Top-Performing Horizon Ag Varieties for 2023 Season

By Scott McClure

With two out of the top three rice lines planted in Louisiana in 2022, Horizon Ag varieties continue to be a staple for rice farmers in the state looking for elite genetics that provide higher yield potential, desirable quality, preferred agronomics and overall consistent performance.

Horizon Ag Provisiaâ variety PVL03 was the most planted rice seed line in 2022 in Louisiana, going on 19% of the state’s rice acreage, according to the recently released 2023 Louisiana Rice Research Board Annual Report. Clearfieldâ variety CLL17 was a close third, with 10 percent of the state’s rice acreage.

Those percentages could climb even higher in 2023, with the Provisia Rice System proving to be the superior ACCase inhibitor herbicide system available and PVL03 performing very well in its first year of full commercial availability.

“We’ve heard from farmers across South Louisiana who said that PVL03 did what it needed to do, in terms of high yields, and actually exceeded expectations by providing good milling quality in a year where millings, in general, were erratic,” says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. “PVL03 is the Provisia variety many in the industry had been waiting for, and it was planted on a lot of acres this past year. The proof of its value is in the results farmers saw in their fields. For that reason, it is already proving to be in strong demand for 2023.”

Although there is another ACCase inhibitor herbicide system available for rice, it is important to understand it is not the same as the Provisia Rice System.

“PVL03 has good tolerance of Provisia herbicide, and the herbicide doesn’t need a safener,” says Dr. Walker. “It’s the best system available today for weedy rice. Farmers have heard all the stories out there about performance and issues with other technologies. The bottom line is we can’t afford to be safe on weeds.”

The 2023 Louisiana Rice Varieties and Management Tips publication describes PVL03 as a long grain variety with excellent yield potential, milling and grain appearance. The grain length is greater than 7 millimeters. It is the highest yielding of the Provisia varieties and is very competitive with Clearfield and conventional varieties. It offers a significant improvement in disease resistance compared to PVL01 and PVL02. PVL03 contains the Pita gene that confers resistance to the blast races common to the southern USA.   It also contains the CRSP2.1 gene and is resistant to narrow brown leaf spot but is susceptible to Cercospora infection on the stem, especially in later plantings. PVL03 is similar in height to PVL01 and CL153 and has a similar maturity to Mermentau and CL153.

Other top-performing Horizon Ag lines from the 2023 Louisiana Rice Varieties and Management Tips that continue to generate interest include:

• CLL16: A long grain, Clearfield rice variety with excellent yield potential and vigor. CLL16 is a few inches taller than typical Clearfield varieties but is rated moderately resistant to lodging. Milling yields are observed to be lower than other Clearfield varieties. CLL16 contains the Pita blast resistance gene and is rated moderately resistant to blast. It also contains the CRSP2.1 gene and is resistant to narrow brown leaf spot and moderately susceptible to Cercospora infection on the stem. It is moderately susceptible to sheath blight and bacterial panicle blight.
  
  
• CLL17: An early, long-grain, Clearfield rice variety with excellent yield potential and vigor. It is a couple of inches taller and one to two days earlier than CL153. CLL17 should be planted early, as yields can decrease when planted outside of the recommended planting window. It is susceptible to lodging, especially with higher nitrogen levels — Horizon Ag recommends  90-130 units of nitrogen. CLL17 contains the Pita blast resistance gene and is rated moderately resistant to blast. It also contains the CRSP2.1 gene and is resistant to narrow brown leaf spot and moderately susceptible to Cercospora infection on the stem. It is susceptible to sheath blight and moderately resistant to bacterial panicle blight.

• CLJ01: A Clearfield, aromatic, long grain Jasmine type with low gel temp and low amylose. It has low chalk and very good milling. It is short, early maturing and offers good yield potential for a specialty variety. It is agronomically similar to CL153 and CL151. Moderately resistant to blast and Cercospora, moderately susceptible to sheath blight and susceptible to bacterial panicle blight.

• CLM04: A Clearfield, short-stature, medium grain rice variety with very good yield potential, having yielded comparably to Jupiter and CL272. The variety is 2 to 3 inches taller than Jupiter and has shown very good milling and grain quality. CLM04 is similar to Jupiter in days to 50% heading and is one week later than Titan.

In addition, proven performers like CL111, CL151 and CL153 are available for farmers who have years of experience successfully managing these mature lines in their fields.

CLL18, a new, excellent-yielding variety from the University of Arkansas breeding program, will be offered in a very limited launch this season. Meanwhile, CLL19, a promising line developed by Dr. Adam Famoso at the LSU AgCenter, will be in seed increase this year ahead of a commercial launch planned in 2024.

“We’re excited to bring our strongest seed portfolio to date to Louisiana farmers in 2023,” says Dr. Walker. “More than ever, they need varieties they can count on for consistent performance while providing the weed control they need for outstanding yields and a better return on investment.”

More information about Horizon Ag Clearfield and Provisia varieties is available at www.Horizonseed.com.

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