Following Environmental Protection Agency approval in February, RiceTec and Adama plan to bring to market their new Max-Ace Rice Cropping Solution. The herbicide-tolerant rice cultivars, paired with Highcard herbicide, give rice growers another weed control tool, high yield potential and a rice rotation alternative to the FullPage rice system and conventional offerings from RiceTec.
Max-Ace rice cultivars, along with Highcard, will be available in limited supply for the 2021 growing season, according to a news release.
“Max-Ace will finally give rice farmers what they’ve been waiting for…a high-yielding herbicide tolerance partner to the FullPage system, which will provide control of red rice and other grass weeds that have built resistance to the IMI herbicides,” said Leandro Pasqualli, RiceTec marketing manager. “It’s the perfect rotational partner with the FullPage Rice Cropping Solution and soybeans to control weeds and maintain herbicide options.”
The Max-Ace technology takes advantage of a unique, non-GMO trait that gives the rice enhanced tolerance to Highcard herbicide. It is labeled for postemergence control of grassy weeds in rice, including red and weedy rice and IMI-resistant weeds.
Highcard needs to be applied sequentially both early ( two leaf or later) and before panicle initiation to meet stewardship requirements and maximize the effectiveness and longevity of the technology.
“Highcard is a novel formulation specifically designed to be used with Max-Ace Rice Cropping Solution. And with no residual carryover from Highcard, growers get full rotational flexibility to maintain their options year-over-year,” said Dave Feist, Adama’s U.S. product strategy manager for rice.
Highcard, a proprietary safened formulation, contains the active ingredient quizalofop. It is labeled for use only on Max-Ace rice.