As planting time nears, rice farmers are making seed decisions based on factors like yield potential, consistency, milling quality, disease resistance, maturity, weed control and stewardship. With a strong variety lineup, plus services designed to help rice farmers be more profitable, Horizon Ag is committed to providing the seed, tools, and support needed to set the stage for a successful 2024.
Five reasons to plant Horizon Ag varieties this year are:
#1. The Benefits of New CLL19
New CLL19 is garnering a lot of attention heading into its first year of commercial production, based on attributes like high yield potential, stalk strength, blast resistance, and milling quality. The long-grain Clearfield® variety was developed at the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station near Crowley and has consistently performed well in multi- location testing across the region since 2018.
“CLL19 has shown extremely high and very stable yields in trials we’ve done throughout Louisiana and in Arkansas, too,” said Dr. Adam Famoso, an LSU AgCenter rice breeder. “It’s higher yielding and more stable than what we’ve seen in our previous Clearfield varieties. It yields right up there with CLL16 and CLL18.”
Dr. Famoso says the variety has shown promising ratoon crop capacity, improved milling quality, and is early maturing, similar to CL111, which decreases time in the field and potential damage from weather events.
#2. Cleaner Field with Provisia® Varieties
There is a lot of momentum for PVL03 and new PVL04 coming out of the 2023 season.
Despite PVL03 acreage increasing to almost 30% of Louisiana rice plantings, the weedy rice outcrossing issues identified the previous season were significantly reduced, as many farmers adopted best management practices recommended by the Provisia Working Group.
“Last summer, we kept hearing that rice fields throughout the region
were significantly cleaner, overall, than had been seen in many years, with farmers effectively managing the threat of weedy rice and resistant red rice with the Provisia Rice System,” said Horizon Ag general manager Dr. Tim Walker. “Average yields were consistently good and milling quality with PVL03 was superior to other varieties. This season, new PVL04 from the University of Arkansas rice breeding program, will give farmers another high-yielding option to control weedy rice and resistant red rice.”
#3. Elite Varieties with a Range of Maturities
One critical topic during winter meetings this year was the generally lower milling quality reported in many areas of the South. A contributing factor was that a near-perfect planting season and early-season cold spell led
to much of the crop reaching maturity at about the same time. Farmers were hard-pressed to harvest the large crop at optimum moisture levels, which adversely impacted milling quality.
One solution is to plant elite-performing varieties with a broad geographic fit that have a range of maturities. For example, start with new CLL19, a very early maturing semi-dwarf variety that has outstanding yield potential. Next, plant CLL18, Horizon Ag’s highest-yielding pure line variety and that matures a few days later than CLL19. Finally, finish up planting with CLL16, a longer-maturing rice that has consistently performed well throughout the region.
“This is the variety portfolio we’ve ever had,” says Dr. Walker. “All the varieties have a fit and complement each other.”
#4. Fixed Financing on Horizon Ag Varieties
Horizon Ag and BASF are working with financing partners to offer low-interest financing for Clearfield and Provisia varieties this season. Qualifying Horizon Ag customers can get 0%* APR financing through Rabo AgriFinance, and 1.99%** APR through March 15, 2024, or 2.99% APR** on purchases March 16 to Sept. 30, 2024, with John Deere Financial.
“Heading into a year where high rates threaten to have a significant impact on farmer profitability and cash flow, we are excited to join with other industry leaders to offer low-rate financing for high-yielding new varieties like CLL19 and PVL04, as well as proven leaders like CLL18, CLL16 and PVL03,” says Dr. Walker.
Additional information about these programs, terms and conditions is available at horizonseed.com/news.
#5. The Horizon Ag Productivity App
Horizon Ag has created a mobile app that rice farmers will find a valuable resource when it comes to planning, variety selection, and planting.
The Horizon Ag Productivity App provides easy access to seeding rate information, a profitability calculator, a drill calibration tool, and other decision-making features. It is available by searching “Horizon Ag” in the App Store or Google Play on your mobile device.
