Rice Farming

After only one season out in the field, Francis, the new variety from the University of Arkansas’ breeding program, appears to be living up to its reputation of high yield potential.

But at least one Mississippi seed producer has concerns about its height and lodging potential and says that sentiment also may be shared by some of his customers.

Nevertheless, Wayne Dulaney, who harvested about 8 acres of lodged Francis, believes the variety still has a place because of its yield potential.

“I only cut 165 bushels (per acre), but you’re looking at taking three bags of seed and turning it into 950 bags. That’s still a pretty good return,” says Dulaney of Dulaney Seed in Clarksdale, Miss.

UA’s rice breeding program released Francis in 2002 for registered seed production. This year, enough registered seed to plant as many as 200,000 acres could be available, says UA Extension rice specialist Chuck Wilson.

Francis is a very short season long-grain variety with the days to 50 percent heading comparable to Cocodrie’s 86 days.

In UA performance trials conducted from 2000-02, Francis yielded an average of 193 bushels per acre compared to 191 for Wells and 175 for Cocodrie.

Arkansas seed producers who responded to a 2002 survey reported average Francis yields of 175 bushels per acre dry across 1,800 acres. The average seeding rate was 32 pounds per acre, although it ranged from 18 to 90 pounds per acre.

Francis requires management practices similar to those of Wells or LaGrue with a few exceptions, Wilson says. In trials conducted by UA plant pathologists Rick Cartwright and Fleet Lee, Francis is rated as very susceptible to kernel smut.

Because of that, Wilson recommends watching water levels carefully and applying a fungicide such as Tilt in fields with a kernel smut history if the disease appears.

The newcomer is susceptible to blast, as is LaGrue. Francis is moderately susceptible to sheath blight, but no more so than LaGrue or Wells.

Lives up to billing
Randy Woodard of Cache River Valley Seed Co. in Cash, Ark., planted 140 acres of Francis this year for registered seed production.

Based on a planting rate of 19 pounds of seed per acre, Woodard says he is extremely pleased with his average yield of 180 bushels per acre.

“This is one variety, in my opinion, that’s everything they said it was,” Woodard says.

But he’s quick to point out that as a seed producer, he may baby his rice more than a conventional producer with four-way seed treatments and additional fungicide and insecticide applications. Even with a height of 39 to 40 inches, Francis stood up well and didn’t lodge.

Another fan
Carl Phipps, co-owner of Cullum Seed in Fisher, Ark., also had high praise for the new variety. “It’s done super up here,” he says.

Yields from individual Francis fields ranged from 175 to 220 bushels per acre dry.

Although Phipps says he hasn’t had any milling tests conducted on it, he would expect Francis to do well.

“I could tell just by looking at ours, and the test weight was extremely high on it,” Phipps says. “When the test weight is high, I can tell you the milling is going to be good on it.”

A word of caution
Francis’ performance was mixed in Mississippi State University variety trials involving plots on seven farms throughout the state’s rice-producing regions.

Francis averaged 182 bushels per acre dry, says Joe Street, an MSU plant physiologist and Extension rice specialist in Stoneville.

The actual yields ranged from 142 to 231 bushels per acre dry. That compares to Wells, which averaged 183 bushels per acre in the trials.

Milling yields for Francis were less than stellar, with an average of 48.2/65.8 (head rice/total rice).

“That is way below everyone else,” Street says of other universities’ trials. “So I don’t know what’s going on, but it didn’t mill well in that test.”

Wells had an average milling yield of 50.7/68.8. And Lemont, a perennially strong miller, had milling yields of 50.9/68, which Street says are low for the variety.

Lodging was a problem for Francis in the trials, with 37 percent of the crop going down.

“Francis was the worst one we had for lodging,” Street says.

The variety is rated as moderately susceptible to lodging by UA.

Still, Street says he believes the variety has a place in Mississippi because of its high yield potential. “Fertility management may need to be altered to reduce lodging,” he says.

Dulaney, who estimates he probably lost about 15 bushels per acre on the ground, blames back-to-back hurricanes and a delayed harvest for some of his problems.

In fields of other varieties Dulaney cut before the storms, Wells yielded an average of 205 bushels per acre dry and Cocodrie, 191 bushels per acre.

Dulaney admits part of the Francis lodging also might have been caused by over-fertilizing since he was trying to get maximum production and yields from the meager seed supply he started with. He applied more than 200 pounds per acre nitrogen.

Although Dulaney says area producers have expressed strong interest in Francis, they also are concerned about planting large acreages of varieties that could lodge.

He says Francis could replace Priscilla as the second-most planted variety in the state, but will probably not dethrone Cocodrie as the most widely planted variety. As a semi-dwarf variety, Cocodrie is rated as resistant to lodging.

Contact Vicky Boyd at (209) 571-0414 or vlboyd@att.net.

New kid on the block With high yields, Francis variety could give Wells, Cocodrie a run for their money
By Vicky Boyd Editor
After only one season out in the field, Francis, the new variety from the University of Arkansas’ breeding program, appears to be living up to its reputation of high yield potential. But at least one Mississippi seed producer has concerns about its height and lodging potential and says that sentiment also may be shared by some of his customers. Nevertheless, Wayne Dulaney, who harvested about 8 acres of lodged Francis, believes the variety still has a place because of its yield potential. “I only cut 165 bushels (per acre), but you’re looking at taking three bags of seed and turning it into 950 bags. That’s still a pretty good return,” says Dulaney of Dulaney Seed in Clarksdale, Miss. UA’s rice breeding program released Francis in 2002 for registered seed production. This year, enough registered seed to plant as many as 200,000 acres could be available, says UA Extension rice specialist Chuck Wilson. Francis is a very short season long-grain variety with the days to 50 percent heading comparable to Cocodrie’s 86 days. In UA performance trials conducted from 2000-02, Francis yielded an average of 193 bushels per acre compared to 191 for Wells and 175 for Cocodrie. Arkansas seed producers who responded to a 2002 survey reported average Francis yields of 175 bushels per acre dry across 1,800 acres. The average seeding rate was 32 pounds per acre, although it ranged from 18 to 90 pounds per acre. Francis requires management practices similar to those of Wells or LaGrue with a few exceptions, Wilson says. In trials conducted by UA plant pathologists Rick Cartwright and Fleet Lee, Francis is rated as very susceptible to kernel smut. Because of that, Wilson recommends watching water levels carefully and applying a fungicide such as Tilt in fields with a kernel smut history if the disease appears. The newcomer is susceptible to blast, as is LaGrue. Francis is moderately susceptible to sheath blight, but no more so than LaGrue or Wells. Lives up to billing Randy Woodard of Cache River Valley Seed Co. in Cash, Ark., planted 140 acres of Francis this year for registered seed production. Based on a planting rate of 19 pounds of seed per acre, Woodard says he is extremely pleased with his average yield of 180 bushels per acre. “This is one variety, in my opinion, that’s everything they said it was,” Woodard says. But he’s quick to point out that as a seed producer, he may baby his rice more than a conventional producer with four-way seed treatments and additional fungicide and insecticide applications. Even with a height of 39 to 40 inches, Francis stood up well and didn’t lodge. Another fan Carl Phipps, co-owner of Cullum Seed in Fisher, Ark., also had high praise for the new variety. “It’s done super up here,” he says. Yields from individual Francis fields ranged from 175 to 220 bushels per acre dry. Although Phipps says he hasn’t had any milling tests conducted on it, he would expect Francis to do well. “I could tell just by looking at ours, and the test weight was extremely high on it,” Phipps says. “When the test weight is high, I can tell you the milling is going to be good on it.” A word of caution Francis’ performance was mixed in Mississippi State University variety trials involving plots on seven farms throughout the state’s rice-producing regions. Francis averaged 182 bushels per acre dry, says Joe Street, an MSU plant physiologist and Extension rice specialist in Stoneville. The actual yields ranged from 142 to 231 bushels per acre dry. That compares to Wells, which averaged 183 bushels per acre in the trials. Milling yields for Francis were less than stellar, with an average of 48.2/65.8 (head rice/total rice). “That is way below everyone else,” Street says of other universities’ trials. “So I don’t know what’s going on, but it didn’t mill well in that test.” Wells had an average milling yield of 50.7/68.8. And Lemont, a perennially strong miller, had milling yields of 50.9/68, which Street says are low for the variety. Lodging was a problem for Francis in the trials, with 37 percent of the crop going down. “Francis was the worst one we had for lodging,” Street says. The variety is rated as moderately susceptible to lodging by UA. Still, Street says he believes the variety has a place in Mississippi because of its high yield potential. “Fertility management may need to be altered to reduce lodging,” he says. Dulaney, who estimates he probably lost about 15 bushels per acre on the ground, blames back-to-back hurricanes and a delayed harvest for some of his problems. In fields of other varieties Dulaney cut before the storms, Wells yielded an average of 205 bushels per acre dry and Cocodrie, 191 bushels per acre. Dulaney admits part of the Francis lodging also might have been caused by over-fertilizing since he was trying to get maximum production and yields from the meager seed supply he started with. He applied more than 200 pounds per acre nitrogen. Although Dulaney says area producers have expressed strong interest in Francis, they also are concerned about planting large acreages of varieties that could lodge. He says Francis could replace Priscilla as the second-most planted variety in the state, but will probably not dethrone Cocodrie as the most widely planted variety. As a semi-dwarf variety, Cocodrie is rated as resistant to lodging. Contact Vicky Boyd at (209) 571-0414 or vlboyd@att.net.
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