has approved the use of AV-1011 bird repellent for rice seed in 2016. The product was given a 2-year conditional approval.  A permanent label could be issued pending the results of additional testing.
  • Average rice yields statewide were down 6-10% in 2015.
  • Fertilizer should be applied on dry ground, but if soil doesn’t dry, half of a nitrogen fertilizer amount should be applied before flooding, followed by the other half 5 to 10 days later.

Mike Salassi, LSU AgCenter agricultural economist:

  • Rice prices won’t increase or decrease much in the near future because of the large supply of rice on hand. The forecast for the next 3 to 4 months is not a lot of change.
  • The sale of U.S. rice to China could happen in 2016.

Mike Stout, LSU AgCenter entomologist:

  • Dermacor seed treatment continues to be the best option against rice water weevils. The product is also effective against stem borers.

Don Groth, LSU AgCenter plant pathologist:

  • There was an unusual number of complaints about kernel smut in 2015. A fungicide has to be applied at  boot stage to be effective against smut. Fungicides  should be applied 2 to 4 hours before a rain. Time of day of application does not matter.

Eric Webster, LSU AgCenter weed scientist:

  • This is the final year of a study of the best way to eliminate weedy rice in a field where hybrid rice has been planted for several years.
  • Provisia technology is proving to be effective against dormant hybrid rice and rice that has developed herbicide resistance, in addition to red rice. The Provisia technology will extend the Clearfield technology.

 

Monica Velasquez