HORIZON AG REGIONAL REPORTS

Heat, Heading and What Your Crop Needs Between Now and Harvest

North Central Arkansas

Rice in the Upper Delta has taken off as temperatures have climbed. A few fields have begun heading, but most of the crop in my territory is flag leaf emerging to mid-boot stage. With current forecasted conditions, rice will likely be heading and pollinating during the hottest stretch of the year. Wells will need to run for extended periods. Keeping water moving helps alleviate heat beneath the canopy, reducing plant stress and allowing the crop to focus energy on grain fill.

Now is the time to start scouting for blast and sheath blight. For growers planning a blanket fungicide application, I recommend waiting until flag leaf collar is visible to mid-boot stage. That window gives you the best chance to address potential disease pressure with a single application.

We also have later-planted rice that is moving fast. Timely midseason fertilizer applications are critical in these conditions. Check your preflood fertilizer incorporation date and make sure you have given the crop adequate time before applying midseason nitrogen. Arkansas recommends waiting four weeks after preflood N is incorporated and being past panicle initiation / green ring. Overall the crop looks good so let's give it every chance to finish strong.

Thank you for your continued support and confidence in Horizon Ag. Our Arkansas Field Day is August 4, 2026 at the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center in Harrisburg, Arkansas. We hope to see you there. God Bless.

Mississippi & North Louisiana 

Daytime and nighttime temperatures spiked the last week of June going into July. Growers have been working hard to keep all the rice flooded while managing corn and soybeans.

The earliest planted rice started heading last week. The majority of the crop is at mid-to-late boot stage, and the latest planted rice is just now going to permanent flood after receiving preflood nitrogen. With most of the crop approaching or entering heading, now is the time to scout for disease and insect pressure. Warm temperatures and high humidity are creating favorable conditions for blast and sheath blight. Some sheath blight has already been found in North Louisiana, and some growers have already applied a fungicide application or have one scheduled.

The USDA acreage report came out last week and Mississippi is significantly down. The current estimate is 45,000 planted acres, a 73% decrease from last year's 164,000, levels not seen in decades. With a smaller crop, harvest should move efficiently. As we get closer, plan to harvest at 18-20% moisture to protect milling quality. Based on how the crop is progressing, we expect harvest to begin around the second week of August. 

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Fourth of July. Reach out anytime.

2026 Rice Awards Reminder

The nomination deadline for the 2026 RICE Awards is July 15. If you know someone who deserves recognition, now is the time to put their name in.

The RICE Awards honor individuals who exemplify Resilience, Innovation, Contribution and Excellence across the rice industry. Three categories are open for nomination:

• RICE Farmer of the Year — for a grower managing at least 200 acres who demonstrates leadership in production, community and industry advancement
• RICE Industry Advancement Award — for a researcher, extension professional, government official or association representative with five or more years in the industry
• RICE Legacy Award — for an individual with ten or more years of service whose contributions have shaped the future of U.S. rice

Recipients will be recognized at the USA Rice Outlook Conference in Nashville, December 13-15, 2026.

Nominate online at HorizonSeed.com/rice-awards or print and mail the nomination form. Questions? Contact LuElla Sprout at lsprout@horizonseed.com.

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