Surprise, surprise – it’s raining again. We have received roughly five inches of rain this week (July 13) at the Wintermann Station. Although a few farmers got started with harvest before this latest downpour, this was the week everyone expected harvest to pick up momentum across Texas. Unfortunately, mother nature had other plans, but we should be rolling statewide within the next week.
Combined with the rains from a few weeks ago, a significant portion of the state’s rice crop has been exposed to heavy rainfall during the critical pollination period. There’s little we can do to change that, but we strongly encourage growers to stay vigilant scouting for potential disease pressure in the coming weeks. In our variety trials at the station, we have observed blast and sheath blight in several varieties, with rice kernel smut expected soon as the crop continues to mature.
USDA-NASS Acreage Report
Earlier this year, USDA data indicated that Texas rice acreage would decline from approximately 142,000 acres in 2025 to 125,000 acres in 2026. Here locally, many of us suspected we would be fortunate to reach even 100,000 acres this year. The most recent USDA Acreage Report, released on June 30, confirms that we are indeed fortunate: the new estimate shows approximately 113,000 acres planted in the state, with 108,000 acres expected to be harvested. This represents the lowest rice acreage in Texas since official record-keeping began in 1929. Furthermore, it would not surprise me if the final harvested acreage ends up being even lower by the time the 2026 season concludes.
Nationally, U.S. rice planted area is estimated at 2.017 million acres, representing a sharp 28% decrease from 2025 and one of the lowest levels in recent decades (Figure 1). Similar reductions across major rice producing states reflect broader economic pressures from international competition as we have discussed in previous newsletters. These lower planted acres are expected to tighten domestic supplies moving forward.
All eyes will be on the upcoming FSA crop acreage reports, with the first 2026 data releases expected in August.
Figure 1. 2026 Rice Acreage Reported by USDA-NASS.
Rice Delphacid Update – Extension
Knock on wood, but as of mid-July 2026, statewide rice delphacid pressure remains significantly lower than at this time last year. Populations have so far been identified in Victoria, Wharton, Matagorda, Jefferson, and Liberty Counties. Most of these fields are isolated occurrences, but infestations can occur in surrounding areas at any time. The current “hot spot”, if one can call it that, is along Sandy Creek in Wharton County. Importantly, even in these fields, levels remain low with no signs of the rapid population explosions observed in 2025. We are also not seeing notable incidence of rice hoja blanca virus at this time.
Although things are going relatively smooth right now, we know that rice delphacid populations can increase rapidly under favorable conditions. Continued diligent scouting remains essential to stay ahead of potential outbreaks. A combination of sweep netting and thorough visual inspection of at least five or more points in each field continue to be the most effective approach for now.
I think we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel for the 2026 main crop. We have built a fantastic rice delphacid scouting/monitoring network in Texas consisting of AgriLife Extension and Research personnel, consultants, farmers, and industry representatives. I just want to thank everyone who contributes, y’all are awesome!
Centric Section 18
In other rice delphacid news, and perhaps more importantly, the Section 18 Emergency Use Exemption for Centric (thiamethoxam) has been approved for use in Texas. Based on the limited data we’ve collected so far, growers have been pleased with Centric applications where low numbers of rice delphacid adults and stink bugs are present. If nymph populations are on the rise, make sure to add Courier SC Insect Growth Regulator to the tank. I know it’s pricey, but this combination is the best management option we currently have available (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Percent control of rice delphacid with various insecticides and insect growth regulators at 13 days after treatment (DAT). Note: acephate is not labeled for commercial rice production and was used for comparative purposes only.
Rice Delphacid Update – Research
Dr. Lina Bernaola, Texas A&M AgriLife Rice Entomologist:
The Rice Entomology Program continues to monitor rice delphacid (RD) populations across the Texas Rice Belt throughout the growing season to better understand their seasonal activity and distribution.
Across our research monitoring network, RD populations continue to remain low. All research fields are monitored weekly using a standardized sweep-net sampling protocol (10 permanent sampling points and 100 total sweeps per field). This week, only one or two adults were detected in a limited number of monitored fields, while no adults were found in most monitored locations.
As part of our ongoing research, we are also evaluating additional sampling methods to improve early detection of RD populations. In addition to sweep-net sampling and yellow sticky cards, leaf vacuum sampling is currently being evaluated in two research fields as part of a graduate research project comparing monitoring methods.
This week, the leaf vacuum detected a localized concentration of RD nymphs at one of the ten permanent sampling points in a research field in Wharton County. This represents an increase compared to the previous week at that same sampling point. The remaining sampling points in that field had zero RDs, and no RDs were detected in the second leaf-vacuum evaluation field located at the Texas A&M AgriLife Rice Research and Extension Center at Beaumont, where rice is currently at the soft dough stage. These observations are preliminary and suggest that RD nymphs may occur in localized patches within the lower rice canopy before becoming easily detectable through sweep-net sampling. Additional monitoring throughout the season will help us better understand the strengths and limitations of each sampling method.
As harvest begins in portions of the rice belt and ratoon crops become established, continued field scouting remains important. Regular monitoring allows early detection should populations begin to increase later in the season.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, or field observations.
Link to Original Article: https://beaumont.tamu.edu/blog/2026/07/15/rice-extension-agronomy-newsletter-july-2026/
Sam Rustom, Ph.D. // Lina Bernaola, Ph.D.
