Every new season brings fresh opportunities and challenges for rice farmers.
With planting on the horizon, it’s a great time to look at some of the key decisions you can make to ensure you are planning for success. It starts with choosing the right seed, one that offers the potential for high yields and excellent milling characteristics and grain quality, the ability to cost effectively control weeds and grasses, and industry-leading disease protection, all at the right price.
Horizon Ag is proud to offer its strongest variety lineup ever, from the latest Clearfield® varieties that rival hybrids in yield potential at a lower price, to improved varieties for the Provisia® Rice System, the only unique herbicide system today for controlling weedy rice and red rice.
Horizon Ag CLL16
Delta rice farmers looking for the “complete package” in a rice variety don’t have to search any further than new CLL16 from Horizon Ag.
A long grain Clearfield rice variety developed by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, CLL16 has shown excellent rough rice yields, averaging higher than Diamond in university tests. Its performance consistency, high milling quality and industry-leading blast resistance make CLL16 the complete package for many rice farmers considering seed choices for planting this season.
Missouri farmer Zack Tanner, president and co-owner of Tanner Seed Company, had a chance to see the newest Horizon Ag Clearfield variety up close in his seed production fields, taking note of its agronomic characteristics and
performance potential.
He calls CLL16 “hands down my favorite Clearfield variety, ever. It had good vigor and tillered very well. It is a medium-season variety that made a very good yield, and the milling was great. We didn’t see any blast in it, it didn’t have any lodging and it does well at a low seeding rate.”
“Horizon Ag is excited to market CLL16, developed in partnership with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and BASF,” said Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. “This variety promises a step change in yield potential, while offering industry-leading blast tolerance and a milled product that continues to bring back the Gold Standard rice the Southern USA has historically produced.”
Horizon Ag CLL17
High yield potential and industry-leading blast resistance are an essential combination for Coastal rice farmers today who need both characteristics in their rice seed to maximize profitability. Farmers get both with new CLL17 from Horizon Ag, a Louisiana-bred Clearfield variety being released for the 2021 season.
CLL17 has consistently out-yielded CL153, the top-planted Louisiana variety in recent years, in multi-year trials
in the state. It has solid ratoon crop potential in addition to featuring outstanding resistance to blast. CLL17 also has proven to provide excellent milling yield and very good grain quality.
“CLL17 represents the next generation of Clearfield varieties in Louisiana, providing farmers the complete package of strong yield potential, excellent milling yield, very good grain quality and resistance to blast,” said Dr. Walker.
“It’s a great fit for farmers who have been planting CL153 who want to raise the bar for performance potential in their fields.”
Provisia Rice System
Horizon Ag PVL02, the second variety available in the Provisia Rice System, was released for the 2020 season and proved to be a significant step change over the first Provisia variety, PVL01, in terms of yield and overall performance.
Due to its improved agronomic characteristics and greater yield potential, PVL02 will replace PVL01 in the Horizon Ag lineup for 2021. There is a larger supply of seed available for planting throughout the region, and demand is
expected to be very strong, especially in areas where weedy and resistant red rice are significant threats.
“A lot of rice farmers had a chance to see PVL02 last season and were pleased with what they saw,” said Dr. Walker. “PVL02 is earlier maturing, which bodes well for southern Louisiana when it comes to a ratoon crop. It has better clarity and lower chalk, and it offers improved milling. It’s also not quite as susceptible to blast.”
In addition, a very limited supply of PVL03 is expected to be available for planting in 2021, giving some farmers a chance to experience firsthand the latest and greatest variety developed for the Provisia Rice System.
“With PVL03, we’ll have a variety that rivals the highest-yielding Clearfield varieties, in terms of yield potential, and that will also have the gene for blast resistance, which is very important in areas like South Louisiana,” he said.
For more information, farmers can call 1-800-356-9033 or see their Horizon Ag Authorized Retailers. | HorizonSeed.com
