AgFax Rice - Louisiana

By AgFax Media LLC, AgFax.com

OVERVIEW  

Harvest has gained momentum in the coastal belt. See Dustin Harrell's comments about yield trends in southwest Louisiana.

More rice is being drained in the Midsouth.

Rice stink bugs (RSB) are still being treated in Arkansas. After a lull in activity, numbers built again in some fields. But as our contacts continue to report, pressure has been spotty – thresholds in places but hardly any in other fields. How much of this later infestation is tied to grass escapes will be a point for Extension personnel to ponder over the winter.

LOUISIANA CROP REPORTS

Richard Griffing, Griffing Consulting, LLC, Monterey, Louisiana:

"About 50% of my rice has been drained and the rest probably will be drained within 10 days. I'm also scouting a good bit of row rice and it looks good. It rained yesterday (7/30), so we're officially through watering those fields."

Dustin Harrell, Louisiana Rice Extension Specialist, LSU Rice Research Station, Crowley:

"In southwest Louisiana, we continue seeing strong early yields (click here for the latest yield reports). It's still early, of course, but if yields continue trending along these lines, we could finish the season with a near-record average.

"Keep in mind, though, that yields are always strong in the early part of harvest but then can taper off some, so we'll have to see how they hold moving forward.

"The weather has been an issue this week. Afternoon showers have kept combines out of the field, and we've seen lodging due to some of these storms. We have clear conditions today (8/2) but it looks like wet weather will be with us to some degree for a while.

"In northeast Louisiana, more fields are being drained and growers are moving closer to harvest."