Rice farming january 2017

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PROFITABLE PRODUCTION STRATEGIES

JANUARY 2017

Aerial dry-seeding system helps fight weed resistance Poor weather, unexpected demand tighten hybrid seed supplies

Lights, camera, action!

Rice growers tell their stories through videos

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onto urea fertilizer. Other DD DP Nutrients may not appear exactly as shown.

January 2017

COLUMNS

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Vol. 51, No. 2

COV ER STORY

4 From The Editor

14

Water supply woes take top billing, regardless of where you farm

5 USA Rice Update Change comes to Washington, D.C.; USA Rice is ready

Lights, camera, action!

DEPA RTM EN TS 19 Specialist Speaking Variety selection and placement critical for high yields

22 Industry News Rice business scene

Growers get behind the camera to shoot videos and help educate the public about rice.

ON THE COVER: Richvale, Calif., rice grower Matthew Sligar shoots weekly videos highlighting rice production as well as promoting California-grown rice in general.

FEATUR ES

Photo by Vicky Boyd

S P E C I A L

Poor weather and unexpected increase in rice acreage combine to tighten RiceTec hybrid seed supplies.

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S E C T I O N

Ag Technology & Equipment 2016 • 2017

Underground spies Sensors monitor and report soil moisture levels, helping growers make better informed irrigation decisions.

By Vicky Boyd Editor

S

oil moisture sensors help growers get to the root of the problem of under- or over-irrigating by monitoring and reporting underground moisture content. Although not a silver bullet, these sensors should be viewed as one of several tools that can provide data on which to make better informed irrigation management decisions.

The actual water savings from sensor use depends on the crop, the soil type and the weather during a particular year. One of the biggest benefits is risk management by helping growers determine when and how much to irrigate and when they can safely stretch or eliminate an application because of adequate soil moisture.

“But we do generally see an increase in water-use efficiency by using sensors independent of a wet or dry year,” says Wesley Porter, University of Georgia Extension precision ag and irrigation specialist based in Tifton.

He says it’s difficult to estimate how many growers in his state are

6 ‘Demand is huge’

Watermark Granular Matrix sensor

sors, such as the Decagon EC-5. Each has benefits and drawbacks.

Watermark Granular Matrix sensors from Riverside, Calif.-based Irrometer Co. Inc., involve two electrodes imbedded in a thumb-sized sensor covered with a stainless steel mesh sleeve. Two electrodes protruding from the top allow users to hook them to a hand-held meter to read the soil matric potential, which indicates the energy the plants must expend to extract water from the soil.

As the soil water content increases, resistance between the elec

The Ag Technology supplement follows page 12 in the Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas versions of Rice Farming.

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8 Shuffling the deck Aerial dry-seeding system helps fight weed resistance with new herbicide mode as well as a different cultural practice.

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11 Two new ones launched Horizon Ag expects to have adequate 2017 seed supplies of its tried-and-true Clearfield varieties.

12 Back to the future Growers turn to decades-old chemistry to fight ALS-resistant flatsedge.

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18 2016 Rice Outlook recap In case you couldn’t make it to the the 2016 Rice Outlook Conference in Memphis, Tenn., here are a few highlights.

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From The Editor

Water woes take top billing, regardless of where you farm For nearly eight hours recently, I listened to impassioned pleas from farmers, fishermen, politicians, environmentalists and the public about the California Water Resources Control Board’s proposal to nearly double the amount of free-flowing water in Stanislaus River tributaries.

Unimpaired flows of 40 percent from February through June would aid struggling fish populations and improve San Francisco Bay-Delta water quality, according to the state.

The hearing I attended on the Phase I proposal is likely a preview for what’s in store for Sacramento River tributaries in the Sacramento Valley, where most of the state’s rice is grown. Water board scientists plan to analyze unimpaired flows ranging from 35 to 75 percent for each tributary as well as river temperatures and Delta outflows as part of Phase II. Should the water board prevail, the next step would be to overhaul the state’s water rights system, a legal hierarchy for water diversions established more than a century ago. But California isn’t the only state grappling with water demand exceeding supply.

The Arkansas Water Plan, updated in 2014, predicts a groundwater deficit of 8.2 million acre-feet annually by 2050 if the current source ratio of 71:29 percent groundwater-surface water continues. The plan identified several projects that could close the gap by replacing groundwater with surface water. But the proper infrastructure is currently lacking to take advantage of surplus supplies.

Included in the plan’s recommendations were increasing irrigation water-use efficiency and conservation over the next decade. The plan also recommends determining current irrigation water-use efficiency for various crops and establishing goals or efficiency targets. Whether those goals are voluntary or by regulation remains a big question.

Prompted by declines in the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer of 1 to 1.5 feet per year over the past four decades, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality launched the Delta Sustainable Water Resources Task Force in 2014. Among its duties is gathering data through a well metering program and encouraging farmers to adopt conservation techniques. As a result, the Mississippi State University Extension Service has conducted numerous field days and workshops promoting water-conserving technology, such as moisture sensors, alternate wetting and drying, and surge valves.

But the state’s posture has led to coffee shop concerns that Mississippi will soon limit groundwater pumping.

Listening to all of these water worries brings to mind a quote supposedly uttered by Mark Twain. The actual orator may be debatable, but the sentiments aren’t: “Whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting (over).”

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

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RICE FARMING • JANUARY 2017

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

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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.

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USA Rice

Update

Trump transition Change comes to Washington, D.C.; USA Rice is ready

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ALEX HANSON

very four or eight years, the country gets a new president, and he’s usually not from the party of the sitting president. In fact, only twice in modern history has a U.S. president handed the White House to a successor from

By Betsy Ward his own party. Ronald Reagan did it in 1988 President and CEO for George H.W. Bush, and before that you USA Rice have to go back to Calvin Coolidge who, in 1929, turned the presidency over to fellow Republican Herbert Hoover.

Bill Clinton couldn’t do it. George W. Bush couldn’t do it, and now Barack Obama also missed the mark. It seems to indicate that the name of the game in Washington, D.C.—at least in the Executive Branch—is “Change is never too far off.”

The exact course the 45th president will set us on is unclear as I write this—as you read this, we may be just a few days away from inauguration day. But the one thing of which we can be sure is change is in the air.

Some of those changes are encouraging, others give us pause. We’ll work The incoming Trump administration comes with a series of unknowns as far as trade and the upcoming Farm Bill renewal. through them all.

Trade challenges with new administration President-elect Donald Trump seems to take a dim view of government over-regulation—something he sees in a lot of corners— and something I think most of our industry would agree with.

Over-regulation stifles innovation, slows growth and hurts our competitiveness—especially when we’re competing with countries where business regulation is—let’s just say, not as intense as it is here.

On trade issues, however, it is likely we will have our work cut out for us. Certainly abandoning lopsided trade agreements that put the United States at a disadvantage is in all of our interests as Americans.

But some of the trade agreements he’s taken aim at, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, are actually pretTwitter: @RiceFarming

ty good for rice. And his threats to toss the U.S.-Cuba relationship back into the deep freeze are difficult for us to get behind, considering how hard we’ve worked to reopen this key market for you.

Farm Bill focus remains hazy Where the Trump administration will be on agriculture issues—like the writing of the new Farm Bill that will occur during his first term—is hazy. The cast of characters in Congress hasn’t changed that much.

Speaker Paul Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will still set the agenda at the other end of Constitution Avenue. A slightly weakened House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi will again lead the opposition in the House. But there was a change in the Senate.

Long-time Democrat leader Harry Reid retired. And New York Sen. Chuck Schumer, a force to be reckoned with, has assumed the mantle of Senate minority leader. It is a post many consider to be the most powerful position in Washington, bar none, because of Senate rules that allow him to essentially “shut everything down.”

Eyes are on trade representative post As the players in the Trump administration come more clearly into focus, our mission becomes clearer as well. One position we’ll be watching closely is U.S. trade representative.

With 50 percent of our crop exported each year and with a president who made trade deals a focus of his campaign, this job is going to be key for us.

As I write this, one of the leading contenders for this job is former House Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La. It was unfortunate Boustany lost his Senate bid in Louisiana, but it would likely be a boon for our industry if he became U.S. trade representative.

Of course—no matter who fills that position and no matter what course the president sets the country on—USA Rice will remain your representative in Washington and around the world­, protecting your interests, advancing your priorities and rolling with the changes like we always do.

RICE FARMING • JANUARY 2017

5

VICKY BOYD

‘Demand is huge’ Poor weather and unexpected increase in rice acreage combine to tighten RiceTec hybrid seed supplies for 2017.

By Vicky Boyd Editor

T

he same hot nighttime temperatures and untimely rains that significantly reduced rice yields in many parts of the Mid-South in 2016 also affected RiceTec’s seed crop.

As a result, the Houston, Texas-based hybrid rice company harvested much less seed than market demand and decided to give its longest and most loyal customers first rights of refusal.

“The weather’s the main factor that hit us,” says Van McNeely, RiceTec director of sales and technical services. “We’ve been bringing on new hybrids, and when you scale them up, there’s also a learning curve as far as production. But by far the biggest reason was weather related.”

Complicating matters are production techniques inherent to hybrid seed. Unlike inbred rice varieties that are self-pollinating, hybrid seed production requires two dissimilar parents. Typically the parents are planted in alternating rows so male

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RICE FARMING • JANUARY 2017

plants can pollinate the female plants.

Timing also is critical because female lines have to be at a receptive stage when male pollen is present.

In RiceTec’s case, most of its parent lines were developed for Texas Gulf Coast production.

“The rains started at near-record levels in Texas,” McNeely says. “In April and May, there was still a question about whether we could get the entire crop in.”

High nighttime temperatures in July affected grain pollination, and August rains reduced seed set and grain fill.

Citing data from 150 field trials in five states, McNeely says, “We did see a yield hit. Supply is definitely far below demand.”

The short 2017 supply comes on the heels of a tight 2016 supply. Because of the time it takes to produce seed, RiceTec has to forecast demand a few years out.

The company had anticipated a stronger

demand for hybrids, but it didn’t figure that planted acreage in the Mid-South would increase as much as it did in 2016.

“We underestimated the market in 2016—acreage was up pushing 30 percent,” McNeely says. “We were sold out last year so we had zero safety stocks, then you throw the weather into it. And demand is huge.”

The company had looked into producing seed in South America during the 2016-17 winter to address the shortfall. But the U.S. Department of Agriculture did not grant phytosanitary approvals in time.

To help minimize chances of future seed shortages, RiceTec plans to bump up production this season, McNeely says.

The company also is looking at new parent lines that can produce seed crops farther north in south Arkansas and northern Mississippi. But it will still be a few years before they’re available for large-scale seed production.

RICEFARMING.COM

Program Focuses On Barnyardgrass Dwight Brannon Southern Crop Solutions Inc. Jonesboro, Ark.

I grew up on a small farm in Lynn, Ark., where my dad, Howard Brannon, grew rice, soybeans and grain sorghum. While we spent time together, he taught me about agriculture, especially how to fix equipment. After observing one of our rice consultants working with the crop, I decided to pursue this profession as well. I graduated from Arkansas State University with a degree in plant science, and the rest — as they say — is history.

In 2016, weather was the biggest contributing factor to the outcome of the rice crop in our area. Planting season went well, and then it rained the entire month of May. We weren’t able to go to flood until the very end of May, first of June, which put us behind a bit. The real damage occurred late in the season when high temperatures affected the pollination stage and decreased yield by about 20 percent.

Weed Control Strategy

From a production standpoint, our biggest challenge is weed control. Barnyardgrass, which is resistant to many of the herbicides, is always at the top of the list. My standard weed control program in fields with barnyardgrass problems begins with a preplant application of Obey herbicide followed by a very early post application of Clincher and Prowl. Some of the barnyardgrass in our area is not resistant to Clincher.

As far as timing, we used to apply Clincher as soon as we put on the permanent flood. We have now found if the ground moisture is right, Clincher works really well before the permanent flood is established instead of waiting to apply it as a salvage treatment.

Once barnyardgrass begins to emerge and is still small, I make a pre-flood application of Grasp SC and RiceBeaux, which contains thiobencarb. We’ve recently had problems with hard-to-control sedges moving into the area. RiceBeaux heats up the Grasp and makes it work faster. And thiobencarb provides an additional mode of action. The smaller the weeds, the better chance you have of killing them. I like to make this application before barnyardgrass reaches the three-leaf stage.

Propanil-resistant barnyardgrass is the main culprit we have to deal with, but there is still a gamut of other weeds out there. Although my program typically eliminates weed competition, we’ve recently had problems with hard-to-control sedges moving into the area. When Loyant herbicide becomes available, we hope its alternative mode of action will save the day against these weeds.

As the 2017 season approaches, I always remember something a farmer once told me. “Things are never as good as they seem, and things are never as bad as they seem.” It’s a broad statement, but I believe if we manage the crop to the best of our ability, everything will turn out alright in the end.

• B.S., Plant Science, Arkansas State University • Arkansas Certified Crop Adviser • Interned with SF Services Inc. in Hoxie, Ark., in 1997; Hired as a consultant for Farm Service Inc. in 1998 • Started Southern Crop Solutions Inc. in 2014 • Consults on rice, soybeans, peanuts, grain sorghum and corn • Member, Arkansas Agricultural Consultants Association • Wife, Maria. Two daughters: Emily, 13, and Venessa, 12 • Enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with the family

Recap: Program Focuses On Barnyardgrass

1. Barnyardgrass, which is resistant to many of the herbicides, is always at the top of the most troublesome weeds list.

2. My standard weed control program in fields with barnyardgrass problems begins with a preplant application of Obey herbicide followed by a very early post application of Clincher and Prowl.

3. Once barnyardgrass begins to emerge and before it reaches the three-leaf stage, I make a pre-flood application of Grasp SC and RiceBeaux.

4. We’ve recently had problems with hard-to-control sedges moving into the area. When Loyant herbicide becomes available, we hope its alternative mode of action will save the day against these weeds.

­ Sponsored By

®™ DOW Diamond, Grasp and RebelEX are trademarks of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. Grasp SC, 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.

©2017 Dow AgroSciences LLC

t

Shuffling the deck Aerial dry-seeding system helps fight weed resistance with new herbicide mode as well as a different cultural practice.

By Vicky Boyd Editor

T

hrough three decades or so of experimentation, VA Farms has developed a dry seeding program that borrows from both traditional California and MidSouth planting practices.

The system allows the family-owned Pleasant Grove, Calif., operation to introduce a new class of chemistry and provides another rotational tool to help manage herbicide-resistant weeds on a portion of their farm. But co-owners Greg VanDyke and his uncle, Bob VanDyke, are quick to point out they don’t view dry seeding as a silver bullet. In addition to extra planning after the previous year’s harvest, the system also requires an additional tractor pass to roll the fields shortly after seeding.

They credit Dave Sills, a pest control adviser in Eldorado Hills and rice grower himself, with developing the program and sharing it with others.

“It’s my goal in creating Harbinger to be able to get pendimethalin into the rice herbicide program as a rotational tool,” Sills says, referring to the herbicide on which he holds a patent. “Desperation is the mother of invention, and we’re pretty desperate in the rice business to deal with resistant weeds.”

Not only does pendimethalin bring in a new mode of action—Weed Science Society of America Group 3 —but Sills’ program also introduces a different cultural practice to the

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RICE FARMING • JANUARY 2017

state’s traditional water-seeded rice system.

“A water-seeded environment stimulates a certain set of weeds, and dry seeding stimulates a certain set of different weeds,” he says. “When you rotate, you’re shuffling the deck.”

In addition, pendimethalin carries no water-holding requirements as many of the other rice herbicides do in the Sacramento Valley.

Field prep begins the previous season Shortly after harvest, the VanDykes stomp the left-over rice straw, putting it in contact with the soil and beneficial microbes needed for decomposition. A shallow flood is then applied, aiding straw breakdown as well as providing winter waterfowl habitat.

“We stomp 100 percent of our acreage now,” Greg VanDyke says. “We really like it because we think it’s really efficient and saves us an entire cultivation pass when we come back in the spring.”

Under the Rice Straw Burning Reduction Act of 1991, California rice producers are no longer allowed to burn harvested fields unless they can document a disease issue that can only be managed with burning. The county agricultural commissioner’s office also has to certify the disease problem and then can only allow burning of 25 percent of the acreage.

Rice growers in the Sacramento Valley typically begin RICEFARMING.COM

spring field preparation by chisel plowing twice, using a crisscross pattern.

But fall stomping allows the VanDykes to use a single pass with a field disk, followed by light tillage with something like a field cultivator to break down any remaining clods.

Shortly before planting, they run a tandem rig that injects nitrogen in the form of aqua ammonia into the soil and then roll the field with a grooved roller to create small ridges.

To compensate for the 8 to 10 percent nitrogen typically lost during flushing, Sills recommends growers bump up their preplant nitrogen to about 175-180 pounds per acre from the typical 130-150 pounds per acre.

At mid-tillering, he suggests growers check plant nitrogen levels and topdress with another 15-20 pounds per acre if necessary. The recently revised Leaf Color Chart from the University of California is a simple way to monitor mid-season plant nitrogen, providing nearly instant results.

Flying dry seed onto dry fields Planting is done by an aerial applicator, who flies dry rice seed onto the field. This differs from traditional methods in the Sacramento Valley that involve presoaked seed flown into flooded fields.

Dry seeding also affords growers the option to have seed treatments applied. With treated seed and dry-seeding experience, Sills says growers can reduce seeding rates to as low as 120 pounds per acre.

“I never recommend reducing the seeding rate until there’s a comfort level,” he says. “At this point, unless they treat the TWITTER: @RICEFARMING

PHOTOS BY VICKY BOYD

Rice seed that is not presoaked is flown onto dry fields over which a grooved roller has first been run.

As the dry rice seed is flown on, it settles into grooves. A pass with a heavy roller afterward helps create a firm seedbed.

seed, I don’t like them to back off.”

Shortly after planting, the Van Dykes run a double flat roller over the field to knock down the small ridges, covering the exposed seed and creating a firm seedbed.

Many growers also fill rollers with water for additional weight. Sills says you just want to compress the soil but not compact it. If done correctly, rolling places the seed between 1/2 and 1 inch deep.

“The more packed the soil is around the seed, the more rapid the emergence,” Sills says.

The rolling also helps eliminate sink holes or low spots that fill with water and won’t drain after flushing. Puddles RICE FARMING • JANUARY 2017

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remaining during the dry-down can drown rice seeds, resulting in uneven stands.

“That’s the secret to dry-seeding rice—it’s extremely difficult to drill seed rice in California,” VanDyke says. “The compression brings everything down and creates a perfectly uniform seed depth. We’ve learned it’s all about uniform seed depth.”

Another key to successful dry seeding, Sills says, is precision-leveled fields.

Every three years, all of the VanDykes’ fields are releveled using twin-tower GPS-guided dirt pans.

The family also has adopted precision farming tools that involve collecting yield and moisture data from combine yield monitors. Maps created from that information are then overlain with maps from the leveling rigs that show cuts and fills to create variable-rate fertilizer prescriptions.

“It does an amazing job at reducing the pockets of yield variation from a field,” Greg VanDyke says.

Pre-flush herbicide With dry seeding, the VanDykes are able to apply pendimethalin with a ground rig shortly after flat rolling.

Sills’ program calls for 2.4 pints per acre of Harbinger 3.3 EC pendimethalin tankmixed with 1.6 pints per acre of SafeGuard, a safener.

The key is an inert ingredient in Harbinger that binds the pendimethalin herbicide to the top 6 millimeters of the soil, allowing the rice seeds below to germinate without injury, he says.

After herbicide application, growers typically flush twice be-

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After typically flushing fields twice, growers then apply a permanent flood at about the five-leaf stage.

fore applying a permanent flood at about the five-leaf stage, Sills says. Between each flush, the fields are dried to the point of soil cracking.

Once the permanent flood is established, he says growers then follow with their preferred post-herbicide program.

Although growers who have been using dry seeding as a rotational tool for years, such as the VanDykes, swear by it, Sills says newcomers tend to be nervous.

“I hold their hand the first time,” he says. “Once they get past that and I give them five bottles of Tums, after that they move forward with confidence.”

RICEFARMING.COM

PHOTOS BY VICKY BOYD

Shortly before planting, the VanDykes run a tandem rig (pictured with Greg) that injects nitrogen in the form of aqua ammonia into the soil and then roll the field with a grooved roller to create small ridges.

Two new ones launched Horizon Ag expects to have adequate 2017 seed supplies of its tried-and-true Clearfield varieties.

By Vicky Boyd Editor

Twitter: @RiceFarming

VICKY BOYD

T

he same weather issues that took a toll on much of the MidSouth’s 2016 rice crop also affected seed production for Horizon Ag. But the Memphis, Tenn.based marketer of pure line Clearfield varieties expects seed supplies of all but its two new releases to meet demand, says Tim Walker, general manager.

“The seed crop did take a hit,” he says.

“But one of the good things about pure line seed production is the plant is less affected from an overall standpoint. Any time we project what the market is going to be, we’re having to project it out two to three years. Because we’re efficient seed producers, we can always hedge on the high side.”

Pure lines, sometimes referred as inbreds, do not require two different parent lines for seed production. Instead, the plants are self-fertile, a trait that removes one variable from seed production.

CL153 and CL172, two long-grains Horizon Ag is launching this season, offer high milling quality with better agronomics than some of the earlier Clearfield releases.

“They’re highly sought after, at least that’s what the market is telling us,” Walker says. “This is the first year of their launch, and there’s probably not enough for every farmer to get all they want.

But we do have enough, and more of the CL153 than CL172, to supply probably close to 250,000 to 300,000 acres.”

Developed by Louisiana State University, CL153 has a yield potential equal to or better than CL151 but with blast resistance and lodging resistance. The newcomer also has excellent grain quality and milling.

CL172 produces a bold, translucent grain close to 7 millimeters long with superb cooking quality. These characteristics are coveted by Central American consumers and importers. The variety also has blast resistance and lodging re-

Horizon Ag expects to have enough seed of its two new Clearfield varieties, CL153 and CL172, to plant 250,000 to 300,000 acres this season.

sistance along with outstanding grain quality and milling.

For the 2017 season, Walker estimates that growers in the Mid-South will plant 2 million to 2.2 million rice acres altogether.

“That having been said, we should have enough of those two varieties to fill 15 percent of the total Southern rice acres, and I think that’s adequate in a launch,” Walker says.

CL163, launched on a limited basis in 2016, is more of a niche long-grain with

a high amylose content designed for par-boiling, canning, food service and packaged rice. It will be more widely available for the 2017 season.

“When you add CL163 to the new launch, that takes us from 15 percent to 20 percent, so we’ll have adequate supplies,” he says.

Mainstays CL111 and CL151 should be able to more than fill in any gaps in demand for long-grain Clearfield varieties, Walker says.

RICE FARMING • JANUARY 2017

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Back to the future Growers turn to decades-old chemistry to fight ALS-resistant flatsedge.

By Vicky Boyd Editor

Demand for Bolero grows Bob Scott, University of Arkansas Extension weed scientist based in Lonoke, says many Arkansas rice fields in 2016 looked clean. He attributes it to growers

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UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

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very time Ricky Posey and his stepbrother, Joe Ray Melvin, looked out their shop door near Hunter, Ark., they saw a big patch of ALS-resistant rice flatsedge that was a constant reminder of their problems.

After taking the field out of rice and putting it in pasture, the problem returned when they planted rice again.

“You’d think that the sedge would disappear, and it was still there when we put it back into rice,” Melvin says.

Not only does the flatsedge reduce rice yields through competition, but it also lodges, taking down nearby rice with it and creating harvest losses.

Melvin had talked to relatives near Crowley, La., who had used League herbicide from Walnut Creek, Calif.-based Valent U.S.A. in 2015. So he says he and Melvin decided to try it in 2016. League, which contains the active ingredient imazosulfuron, is labeled for a wide variety of broadleaf, aquatic and sedge weeds in rice.

At the suggestion of their Valent rep, Mike Morris, Melvin and Posey added 4 pints of Bolero herbicide to the 4 ounces of League they put out at delayed pre-emergence using a ground rig.

“It worked great,” Melvin says of his season-long clean fields. “We didn’t have to come back in, and we didn’t any places were there was nutgrass. We’re definitely planning on using a lot of Bolero next season.”

But Melvin and Posey aren’t the only growers who have gone back to the future by incorporating the 40-plus-year-old Bolero from Valent into their weed-control program.

In parts of the Mid-South rice belt, rice flatsedge has become resistant to many ALS herbicides.

getting the message of overlapping residual herbicides and applying them early to prevent weeds from germinating and becoming a problem.

“Our base program that we’re recommending is either RiceBeaux or a makeyour-own RiceBeaux with propanil and Bolero very early post,” Scott says. Then growers should return pre-flood or very early post-flood with Basagran and propanil or crop oil concentrate.

He says some growers in 2016 also had success with Sharpen as a follow-up second treatment, but it can injure rice, especially if tankmixed with another herbicide.

Growers must have listened to Extension because demand for Bolero in 2016 exceeded supply, Morris says. As a result, some growers turned to RiceBeaux, a premix of thiobencarb and propanil from RiceCo. Thiobencarb also is the active ingredient in Bolero.

“This ALS-resistant flatsedge is a

growing issue in the Mid-South,” Morris says. “Everybody has got some of this in some place on their farm—some more than others.”

The ALS class of chemistry, which belongs to the Weed Science Society of America’s Group 2, includes Newpath, Beyond, Grasp, Londax, Regiment, League and Permit herbicides. Bolero, on the other hand, belongs to Group 8.

Weed surveys conducted by the University of Arkansas and Mississippi State University have found ALS resistance widespread in rice flatsedge (Cyperus iria L.) populations in the respective states.

Although the resistance problem also has been confirmed in Louisiana, it is not yet widespread, according to Louisiana State University weed surveys.

Scott says he and Arkansas colleagues assume that when rice flatsedge is resistant to one ALS herbicide, it is resistant to all members of the group. Screening has found a few populations of flatsedge and RICEFARMING.COM

VICKY BOYD

Ricky Posey (left) and Joe Ray Melvin added Bolero herbicide to their weed program in 2016 and cleaned up their resistant flatsedge problems.

A learning curve Jackie Dobson, a crop consultant with Helena Chemical near Brinkley, Ark., has seen ALS-resistant ricefledge in many of the fields he scouts.

“In the past probably 20 years, growers have gone to zero-grade fields and it’s basically rice after rice after rice after rice,” he says. “We used Permit until we wore it out and things got resistant to it.”

During the 2016 season, Dobson recommended Bolero as part of a tankmix program to many of his growers. But he admits the herbicide has a bit of a learning curve. You have to wait at least five to seven days after planting until the seed has imbibed moisture and has least a ⅛-inch sprout on it before application. If not, you risk reducing germination. You also have to avoid letting fields dry out to keep the thiobencarb active.

“This was a perfect year for Bolero beTwitter: @RiceFarming

VICKY BOYD

barnyardgrass are resistant to some ALS chemistries but not to Regiment or Grasp.

“But we pretty much assume they’re resistant to all of the ALSes,” Scott says. “I think because of the potential problems of cross resistance, you don’t want to run the risk of putting that first shot (of ALS) out and not having it work.”

Jackie Dobson, a consultant with Helena, recommends adding the adjuvant, Grounded, to Bolero tankmixes to help the herbicide adhere to soil particles.

cause we kept getting those showers to keep it activated,” Dobson says. “If you don’t keep moisture on it to keep it active, the grass or escapes will come back.”

He also recommends using Helena’s propriety adjuvant, Grounded, which helps Bolero adhere to soil particles and keep it on the soil surface. Without the material,

Bolero could be washed away with flushing or moved below the root zone.

For more information, read University of Arkansas’s publication, “Identification and Control of Problematic Sedges in Arkansas Rice,” http://www.uaex.edu/ publications/pdf/FSA-2173.pdf RICE FARMING • JANUARY 2017

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Lights, camera, action!

Growers get behind the camera to shoot videos and help educate the public about rice.

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RICEFARMING.COM

By Vicky Boyd Editor

W

hen third-generation rice producer Matthew Sligar went to the University of California, Santa Cruz, to study modern American literature, he had no intentions of ever farming.

After graduating and working for six years in Europe, Sligar returned to the family operation near Gridley, Calif., in late 2012 to farm with his father, George Sligar.

To indulge his creative side and educate consumers about rice production, Matthew Sligar turned to shooting and producing a vlog, or video blog, posted on his Rice Farming TV YouTube channel.

TWITTER: @RICEFARMING

BY VICK PHOTOS

‘Pictures or it didn’t happen’ Sligar and Richter are part of an increasing number of growers who have embraced videos to tell their story, says Michael Klein, USA Rice vice president of communications.

“Pictures or it didn’t happen—that’s kind of the social media mantra,” he says. “We felt one of the key things we have to do is people don’t know where their rice comes from and people don’t know where their food comes from. This is a huge thing for the country to overcome in general as we try to tell our stories.”

What started as an effort to build a photo library at USA Rice’s office in Arlington, Va., a few years ago expanded to putting faces behind rice. Colleen Klemczewski, USA Rice’s first social media coordinator, began promoting the use of social media to the Rice Leadership Development Program. That also involved sending GoPro video cameras to select producers with requests to shoot and post typical activities during the season.

Michael Bosworth, who had previous experience with GoPros, accepted the challenge as a member of the 2016-2018 leadership program. As part of the family owned Rue & Forsman Ranch Inc. near Olivehurst, Calif., he says they already used social media to help direct market the family’s rice.

“I’m out in the fields every day and end up with some cool

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“A lot of people — even in California — don’t know we produce not only medium-grain but premium medium-grain rice that’s winning taste-test competitions worldwide,” he says about the impetus behind Rice Farming TV. “The second reason I’m doing this is I want to give a face to the product.”

For Kurt Richter, a member of family-owned Richter AG in Colusa County, Calif., producing videos allows him to correct misinformation on hot issues that may affect the rice industry.

“The local papers and the local TV stations don’t really cover us the way that I’d like to see,” he says. “This way, I get the message out on my own.”

Creating videos also allows Richter to continue what used to be a career in television news but that has remained a hobby since he returned to the family farm four years ago.

“A lot of people—even in California—don’t know we produce not only medium-grain but premium medium-grain rice that’s winning taste-test competitions worldwide. The second reason I’m doing this is I want to give a face to the product.”

— Matthew Sligar, Rice Farming TV RICE FARMING • JANUARY 2017

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Michael Bosworth says his dog, Drake, is a popular star of his videos.

stuff,” Bosworth says of his videos. “You see cool things throughout the season you like to share or highlight.”

Of all the pictures and videos he’s posted on social media, Bosworth says ones that feature his family or his black Labrador, Drake, generate the most response.

“Some of my best customers have come from social media,” Bosworth says. “I have really good conversations with people you wouldn’t come across. A lot of those are some pretty hardcore environmental folks you wouldn’t think you would have any common ground with, but you do find common ground and dispel many of the misconceptions about rice farming.”

Videos on a budget Sligar jokes that he makes low-budget films. He shoots his videos using an older iPhone 5 and an inexpensive point-andshoot digital camera that also records video. An older tripod does double duty as a selfie stick.

Sligar posts and shares his videos on YouTube, a free website that hosts the gamut from grainy cellphone clips to professionally filmed and edited Hollywood movie shorts.

He prefers creating videos rather than written blogs because of the “discovery” it allows.

“You’re always looking for something and trying to preserve it,” Sligar says. “When I upload what I’ve shot to the computer, there’s a sense of surprise. You don’t know whether you captured it, and you don’t know how it’s going to look on the computer.

These are all pieces and I’m trying to create one larger puzzle.”

Sligar doesn’t take time out of his daily routine around the farm to shoot his videos. Instead, he’s perfected multi-tasking.

“The camera records as I’m doing my work,” he says.

Sligar also adds a bit of personality, whether it’s his up-close narratives in the camera lens or his other starring characters, such as the turtle crossing a gravel road or otters playing in a ditch.

Producer Matthew Sligar punks Halloween trick-or-treaters with rice.

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In the evening, he edits his video, combining and cutting the various shots he took over the past few days. Depending on the subject, he may add music or titles. All of this is done on a Macintosh computer using iMovie, a program standard on Macs.

At 34 years old, Sligar grew up with MTV, so he strives for lots of action and the fast pace needed to keep the attention of today’s generation. As a result, he says editing goes pretty quickly but admittedly still takes time away from his young family.

He credits his wife, Clara, for allowing him to pursue his creative visions and for encouraging him to do so.

“My wife is so understanding of this creativeness, and she supports me at home to do it,” Sligar says.

The Gridley producer plans to film one video each week, chronicling a Northern California rice season. After that, Sligar says he doesn’t plan to film a sequel—return to the rice field, part 2. But he still plans to share his growth as a rice farmer and cultivate his relationship with the viewing public.

In his videos, Kurt Richter frequently focuses on issues facing the industry.

Drawing from a news background Having spent more than a decade in television news, Richter takes a slightly different approach and focuses on hot issues that he’s passionate about. For example, he decided to produce two videos on the proposed Sites Reservoir after he talked to several fellow rice producers who were unfamiliar with it.

First proposed in the 1980s, the reservoir would provide about 1.8 million acre-feet of off-stream storage and add up to 500,000 acre-feet annually to California’s water supply. Up to 50 percent of Sites water would be dedicated to environmental flows.

Richter uses a digital SLR camera and an audio recorder with a wireless microphone. Afterward, he synchs the audio with the video and edits the files using Final Cut Pro software on a Mac computer.

Regardless of your subject matter or editing, Richter says he believes there is no one way that’s better than another. Rather, he says, the most important factor is to portray your true self and try not to be something you’re not.

“I think more than anything, represent yourself and whatever message you want to get out there and do it positively,” he says.

Entering the 2016 season, Richter fully intended to continue making videos as he had the previous winter. But challenging growing conditions, as well as wanting to spend time with his 3-year-old son, kept him busy.

“I just got a little overwhelmed this year,” he says about the growing season.

A break in harvest caused by late-October rains gave Richter the time he needed to produce a video on the challenges created by the storms. It also re-energized him with several topics he planned to cover this winter.

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RF0117 Layout_CF 11/13 template 1/5/17 5:09 PM Page 17

Do you know a rice consultant or pest control adviser (PCA) who goes above and beyond the call of duty? Nominate this person for the inaugural Rice Consultant of the Year award at ricefarming.com.

The award, sponsored by Dow AgroSciences and Rice Farming magazine, recognizes the dedication, leadership and innovation of this crucial segment of the U.S. rice industry.

The RCOY award recipient will receive the following: Four-page feature in Rice Farming magazine.

Special recognition reception prior to the 2018 Mid-South Farm & Gin Show in Memphis, Tenn.

One-night’s hotel stay and round-trip travel to Memphis for the award recipient and the nominator.

“At Dow AgroSciences, we understand rice consultants have a vital role in the industry,” says Jaret Fipps, rice herbicides product manager, Dow AgroSciences.

“Consultants have a big task in being asked to be experts on current conditions, evolving technologies and individual production needs to help growers manage successful operations.

“As a thank you, we are sponsoring the Rice Consultant of the Year Award to provide an opportunity to recognize those who exceed expectations for their contributions to the rice industry.”

Submit your nomination online at ricefarming.com by May 31, 2017.

S P O N S O R E D

®

Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow. ©2017 Dow AgroSciences LLC

B Y

2016 Rice Outlook Conference recap

For the seventh time in as many years, conservation and sustainability were spotlighted during the Rice Outlook Conference’s annual awards luncheon.

Dr. Scott Manley, director of conservation innovation for Ducks Unlimited, received USA Rice’s 2016 Distinguished Conservation Achievement Award. He is based in DU’s Southern Regional Office in Jackson, Miss., where he oversees staff who work on the Rice Regional Conservation PartCalifornia rice producer and chairman of nership Project project. the USA Rice Farmers Conservation Committee Leo LaGrande (left) presents Dr. “Scott was one of the arScott Manley from Ducks Unlimited with chitects behind bringing tothe 2016 Distinguished Conservation gether USA Rice and DU to Achievement Award. form the Rice Stewardship Partnership. And as the son-in-law of a rice farming family and an avid waterfowl hunter, he has long been familiar with the synergistic benefits that rice and ducks provide for one another,” said Leo LaGrande, a California rice farmer and chairman of the USA Rice Farmers Conservation Committee, as he presented the award.

USA Rice also presented a special award, the 2016 USA Rice Conservation Communications Award, to the Ducks Unlimited Communications Team that works closely with Manley on the RCPP outreach and educational efforts.

They included Karen Almand, graphic designer; Clay Baird, video productions; Katie Burke, Heritage Center curator; Andi Cooper, Southern Region communications specialist; and Greg Taras, communications productions.

Texas high school senior nabs top National Rice Month Scholarship award Heaven McKinley, a senior at Irving High School in Grand Prairie, Texas, took home the $4,000 grand prize in the 2016 National Rice Month Scholarship contest. Her video, titled “Power Plants,” featured McKinley starring as a nutritionist, an economist, an environmentalist and herself in the kitchen as she

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PHOTOS BY VIC

Ducks Unlimited snags rice conservation awards

2016 Rice Farm er of the Year Richard Fonten Carl Brothers, ot (left) chats president and with CEO of Riceland not’s son, Lanc Foods, as Font e, photobombs ethem.

KY BOYD

I

n case you couldn’t make it to the 2016 Rice Outlook Conference in Memphis, Tenn., here are a few highlights. As always, the annual awards luncheon drew attendees and their families alike.

The two-day conference also featured state-by-state industry updates from university and Extension specialists as well as industrywide economic outlooks and political forecasts.

In addition, attendees were able to visit the expo, where vendors showcased their rice-related products and services.

touted the many benefits of rice. This was the first year that USA Rice went to an all-video format for contest entries.

“The creativity and quality of the student videos telling the story of U.S. rice was astounding, and I know the judges struggled to choose a winner out of the field of 18 entrants,” says Betsy Ward, USA Rice president and CEO. Like a few of the other entrants, McKinley didn’t grow up on a farm. But she does love rice.

“One of the things that attracted me to apply for this scholarship, aside from the opportunity to explore rice, a staple in my diet, was the opportunity to creatively present the ways that rice agriculture affects the whole globe, from the economy to the environLeslie Rogers of Dow AgroSciences (left) presents ment,” she says.

Heaven McKinley, a Grand Prairie, Texas, high McKinley is still school senior, with a giant $4,000 check as Betsy in the process of Ward, president and CEO of USA Rice, looks on. applying for college admission, but she plans to study environmental sciences.

Gaduating high school students from rice-growing states—Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas— were eligible for three scholarships, totaling $8,500 annually. The grand-prize winner receives a $4,000 scholarship and a trip with a chaperone to the USA Rice Outlook Conference.

Second-place receives a $3,000 scholarship, and third-place $1,500. This year, second place was awarded to Angela Lee of Los Angeles, Calif., for her video, “Rice Production in California.”

There was a tie for third place, and Ana Little-Sana from San Diego, Calif., and Max Morrison of Yuba City, Calif., each received $1,500 scholarships for their videos, “Think Local, Think Rice,” and “National Rice Month Promotions,” respectively.

The contest is sponsored in part by Dow AgroSciences.

RICEFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking

Rice varieties, hybrids to mull for Louisiana in 2017 DUSTIN HARRELL

LOUISIANA Extension Rice Specialist dharrell@agcenter.lsu.edu Careful consideration should be given to variety selection each year to increase the probability of a successful rice crop. Variety characteristics, such as yield potential, lodging potential, vigor and the disease package should be primary considerations.

You should also consider other environmental factors that may affect what variety or hybrid would be the best fit. This may include: What crop or rice variety will be next to this field? Do I need the Clearfield herbicide resistance trait? Is this a historically low-yielding field or will I be planting late?

Agronomic information and past variety trial performance on soils and locations near you can provide what is needed to select the best cultivar for your situation. This information is compiled each year into the “Rice Varieties and Management Tips” publication. The 2017 publication is available online (http://bit.ly/ 2gUYgVi) and can also be picked up at your local LSU AgCenter Parish Extension Office.

Available Clearfield long-grains for 2017 include CL111, CL151, CL153, CL163 and CL172. CL111 was the most widely grown rice variety in Louisiana in 2016.

CL111 is moderately susceptible to blast and very susceptible to sheath blight, and it has superior grain quality compared with CL151. Of the five varieties, CL151 has historically shown the highest yield potential; however, the new CL153 is right there with CL151, and it has stronger blast and lodging resistance to go with improved grain quality.

CL172 is a new semi-dwarf long-grain out of the Arkansas breeding program. It has shown good yield potential, has moderate resistance to blast and is susceptible to sheath blight. CL163 is a good-yielding variety, contains high amylose and has good grain quality, although it is very susceptible to blast.

Five conventional long-grains you may want to consider for statewide production include Catahoula, Cheniere, Cocodrie, Mermentau and Roy J. The first four all have semi-dwarf plant types and are fairly similar in maturity. These four varieties typically average between 35-38 inches tall at maturity and will range from 120-125 days from emergence to harvest maturity with a March to mid-April planting date.

Roy J is a conventional-height variety released from Arkansas. It averages about 4-5 inches taller than the semi-dwarfs and is four to five days later in maturity.

All have good yield potential and milling quality. In addition, they all have shown good potential to produce a ratoon or second crop.

Two conventional and one Clearfield medium-grain variety will be available in 2017. Caffey and Jupiter are both short-stature lines averaging 34-38 inches tall at maturity. Both varieties Twitter: @RiceFarming

have excellent yield potential and good milling quality. A ratoon crop is possible with these varieties but typically is not as consistent as that observed from most of our long-grains.

Caffey is rated resistant to blast, while Jupiter is rated susceptible. Both are rated moderately susceptible to sheath blight.

CL272 is the only Clearfield medium-grain available. This variety has good first and ratoon crop yield potential, is moderately susceptible to blast and susceptible to sheath blight.

Some hybrid rice lines have been re-inserted into our variety trials at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station and across the state for the past four years. The two Clearfield hybrid longgrains, CLXL745 and CLXL729, and the conventional hybrids XP753 and XP760 have all shown good yield and ratoon potential in the variety testing program. CLXL745 and CLXL729 are resistant to blast. CLXL729 is rated as moderately susceptible to sheath blight, while CLXL745 is rated as moderately resistant. XL753 and XP760 are both rated as resistant to blast and moderately resistant to sheath blight. More detailed information on these and other RiceTec hybrids can be found on its website (http://www.ricetec.com/).

M-209 looks promising; use certified seed DR. BRUCE LINQUIST CALIFORNIA UCCE Rice Specialist balinquist@ucdavis.edu

In California, most farmers grow medium-grain varieties. The commercially available medium Calrose rice varieties have been selected to meet the high quality and yield standards for California.

Varietal selection is one of the first and most important decisions a rice grower needs to make each year. First consider the maturity class that fits your farming operations and climatic zone.

There are three maturity classes: Very early (e.g. M-104, M-105); early (e.g. M-202, M-205, M-206, M-208, M-209); and late (e.g. M-401, M-402 – both premium medium grains). Very early varieties as well as M-206 are commonly grown in cooler areas and used for late plantings. Those areas are south of Highway 20 and include the Sacramento Delta region­—the coolest area where rice is grown.

Late-maturing varieties fit early planting schedules and are best for warmer areas. Early varieties—especially M-206—are grown on the largest amount of acreage. The principle Calrose-type medium-grain varieties are M-205, M-206 and M-105.

Averaging yields over six years from our variety testing program, M-209 yielded 3.5 cwt/ac more than M-205 and 2.2 cwt/ ac more than M-206. On average, M-209 and M-205 head five to six days later than M-206.

M-206 is the most versatile and can be grown statewide while RICE FARMING • JANUARY 2017

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Specialists Speaking M-205 and M-209 are not recommended for the cooler regions.

Commercial seed production of M-209 was initiated in 2015, thus seed availability for 2016 planting was limited. However, seed should be more widely available for 2017.

Also important in 2016, there was a large increase in the number of fields reporting weedy rice infestations. As farmers consider their variety options for 2017, we cannot overstate the importance of using certified seed as one of the best ways to prevent the spread of weedy rice.

Variety selection, placement critical for high yields DR. BOBBY GOLDEN MISSISSIPPI Extension Rice Specialist bgolden@drec.msstate.edu

The 2016 production season is over, and the end could not come too soon for many in the rice industry. It was a year of challenges—one often overlooked but vitally important is that of variety selection and placement.

There are numerous excellent varieties available for Mississippi producers for both the Clearfield and conventional management systems. Luckily, each rice-producing state conducts variety trials at multiple locations and on different soil textures to aid producers.

Study strengths before picking varieties or hybrids SAM ATWELL

MISSOURI Agronomy Specialist atwells@missouri.edu After one of the most diverse seasons in many years, most growers have turned to 2017 and how they can make a profit. Perhaps by decreasing inputs, choosing a new high-yielding variety or changing their basic operation?

What new stuff should I consider fitting into my operation or should I leave everything alone?

According to variety trials at the University of Missouri Portageville, the Missouri Rice Research and Marketing Council’s Research Farm and from other universities, we have choices. Thanks to our farmers, industry and universities, there are several new varieties for 2017.

Hybrids generally yield more and have a better disease pack-

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Mississippi’s 2016 on-farm variety trials evaluated 34 entries at seven locations across the Mississippi Delta rice-growing area.

Data collected from these trials is available at the Mississippi Crop Situation blog (http://www.Mississippi-crops.com) and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station variety trial website (http://mafes.msstate.edu/variety-trials/).

The document contains all small-plot variety testing data from 2016 as well as disease reaction ratings and nitrogen (N) fertilization suggestions for varieties in the trials.

Considering yields averaged across all testing locations, most cultivars evaluated performed well in 2016. Notable standouts among conventional inbred varieties were Diamond (229 bu/ac) and Thad (220 bu/ac) compared to our control variety, Rex, (213 bu/ac). Diamond and Thad are two new university long-grain releases from Arkansas and Mississippi, respectively. The newer rice hybrids XL753, XL760 and Gemini 214CL produced similar yields that were all at least 28 bu/ac greater than CLXL745, the long-standing hybrid favorite in Mississippi.

If red rice is an issue and a Clearfield variety is needed, CL151 (182 bu/ac) is hard to beat. In 2016, two newer inbred Clearfield offerings produced greater yields than CL151. CL163 and the new CL153 (limited supply in 2016) performed well in plots with average yield across all locations of 196 bu/ac.

A word of caution on CL163: In 2016 in Mississippi, this variety was extremely sensitive to sheath blight, and environmental conditions experienced in July exacerbated the disease. Among Clearfield hybrids, Gemini 214CL produced the greatest yield (273 bu/ac) followed closely by CLXL766 (266 bu/ac).

Keep in mind that the incidence of ALS-resistant barnyardgrass and rice flatsedge have increased in Mississippi, and stewardship

age than non-hybrids. Some perform better than others under different situations, so study their strengths for your operation.

New: CLXP766 or RT7311 CL in 2017 is a Clearfield hybrid version of XL 753.

New: Gemini CL 214 is a long-grain Clearfield hybrid with improved grain retention and bacterial panicle blight resistance.

New: CL 153 is a pure-line variety that offers blast resistance and improved grain quality over CL 151.

New: CL 172 semi-dwarf has blast resistance, better quality, yields than CL 111.

New: Diamond has excellent yield potential but is susceptible to blast and bacterial panicle blight, so it will probably require fungicide treatments.

And we still have all the old varieties, LaKast, Roy J and Taggart, that have performed well and will be available in 2017.

Diseases and insects reduce yield and quality and increase production costs, which lower profit. Integrated pest management and consultants are great investments, and we should never let our guard down. High-yielding hybrid and conventional varieties need to be scouted closely for early insect and disease detection, then foliar applications can be made in a preventive manner. Hybrid varieties typically have a better disease package but don’t ignore them.

RICEFARMING.COM

Specialists Speaking is of utmost importance to keep this technology viable.

A wealth of data is generated each year on varietal performance across the Mid-South by universities and industry, but do not overlook perhaps the most important data in selecting a variety­—past performance on your farm.

Looking back at 2016 and looking ahead to 2017 DR. M.O. “MO” WAY TEXAS Rice Research Entomologist moway@aesrg.tamu.edu

According to the Texas Rice Crop Survey (https://beaumont.tamu.edu/CropSurvey/ CropSurveyReport.aspx), about 190,000 acres of rice were grown in Texas in 2016. In the last issue of Rice Farming, I reported only 165,000 acres, so I stand corrected.

Based on approximately 15,000 reported acres, average main crop dry yields in Texas in 2016 were close to 8,000 lbs/acre or 80 cwt/ac. Again, these are still very preliminary figures. I will continue to update these results as new information becomes available.

Planting season is drawing close, and I know farmers are deciding what varieties to plant. I encourage Texas rice farmers to contact Brenda Setliff (409-752-5221 or b-setliff@yahoo.com) with the Texas Rice Improvement Association (TRIA).

The following varieties are available as foundation seed for purchase: Sierra, Presidio, Antonio, Tesanai, Jasmine 85, Carolina Gold and Charleston Gold. Antonio sells for $90/cwt; all others sell for $75/cwt.

I know many Texas rice farmers are concerned about the rice planthopper, which did a lot of damage to our ratoon crop in 2015. We diligently monitored for this introduced pest in 2016.

Good news—we did not find a single specimen of this planthopper in 2016. I have no idea why it disappeared in 2016, given its abundance and widespread occurrence in 2015. We will continue to be on the lookout for it. I am making some preliminary plans to travel to Latin America to learn more about this potential pest.

Speaking of Latin America, I traveled to Cuba Nov. 1-4 to attend a global trade show. USA Rice sponsored this trip, so I thank them for this opportunity. USA Rice also had a booth at the trade show where 80 countries showed off their wares in hopes of generating trade with the island nation.

I want to thank Ernesto Baron and Ana Vettorazzi with FTA International for hosting me. I actually tagged along after them because they were in charge of the booth and meetings.

We met with ALIMPORT, the Cuban agency that deals with importing food. Ernesto and Ana also met with other Cuban officials involved in agricultural trade. Ernesto was pleased with the outcome of these meetings. In addition, we met with two Cuban rice scientists and exchanged information on agronomic and pest management practices.

Twitter: @RiceFarming

In some small way, I hope this exchange leads to further cooperation and trade between our nations.

Best options are limited DR. JARROD HARDKE

ARKANSAS Asst. Professor/Rice Extension Agronomist University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service jhardke@uaex.edu Economic conditions for rice don’t look any better going into 2017 than they did entering 2016. After the sub-par performance this past season, many growers are searching for answers about how to best minimize widely variable yield results from year to year.

One simple option is to plant more hybrid acres because they are by nature more stable and better at handling stresses. However, there will not be enough seed available to meet the demand.

For those able to secure seed, RT XL753 and RT CLXL745 will likely be the most available and well known.

A few newer hybrids with limited seed also will be in the mix, including RT XL760, RT 7311 CL and RT Gemini 214 CL. Although only in university testing for one year, these new hybrids appear to have tremendous grain yield potential and similar milling yields to current hybrids.

The second option is to move toward more medium grain, particularly Jupiter, which has performed with an added degree of dependability. Seed may be there but market demand still has not returned for it. Care should be taken and a marketplace confirmed before moving heavily into medium grain acres.

So we’re left with the question, “What’s my third option?”

Still somewhat limited I’m afraid. Diamond is a new long-grain variety from the University of Arkansas breeding program that has shown tremendous potential. But it will be very limited in its first year of commercial availability.

The same can be said for the medium-grain Titan from the University of Arkansas. But it has yet to receive the broad market approval needed to safely plant a new medium-grain. Also limited are two new Clearfield varieties—CL153 and CL172.

Compared to current Clearfield variety offerings, these two produce similar or better grain yields, are less susceptible to blast, have improved standability and have better grain quality.

Beyond these newer cultivars, there should be good availability of CL151, LaKast, and Roy J. A small amount of Taggart should be available as well. Despite difficulties that affected all cultivars in 2016, these still remain highly productive and should be in the mix for 2017.

As always, spread risk among cultivars and try to spread out planting dates. To view results for selected cultivars in the Arkansas Rice Performance Trials from 2014-2016, visit http://bit. ly/2h0PF8v. Note that some cultivars have only been tested for two years and this affects their three-year average.

RICE FARMING • JANUARY 2017

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Industry News

Mississippi State University and the Mississippi Farm Bureau have partnered to create the Thad Cochran Agricultural Leadership Program developed by the MSU Extension Service.

The program is open to Mississippi’s young agricultural professionals—including farmers, ranchers, and agribusiness owners and operators—as well as extended ag industry specialists, such as foresters and conservationists. It is designed to develop the group’s leadership skills, enhance their understanding of policy-making, and increase their communication and collaborative abilities.

Extension will deliver the educational activities and content for nine intensive seminars over the two-year course. Mississippi Farm Bureau is sponsoring the program.

In the works for the past three years, the program is similar to others around the country. The educational seminars target agricultural professionals who represent the full range of the industry and have five or six years of experience in agriculture.

Typical candidates are between 37 and 45 years old.

A new website, including application materials, will launch soon, and participants will be selected and notified by Sept. 1.

COURTESY LSU AGCENTER

Horizon Ag, Israeli firm partner on high-yielding varieties

LSU AgCenter rice breeder Adam Famoso

LSU tabs AgCenter rice breeder Famoso as endowed professor Rice breeder Adam Famoso has been selected as the Louisiana State University AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey endowed professor of biological and agricultural engineering.

Famoso started working at the Crowley Rice Research Station in May 2015, having previously directed the international rice breeding program for Dupont Pioneer

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Memphis, Tenn.-based Horizon Ag has announced a partnership with the Israeli firm, Kaiima Bio-Agritech Ltd., to develop high-performing rice varieties. The two began the multi-year project, which involves using Kaiima’s proprietary EP technology platform, in 2015.

EP technology, short for enhanced ploidy technology, is a way to speed the multiplication of genomes in crops without changing their DNA or genetic fingerprint. As a result, the crops are not considered GMOs or genetically modified organisms.

Think of the sets of chromosomes as a piece of string. By adding more of the same material, it becomes a rope, which is stronger and more durable.

The same can be said about plants developed using the EP technology. They have greater genetic diversity, improved tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress, can be developed more efficiently and have improved seed production, according to a news release. Crops developed using the technology also yield up to 10 percent more.

Horizon Ag and Kaiima recently completed the development phase and plan to enter new EP rice varieties in first-year yield trials in 2017 in select locations across

the U.S. rice belt. The companies are considering possibly adding additional germplasm conversion projects in the future.

UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

seed company. He earned his doctorate in plant breeding and genetics from Cornell University.

Famoso has established a lab at the station with an automated, high-volume DNA analysis system to assist in selecting rice breeding lines for developing potential varieties.

Steve Linscombe, station director, nominated Famoso for the professorship in a letter to Bill Richardson, LSU vice president for agriculture.

“He has all of the traits of a successful research scientist, such as intelligence, ingenuity, perseverance, excellent work ethics, dedication and resourcefulness,” Linscombe writes. “Adam also has excellent people skills that have facilitated collaborative research work with fellow AgCenter scientists, as well as research counterparts at research centers in other states.”

MSU, Farm Bureau team on new young leadership program

Jonathan Cottone, a University of Delaware student, is working with rice plants and studying ways to help them resist arsenic while also increasing their nutritional value.

Researchers look at soil probiotics for rice A University of Delaware research team has shown for the first time that a combination of beneficial soil microbes can be applied to infected rice plants to boost their natural defenses, combating both blast and arsenic update.

The findings, published in Frontiers in Plant Science, provide new evidence about the potential benefit of “biostacking” — putting multiple microbes together to protect plants from stress, according to a news release.

Previously, the UD team identified two bacteria species found naturally in the soil around plant roots that come to the rescue of rice plants under attack.

Pseudomonas chlororaphis EA105 can trigger a system-wide defense against the rice blast fungus by inhibiting formation of the microbe’s attack machinery, the appressoria.

The second microbe, EA106, mobilizes an iron plaque, or shield, to begin accumulating on the roots of rice plants when arsenic is present, effectively blocking uptake of the element.

In laboratory studies with hydroponically grown rice plants, the UD team treated plants with arsenic, then treated them with EA105 and EA106.

Seven days later, they infected the same plants with blast. The resulting data showed the microbial cocktail could bolster plant defenses against both arsenic and rice blast.

A seed treatment would be the most practical way to apply the microbes.

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