REGIONAL CROP REPORT

Rice Rebounding With Arrival of Warmer Temps 

SOUTH LOUISIANA AND TEXAS 

Growing conditions have improved in the past two weeks, and rice is starting to move along as we approach midseason. We are close to 50% to 60% under flood in Louisiana and close to 75% to 80% under flood in the western Rice Belt in Texas. On the east side of Houston, we are 45% to 50% under flood.

As we move into the next part of the growing season, the time for fungicide applications for control of Cercospora will be here before we know it. Per LSU AgCenter Rice Specialist Ronnie Levy: “Cercospora caused substantial yield losses in some varieties in 2022. Cercospora on the stems and panicles resembles blast symptoms with similar yield losses. The best way to protect yield loss from Cercospora is to apply the higher labeled rates of propiconazole fungicides at the 2-4 inch panicle stage in the boot. Cercospora tends to be more widespread in later planting windows and when environmental conditions are present.”

I recommend treating PVL03 for Cercospora, since it has shown the potential to reduce yields in many later planted fields showing infection in the stems and panicles.

If you would like me to look at something or have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Corey Conner
District Field Representative
337-249-9523

MISSISSIPPI AND NORTH LOUISIANA

Rice planting is nearing completion in most of my territory. There have been a few pockets where more than 3- to 4-day field runs have been hard to come by due to the frequency of rains. The same rains that have delayed some plantings have also benefitted weed control as clomazone and pendimethalin applications have remained active longer than normal.

Off-target herbicide drift has once again reared its head in Mississippi. Most of the rice and soybean acres were planted about the same time, and when this happens, we expect higher incidences of off-target herbicide drift. Though we never like to deal with the ill effects of drift, paraquat and metribuzin are the more common actives in drift cases these days, and, in most situations, rice does seem to grow beyond drift effects of contact herbicides sooner compared to systemic herbicides like glyphosate.

Current weather and soil conditions are allowing for more favorable growth, and the earliest planted rice in my territory will start to go to flood within a week to 10 days.

Row-irrigated rice is a more common practice, and a popular question is how to manage nitrogen. Dr. Justin Chlapecka included nitrogen management for row-irrigated rice in his Ph.D. research and continues to study it today at the University of Missouri.

Based on his research, for heavy clay soil, he recommends 75 lbs. of N/acre at the 5- to 6-leaf rice, an additional 75 lbs. of N/acre applied two weeks later, and a final 46 lbs. of N/acre between green ring and ½-inch internode elongation. On coarser textured soils (silt loams, sandy loams, etc.), the recommendation is to have three applications of 46 lbs. of N/acre spaced one week apart, beginning at the normal “pre-flood” application timing

Dr. Tim Walker
General Manager
901-590-9564

2023 Horizon Ag Louisiana Field Day

Please mark your calendars for the 2023 Horizon Ag
Louisiana Field Day on June 27.

It will be held on Christian Richard’s farm near
Kaplan beginning at 5:00 p.m.

GRAND PRAIRIE AND SOUTH ARKANSAS

While there will be some more rice planted, we are close to wrapping up across most of my territory. There was quite a bit of rice that needed the rain that we received this past week. It was in desperate need of a rain or a flush. Some rice was being flushed last week because the ground was crusting over faster than the rice could emerge. I know of some rice that was pushed to flood last week, and it was some of the earliest-planted rice that I’m aware of.

Our current conditions will help move the rest of the crop along quickly, so getting prepared for flood is our next step, along with herbicide applications. The rice that was emerged is rapidly beginning to look better. It is amazing how quickly it can turn around with sunshine and warmer weather.

I received a few calls last week about replanting rice due to the crusting and the cooler weather we had in previous weeks. If you have a consistent stand of at least five plants per square foot or better, at this point in the year, I recommend continuing with the stand you have. Consistency is key when it comes to stand evaluation. If you are getting a lot of 0s in your stand count, we may have to consider replanting.

As always, please call if you need anything.

William “Hutch” Hutchens
District Field Representative
870-273-9291

NORTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS

The majority of the crop in my area is planted. The rain we received last week slowed down a lot of the levee seeding, but we should finish up this week. There will be a few fields to be planted behind dirt buckets.

Some of the earlier rice is receiving pre-flood fertilizer application and its second shot of Newpath® herbicide. With the lingering concern about urea availability, some growers are going to flood earlier than normal. If you have any questions or concerns about nitrogen rates and application timings, check out the Horizon Ag app or feel free to call me.

Thank you for your support of Horizon Ag.

Chase Kagen
District Field Representative
870-273-9283

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS AND MISSOURI BOOTHEEL

Rice planting is basically finished in Northeast Arkansas and Missouri. We still will have a couple of fields that will get planted this month, but most of the rice crop is in the ground and looking good.

We have achieved good stands in most areas and the rice has grown out of the issues we experienced from cool April temperatures. We did not receive the rain that we needed 12 to 14 days ago, which forced many growers to begin flushing last week. We had mixed amounts of rainfall Wednesday (5/10) into Thursday (5/11), ranging from a couple of tenths to upwards of an inch or more. Parts of Butler and Stoddard counties in Missouri did not get this rain but, fortunately, did receive some rain last Friday. We really needed this to push the crop along and prevent more flushing, or at least assist with it and activate residuals that have been applied.

One thing that has stood out to me this spring is the value of seed treatment. So much rice was planted very quickly during April, and then the weather became unfavorable for rice emergence or growth. This really increased the importance of having a good seed treatment. In a couple of fields I looked at, growers who opted for no treatment really struggled to make a stand compared to those who did. Thankfully, with some patience and warm weather we ended with enough plants to justify not replanting.

Please call me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your rice crop.

Jason Satterfield
District Field Representative
901-347-9715

Download the Horizon Ag Productivity App

Horizon Ag has created a mobile app that will be a valuable resource for rice farmers as you begin planning for variety selection and planting. 

The Horizon Ag Productivity App provides easy access to seeding rate information, a drill calibration tool, profitability calculator and other decision-making features for 2023 Horizon Ag Clearfield® and Provisia® varieties. This app also makes it easy to connect with retailers in your area who sell top-performing Horizon Ag varieties.

The app is available by searching “Horizon Ag” in the App Store or Google Play.

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