TEXAS Dr. M.O. “Mo” Way Rice Research Entomologist moway@aesrg.tamu.edu It was an ugly year Rice was planted on about 165,000 acres in 2016 compared to about 130,000 in 2015, according to the Texas Rice Crop Survey. This increase was due to release of water to farmers along the Colorado and Brazos Rivers following a wet winter, which helped fill upstream ... Read More »
Aim for efficiency Dr. Jarrod Hardke Arkansas Rice Research Entomologist, University of Arkansas, Cooperative Extension Service jhardke@uaex.edu Repeat after me — when I look to cut costs this year, I will not cut my fertility program. Again, I will not … you get the idea. The first nutrient the plant starts to run out of is the one that is ... Read More »
Select Hybrids, Varieties for Profitability Dr. Jarrod Hardke Arkansas Rice Research Entomologist, University of Arkansas, Cooperative Extension Service jhardke@uaex.edu Given current economic conditions, each decision has a major impact on having a positive return for the season, and it all starts with rice cultivar selection. While minimizing risk, we also need to maximize our profit potential. Plant several different cultivars ... Read More »
Dr. Jarrod T. Hardke Arkansas Rice Extension Agronomist University of Arkansas, Cooperative Extension Service jradke@uaex.edu If I had told growers in January that they should plant their rice in May to achieve the best yields and that mid-April would be terrible, I’d have been laughed out of every room. But I would’ve been right. Against long-term trends that say “the ... Read More »
Dr. Jarrod Hardke Arkansas Rice Research Entomologist, University of Arkansas, Cooperative Extension Service jhardke@uaex.edu Later planting increases disease risk A wet spring leading to delayed planting results in plenty of issues in rice. Beyond the concerns of potential yield reductions and a late harvest, later planting typically increases the chances of running into increased disease problems. Late planting increases the ... Read More »
Dr. M.O. “MO” Way Texas Rice Research Entomologist moway@aesrg.tamu.edu Control 6-legged pests When I discuss topics other than insects, I get a little nervous, but, finally, this month, I get to talk about six-legged critters! For starters, let me emphasize the importance of scouting and explicitly following pesticide label instructions. If you do not hire a crop consultant, you must ... Read More »
Dr. M.O. “MO” Way Texas Rice Research Entomologist moway@aesrg.tamu.edu Serious Weed Pests Weeds typically are the most serious and consistent pests of rice production. Failure to control weeds in rice leads to significant and often devastating yield losses. Last year, I observed firsthand the total loss of rice production in organic fields infested with hemp sesbania and rough jointvetch. These ... Read More »
Dr. Bruce Linquist California UCCE Rice Specialist balinquist@ucdavis.edu Application of the four Rs (right rate, right source, right timing and right placement) helps ensure high fertilizer use efficiency. Last year we discussed the four Rs of fertilizer N; this year I will touch on how they apply to phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) management in conventional water-seeded rice systems. The ... Read More »
LOUISIANA Dr. Dustin Harrell Extension Rice Specialist dharrell@agcenter.lsu.edu You could not ask for two consecutive rice production seasons better than we have seen in the past two years in Louisiana! Record yields were achieved in 2013, and 2014 yields were not far behind. The good yields, in part, can be explained by the mild temperatures and generally low disease pressure ... Read More »
Dr. Jarrod T. Hardke Arkansas Rice Extension Agronomist University of Arkansas, Cooperative Extension Service jradke@uaex.edu Strange is the New Normal Arkansas rice farming in 2014 was a lot like a line heard often about playing cards: it wasn’t necessarily a matter of holding good cards, but sometimes, playing a poor hand well. Luck also played a large role. 2014 was ... Read More »
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