Rice Farming

In a move that caught many growers by surprise, RiceTec discontinued two of its popular rice hybrids, including XL8. The company is releasing what it calls “new and improved” hybrids, but quantities will be limited, which could leave some growers scrambling for acceptable replacements.

According to state acreage-by-variety surveys, less than 5 percent of each state’s current rice acreage is planted to hybrid rice. In Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas together, approximately 73,000 acres of hybrid rice were planted in 2004. Based on seed supplies expected to be available this year, that figure is not likely to increase substantially.

“There obviously will not be enough supply to meet market demand,” says Jim Thompson, RiceTec’s director of marketing in Jonesboro, Ark. “If we weren’t sure these hybrids were better, we wouldn’t be bringing them to market.”

In the past, Thompson says, the universities developed rice varieties, and growers had more of an opportunity to know about the availability and performance of new varieties. In a propriety situation, however, companies move more quickly to eliminate old products and introduce new ones.

“The customer base, in general, has not been hesitant at all to switch from XL8 to the newer products, because the new products are better yielding and, in the case of XP723, better milling,” he says.

Demand exceeds supply
However, the demand for rice hybrids is greater than the supply, Thompson says. “The vast majority of our supply for this year is going to the customers who have been purchasing hybrid seed in past years. There is increased demand from our current customer base and from those growers interested in becoming customers.”

The supply situation in 2006 also is a bit of a question mark with hybrid rice seed production, Thompson says.

“I would anticipate we may not be able to completely fulfill demand in 2006, but that remains to be seen. However, we are making every effort to increase the supply of hybrids for the future and to bring higher quality hybrids to market. We do have five additional new advanced experimental hybrids that we are testing in farmer fields in our product evaluation program in 2005.”

Jeff Mosley, technical service representative for RiceTec in Cleveland, Miss., emphasizes that XL7 and XL8 hybrids were discontinued to bring newer, improved hybrids to market.

RiceTec’s XP723, says Mosley, is an advanced experimental line released for commercial grain production for the 2005 growing season. However, there is a very limited quantity of seed. A new Clearfield line also was released this year—Clearfield XP730 —but its quantity also is limited. In addition, a medium grain—XP716—was released for this year.

Other options
For those growers who planted XL8 or XL7 in 2004, their options for 2005 are two-fold, Mosley says. The new release XP723 and the 2004 release XP710—two non-Clearfield long grain hybrids—are available for commercial grain production, he says.

“There is such a demand for Clearfield XL8, because of the excellent results Clearfield systems have provided growers,” Moseley says. “That has increased the demand for a product like Clearfield XL8, because growers don’t have to sacrifice any yield potential to gain adequate red rice control.”

The RiceTec lineup for 2005 includes six hybrids—two Clearfield (Clearfield XL8 and Clearfield XP730), two standard long grains (XP710 and XP723) and two medium grains (XP712 and XP716). In almost all cases, very limited quantities of the hybrids will be available in 2005.

Clearfield XL8 is an early-season, long-grain hybrid tolerant to Newpath herbicide. Clearfield XP730 is a new advanced experimental hybrid being marketed on a trial basis in 2005. It has Newpath herbicide tolerance, disease tolerance and grain yield comparable to Clearfield XL8, while offering significantly improved whole milling, the company says.

A standard long grain, XP710 is a high-yielding, early maturing hybrid. It offers high yields, disease tolerance, standability and milling yield. Another standard long grain, XP723, yields comparably to XP710 with superior milling yield. Milling yields for XP723 are similar to those of Wells and Cocodrie.

XP712 was the first medium-grain hybrid in the U.S. market, and university trials show the hybrid’s yields to be equal to or better than Bengal. The hybrid has an excellent disease tolerance package, including tolerance to panicle blight. The company’s newest medium-grain hybrid is XP716. Maturity is slightly earlier than Bengal, while grain yields are reportedly higher than Bengal and comparable to XP712.

Those growers who have used crop rotation to maintain fields free of red rice and who want to plant a hybrid but are not willing to pay the licensing fee required for Clearfield varieties may want to plant a conventional variety or hybrid, says Mississippi State University Agronomist Tim Walker of the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, Miss.

“If I did not have a red rice problem, I would not grow a Clearfield variety or hybrid at this point,” Walker says. “They are not the most economical material to plant in a non-red rice situation. Our economic analysis over the last two years shows that Cheniere is the most economical variety to grow in a non-red rice situation.”

According to Walker, Clearfield XL8 topped Mississippi’s state yield trials in 2004 and milled a 61/72; XP723 was next, yielding 219 bushels and milling 67/74. Coming in third was XP710, which yielded 215 bushels per acre and milled 61/71. Cheniere was next, topping conventional varieties with an average yield of 212 bushels per acre and a milling grade of 66/73.

“Based on yield and milling, Cheniere had more head rice than the XP710, but XP723 had more head rice than any of the hybrids or varieties in the state trials,” Walker says, adding that there’s no statistical difference between the yields of Cheniere and XP723.

Rice producer Harry Howarth of Cleveland, Miss., says the new hybrids all look good, but he doesn’t have enough experience to compare the newest hybrids to what was already available.

“XL8 has been a good one, but I feel sure what they are bringing out will be better,” he says. “In 2004, the XP710 and XL723 both looked really good in the field. But we had them only in one-fourth mile strips last year.”

In 2005, Howarth is planting the RiceTec varieties XL723 and Clearfield XL8 on a total of about one-third of his rice acreage. He also is planting Clearfield 161, Clearfield 131, Cocodrie and Cheniere on his farm this year, along with a small amount of the experimental line Clearfield XP730.

For questions or comments, contact Rice Farming editor Vicky Boyd at (209) 571-0414 or vlboyd@att.net.

New and improved RiceTec changes hybrid offerings for 2005 restrictions
By Doreen Muzzi
In a move that caught many growers by surprise, RiceTec discontinued two of its popular rice hybrids, including XL8. The company is releasing what it calls “new and improved” hybrids, but quantities will be limited, which could leave some growers scrambling for acceptable replacements. According to state acreage-by-variety surveys, less than 5 percent of each state’s current rice acreage is planted to hybrid rice. In Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas together, approximately 73,000 acres of hybrid rice were planted in 2004. Based on seed supplies expected to be available this year, that figure is not likely to increase substantially. “There obviously will not be enough supply to meet market demand,” says Jim Thompson, RiceTec’s director of marketing in Jonesboro, Ark. “If we weren’t sure these hybrids were better, we wouldn’t be bringing them to market.” In the past, Thompson says, the universities developed rice varieties, and growers had more of an opportunity to know about the availability and performance of new varieties. In a propriety situation, however, companies move more quickly to eliminate old products and introduce new ones. “The customer base, in general, has not been hesitant at all to switch from XL8 to the newer products, because the new products are better yielding and, in the case of XP723, better milling,” he says. Demand exceeds supply However, the demand for rice hybrids is greater than the supply, Thompson says. “The vast majority of our supply for this year is going to the customers who have been purchasing hybrid seed in past years. There is increased demand from our current customer base and from those growers interested in becoming customers.” The supply situation in 2006 also is a bit of a question mark with hybrid rice seed production, Thompson says. “I would anticipate we may not be able to completely fulfill demand in 2006, but that remains to be seen. However, we are making every effort to increase the supply of hybrids for the future and to bring higher quality hybrids to market. We do have five additional new advanced experimental hybrids that we are testing in farmer fields in our product evaluation program in 2005.” Jeff Mosley, technical service representative for RiceTec in Cleveland, Miss., emphasizes that XL7 and XL8 hybrids were discontinued to bring newer, improved hybrids to market. RiceTec’s XP723, says Mosley, is an advanced experimental line released for commercial grain production for the 2005 growing season. However, there is a very limited quantity of seed. A new Clearfield line also was released this year—Clearfield XP730 —but its quantity also is limited. In addition, a medium grain—XP716—was released for this year. Other options For those growers who planted XL8 or XL7 in 2004, their options for 2005 are two-fold, Mosley says. The new release XP723 and the 2004 release XP710—two non-Clearfield long grain hybrids—are available for commercial grain production, he says. “There is such a demand for Clearfield XL8, because of the excellent results Clearfield systems have provided growers,” Moseley says. “That has increased the demand for a product like Clearfield XL8, because growers don’t have to sacrifice any yield potential to gain adequate red rice control.” The RiceTec lineup for 2005 includes six hybrids—two Clearfield (Clearfield XL8 and Clearfield XP730), two standard long grains (XP710 and XP723) and two medium grains (XP712 and XP716). In almost all cases, very limited quantities of the hybrids will be available in 2005. Clearfield XL8 is an early-season, long-grain hybrid tolerant to Newpath herbicide. Clearfield XP730 is a new advanced experimental hybrid being marketed on a trial basis in 2005. It has Newpath herbicide tolerance, disease tolerance and grain yield comparable to Clearfield XL8, while offering significantly improved whole milling, the company says. A standard long grain, XP710 is a high-yielding, early maturing hybrid. It offers high yields, disease tolerance, standability and milling yield. Another standard long grain, XP723, yields comparably to XP710 with superior milling yield. Milling yields for XP723 are similar to those of Wells and Cocodrie. XP712 was the first medium-grain hybrid in the U.S. market, and university trials show the hybrid’s yields to be equal to or better than Bengal. The hybrid has an excellent disease tolerance package, including tolerance to panicle blight. The company’s newest medium-grain hybrid is XP716. Maturity is slightly earlier than Bengal, while grain yields are reportedly higher than Bengal and comparable to XP712. Those growers who have used crop rotation to maintain fields free of red rice and who want to plant a hybrid but are not willing to pay the licensing fee required for Clearfield varieties may want to plant a conventional variety or hybrid, says Mississippi State University Agronomist Tim Walker of the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, Miss. “If I did not have a red rice problem, I would not grow a Clearfield variety or hybrid at this point,” Walker says. “They are not the most economical material to plant in a non-red rice situation. Our economic analysis over the last two years shows that Cheniere is the most economical variety to grow in a non-red rice situation.” According to Walker, Clearfield XL8 topped Mississippi’s state yield trials in 2004 and milled a 61/72; XP723 was next, yielding 219 bushels and milling 67/74. Coming in third was XP710, which yielded 215 bushels per acre and milled 61/71. Cheniere was next, topping conventional varieties with an average yield of 212 bushels per acre and a milling grade of 66/73. “Based on yield and milling, Cheniere had more head rice than the XP710, but XP723 had more head rice than any of the hybrids or varieties in the state trials,” Walker says, adding that there’s no statistical difference between the yields of Cheniere and XP723. Rice producer Harry Howarth of Cleveland, Miss., says the new hybrids all look good, but he doesn’t have enough experience to compare the newest hybrids to what was already available. “XL8 has been a good one, but I feel sure what they are bringing out will be better,” he says. “In 2004, the XP710 and XL723 both looked really good in the field. But we had them only in one-fourth mile strips last year.” In 2005, Howarth is planting the RiceTec varieties XL723 and Clearfield XL8 on a total of about one-third of his rice acreage. He also is planting Clearfield 161, Clearfield 131, Cocodrie and Cheniere on his farm this year, along with a small amount of the experimental line Clearfield XP730. For questions or comments, contact Rice Farming editor Vicky Boyd at (209) 571-0414 or vlboyd@att.net.
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