RiceTec Podcast

RiceTec Hybrid Rice Report - September 14, 2012

Fri, 14 Sep 2012 05:00:00 GMT

This item has no description. Follow link to view item.

RiceTec Hybrid Rice Report - August 31, 2012

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 03:27:00 GMT

Having trouble viewing? {tag_viewinbrowser}

Hybrid Rice Report

August 31, 2012| www.RiceTec.com

LATEST NEWSLETTER:

Late Season 2012

UPCOMING EVENTS:

RiceTec Calendar of Events

RICETEC HYBRID RATOON CHALLENGE!

Audio Version (MP3)

CROP REPORTS FROM OUR SALES AND SERVICE TEAM

District 1, SE Missouri - Barry Barnett (870) 273-4988

Harvest has started in Southeast Missouri. Some growers that didn’t have any corn have been running hard for over a week now. A lot more growers got started good this week and some are yet to finish corn. Yields I have been hearing so far have been really good. I have heard anywhere from 180’s to 230 dry bushels so far. Everyone is running very hard trying to get as much done before the storm gets here. It’s looking like we will be down for a few days with rain. Hopefully we won’t get much wind and lodging won’t be a big issue. All but one of my yield trials are drained and will be ready once growers get around to them. Everything looks great so far. If you have an questions please give me a call.

District 2, N Arkansas - Stewart Runsick (870) 571-6069

Rice harvest is approaching 20% complete in D2. Yield reports continue to be excellent. Most hybrid fields are yielding from 200-250 bu/acre. Two of the yield trials have been harvested in the district. The first was the early Clearfield trial on Randy Gray’s farm at Light. CL XP4534 was the highest yielding hybrid (243.1 bu/acre), followed by CL XL729 (232.3 bu/acre) and CL XL745 (229 bu/acre). The second yield trial harvested was the Clearfield insecticide trial on the Baltz farm in Pocahontas. The highest yielding hybrid in this test was CL XL745 (201.1 bu/acre), followed by CL XL729 (197 bu/acre). CL XL745 treated with one of the insecticide seed treatments had numeric yield increases ranging from 3.4 -17.7 bu/acre when compared to CL XL745 without an insecticide seed treatment. I am looking forward to harvesting the rest of the on-farm yield trials and I will continue to report the yields in the coming crop reports. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call.

District 3, NE Arkansas - Kurt Johns (870) 243-4696

People have been cutting like crazy in District 3, it has been nice to see something on a wide scale that I don’t see as often anymore. Neighbors helping neighbors. There are fields with so many combines in them they can barely turn around. We haven’t cut nearly as many trials as we would have liked to by now with everyone trying to get what they can while it’s still standing. Hopefully we won’t get much out of it but it sure doesn’t look too good right now. Many fields are getting cut that look pretty green but other than drying charges will probably be a good thing. I have seen several fields that appeared to have been salted and/or drained a bit prematurely. I can’t say for a fact they were but they sure looked like it. I think many people are getting in such a hurry anymore to harvest that they are cutting their crops short, especially with the heat we have had the last few years. People shut the water off and its dry in four days where it usually takes 10 or more. Arkansas recommends chlorate after rice is at or below 25%, if applied to a field which is not uniform greener areas of the field could see damage if grain fill isn’t complete. The trials that have been harvested in District 3 have shown very good yield advantages and reports of commercial hybrid yields have been excellent.

District 4, N Central Arkansas - William "Hutch" Hutchens (870) 273-9291

Harvest has gotten in full swing in D4 this week. There are guys that are around 50% harvested and guys that are just now getting started. I think that D4 is around 25-30% harvest to date and with the remnants of Isaac heading this way harvest will get delayed for a few days. I have harvested my RFYT on Keith Watkins farm and my RFYT on Steve Tinsley’s farm. CLXP 4534 came out on top on Keith Watkins farm with 196 dry bu/ac and CLXL729 was right behind it at 181 dry bu/ac. The trial on Steve Tinsley’s farm the CLXP4534 was the highest yielding in the trial at 177 dry bu/ac, CLXL745 was at 172 dry bu/ac, the CLXL729 was at 163 dry bu/ac. I have been around to look at some of the second crops around and they are looking pretty good. We will have to keep an eye out on the second crops to make sure disease does not take away some yield potential.

District 5, Central Arkansas - Whitney Jones (501) 516-6904

Farmers are really scrambling right now trying to get as much rice out of the fields as possible before Isaac hits. Every farmer that I have spoken to over the last few days has been trying to get all of their bottom land and hill side rice cut just in case Isaac wants to lay some rice down. So far, the rice is yielding good and the milling is hanging in the low 50's on average. I would say that the average yield across D5 on Hybrids is 190-200 dry bushels per acre and we are somewhere around 40% harvested. I was set to harvest two more trials this week but looks like it will get pushed to next week.

District 6, Eastern Arkansas - Garrison Hardke (501) 772-1715

The word of the week has been Isaac. With a hurricane appearing to be headed our way, I don’t think there has been a combine in the district parked this week. The combines that were not already harvesting rice have been hired to custom harvest in an attempt to get as much rice out as possible ahead of storms. My best guess is that rice in the district is about 50% harvested at this point. This number is a little misleading, as some growers have finished harvest while others have just gotten started. Yield reports overall have been pretty good. Some of the earliest rice, planted in March, seems to have been hurt by extreme heat at pollination. Rice that was planted in the first two weeks of April has shown very strong yields, as they pollinated after the extreme heat of late June broke. I have harvested one RiceTec yield trial so far, with others being put on hold for growers to harvest as much as possible this week. Mark Felker’s trial at Crawfordsville showed a clear yield advantage for RiceTec Hybrids. The average advantage for all hybrids over all varieties was 35 bushels per acre. The smallest hybrid advantage, meaning the lowest performing hybrid vs. the highest performing variety, was 18 bushels per acre. As always, please give me a call if you have any questions during harvest, or if you have any yields to report.

District 7, SE Arkansas - Jeff Branson (870) 578-8436

Hurricane Isaac has the potential to devastate the remaining rice crop across southeast Arkansas. Rainfall amounts are forecasted to range from 12 to 18 inches with sustained winds over 25 mph. If the forecast is correct, then what’s not on the ground will be under water. All we can do is keep our fingers crossed and hope it is not as bad as the forecast is predicting.

Approximately 40% of the rice acres in D7 have been harvested. Yields have been above average in some areas and below average in others. Most of the variation is due to blanks caused by the high temperatures when the early planted rice was flowering. Reported yields have ranged from 165 to 273 dry bushels per acre.

The Chicot County seeding rate trial was harvested last week. CL XL745 was planted at 300k, 400k, 450k, 500k and 600k seeds per acre. Only 6 bushels per acre separated the 300k and the 600k seeding rates. The recommended seeding rate of 450k and the old seeding rate of 600k were separated by less than one bushel per acre.

District 8, Mississippi and NE Louisiana - Jay Burchfield

Tropical storm Isaac is moving into the district today. Varying reports are out there across the district but it looks as if the district could receive anywhere from 2 – 10+ inches of rain with winds sustained between 20 and 30mph. The good news is that we have cut a large portion of this crop so far. I would estimate we are 50% – 60% harvested right now. So far yields seem to be average to good with most yields being reported in the 170 – 200 bushel per acre range with some reports coming in over 240 bushels per acre. We have harvested three of our RFYTs so far in the district. In our insecticide trial hybrid yields ranged from 188 to 195 dry bushels per acre and showed a 31 to 38 bushel advantage of CL11. In our large Clearfield RFYT hybrid yields ranged from 201 to 242 bushels per acre dry with two of our advanced experimental coming in with impressive yields of 220 dry bushels for XP759 and 242 dry bushels with XP752. In this trial, hybrids demonstrated a 15 to 56 bushel advantage of CL151. In our large non Clearfield trial, yields were down a little with hybrids yielding 147 to 169 dry bushels per acre, but still showed a good advantage of 15 to 37 bushels per acre over Cheniere. We should have three more trials harvested by the next report.

District 9, S Louisiana - Cullen Minter (337) 499-6998

Before Hurricane Isaac hit rice crop was 85% harvested in South and Central Louisiana, with the bulk of the unharvested acres in the central part of the state along the Mississippi Border. Unfortunately, the eye of Isaac is passing close to that area today. Early this week farmers in both South and Central Louisiana scrambled to harvest as much rice as possible before the storm. Luckily in many cases the farmers who still had rice in the field had neighbors and friends who were finished with their crop and were able to help get a large amount of rice cut in a short amount of time. As soon as the storm clears everyone will have a better assessment of the damage that the storm has dealt the rice crop. Over the past two weeks hybrid rice yields have been holding up good. The ratoon crop is looking good across the district. We are entering a the time where flail mowing is not recommended and nitrogen fertilizer need to be drastically reduced in order to ratoon harvest fields that have been cut recently. Please contact your local Tech Service Rep if you have questions on ratoon crop management in your situation.

District 10, Texas – Derrol Grymes, (281) 381-9371

First crop harvest is winding down in the Texas Gulf Coast. The crop on the West side of the district is at least 95% in and we’re getting close to 75% on the East side. The later hybrid yields are coming in slightly lower than the earlier harvested fields, yet still most are holding in the mid to high 50 barrel range. Grain quality, although still down a couple of points head rice from last year, also appears to be holding good as well. A majority of the hybrid rice still in the field on the West side is organic XP754 and the initial yields are looking good. Most are reporting yields in the low to high 40 barrel range on their earlier fields and the later fields are looking just as good or even better. Most of the ratoon crop in D-10 is off to a good start with excellent yield potential as long as Mother Nature continues to cooperate. Don’t forget to sign your highest potential hybrid ratoon field up for the RiceTec ratoon challenge for a chance to win a Shotgun or an ATV. There will be one of each awarded to the highest ratoon yields in each district, but the field must be registered to win. The deadline for entries is September 15^th.

GOOD LUCK!!!

__________________________________________________________________

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us or give us a call at 877.580.7423. Follow us on Twitter and 'Like' us on Facebook!

RiceTec Hybrid Rice Report - August 17, 2012

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 15:19:00 GMT

RICETEC HYBRID RICE REPORT - AUGUST 17, 2012

17-Aug-2012

Hybrid Rice Report

August 17, 2012| www.RiceTec.com

LATEST NEWSLETTER:

Late Season 2012

UPCOMING EVENTS:

RiceTec Calendar of Events

RICETEC HYBRID RATOON CHALLENGE!

Rice Harvest on Turner Farms in Winnie, TX

Audio Version (MP3)

Harvest is about to hit full stride in the Midsouth; Texas and Louisiana on the downhill side.

We continue to get very positive yield reports from the field for all crops. With record high commodity prices and excellent yields, we hope 2012 is profitable for everyone.

As you get into harvest, don't forget about our Hybrid Ratoon Challenge. Sign up today for a chance to win an ATV or shotgun for the highest certified ratoon yield in your district. Click here for more information.

CROP REPORTS FROM OUR SALES AND SERVICE TEAM

District 1, SE Missouri - Barry Barnett (870) 273-4988

The rice crop still continues to look good in D1. It has cooled off some as of late but it is still very dry. Several acres were drained last week and we had a lot more drained this week or at least have quit pumping on them. I have talked to a few growers that were going to cut a sample this week and probably gear up to start first of next week. We should have some yields in by the next report. Disease pressure has continued to be light. Stink bugs have not been much of an issue either. The water has been cut off on a couple of my earliest yield trials so it won’t be long before we get started on them. If you have any questions please give us a call.

District 2, N Arkansas - Stewart Runsick (870) 571-6069

Harvest has begun in D2. Early yield reports have been excellent. We will harvest the first RFYT early next week. Most of the other trials are drained and will be ready to harvest soon. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a call.

District 3, NE Arkansas - Kurt Johns (870) 243-4696

Many fields have been drained with many more ready to be drained in the next week. There have been a few fields cut but not much so far in District 3, it looks like the next ten days should really get it going. No trials have been cut yet in District three but hopefully I’ll cut one or two next week, if the corn is harvested and the beans are watered. Those two things are really slowing the rice harvest down. I have heard a few yields so far which have been pretty good, 187 to mid 200’s. Hopefully this continues to set everyone up for a great year yield wise. I have several people calling and getting info on ratooning some fields and have looked at a few that have been fertilized and flooded. They have a great start and are looking good now so it will be interesting to see how they turn out. Remember if you’re interested to go to our website and fill out the entry for a chance to win a prize for our ratoon challenge. If you have any questions give me a call and we can discuss it.

District 4, N Central Arkansas - William "Hutch" Hutchens (870) 273-9291

Well harvest has started for some in D4. There are a few guys that are just now getting started cutting some fields. I think the majority will be getting started next week. I have about half of my test plots drained and I think we are around 60% drained in the district and the rest will be drained in the next two weeks. I have harvested one RFYT to date and will have the results in the next report and I will possibly get another RFYT harvested next week. There are some guys that are going to ratoon their crop and I know of one that has already pumped the field back up. If you are going to ratoon your crop try and get the water back on the field as quickly as possible so you do not lose any plants. If have any questions please give me a call.

District 5, Central Arkansas - Whitney Jones (501) 516-6904

Rice harvest is well under way in D5 and yields are very promising. I have had a lot of people asking about milling and so far almost everything I have heard has been in the low to mid 50’s. So, as for now, the heat hasn’t hurt us too bad on milling. Everyone that I have talked to that has our CL XP4534 and XP4523 in the IP program is averaging over 200 dry bushels per acre across all the acres and some of these fields have had some crazy yields like over 280 bu/ac green. With the ratoon crop looking great so far, some of these fields will have a potential of cutting around 300 bushels total between the two crops. I harvested my trial Tuesday on Randall Snider and the yields were great. The CLXP759 was 191 dry, CL XP756 was 203 dry, CL XL729 was 208 dry, CL XL745 was 213 dry. The next two yields are really impressive. I had to run them again to make sure I didn’t make a mistake. CL XP4534 was 242 dry and the CL XP752 (smooth-leaf hybrid) was 257 dry. This trial was amazing and hopefully the yields and milling will hold up like this all the way through harvest for everyone.

District 6, Eastern Arkansas - Garrison Hardke (501) 772-1715

Rice harvest in the district has begun, and this is the earliest crop in recent memory. I have only gotten a few yield reports so far and they have been mixed. I believe the reason for this is the extreme heat we experienced in late June. Some of the earliest rice was pollinating during that time and was probably hurt. The good news is the heat broke in the first half of July as the majority of the crop began to pollinate. I see that as a good sign for overall yields and quality. Time will tell as harvest will really get into full swing over the next two weeks. I have not harvested any of my yield trials yet, but plan to harvest at least one next week. We should have a much better idea about this crop by the next report. I have been receiving a lot of calls about the proper time to drain rice. A good rule of thumb is to look at a representative area of the field and drain clay soils when 1/3 of the panicle is straw colored. For sandy and loam soils, drain when ½ of the panicle is straw colored. As always, know your ground and take other field-specific factors into consideration as necessary. Please give me a call if you have any questions or if you have any yields to report.

District 7, SE Arkansas - Jeff Branson (870) 578-8436

Rice harvest is underway in southeast Arkansas with less than 5% of the crop harvested. Many producers are trying to get the corn harvest finished before they get started on the rice crop. Many of the rice acres are just now being drained so we are still about 7 to 10 days out from having a good idea on what the overall crop will look like. The yields that have been reported so far range from 185 to 235 bushels per acre. The effects of the high temperatures during flowering are a concern again this year, but it should not be as dramatic as last year, due to the high temperatures not lasting that long. The first RFYT in the district should be cut by the end of this week. All the yield trials look excellent and yields will be reported in the next update.

District 8, Mississippi and NE Louisiana - Jeff Mosley (662) 719-1034

Rice harvest is starting to gain momentum again in Mississippi. Some areas of the central Delta received heavy rains earlier this week that stopped a good deal of harvesting, however an abundance of bright sunshine in the last couple of days has helped with drying everything back out allowing growers to return to the field. Most of the area’s producers are placing their rice into on-farm storage bins so yield reports have been slow coming in. We have gotten a few scattered yields reported from the earliest rice that’s been harvested, and initially, things are looking really good. In the next week or so harvest should be going full bore on a wide basis. One replicated field trial has been harvested in the district since the last report, but yield data hasn’t been analyzed at this point. Tech Rep Jay Burchfield is harvesting another trial today (8/16) so be on the lookout for yield results from these two trials, and maybe more, in the next couple of reports. On another note, it’s not too early to start thinking about your seed plans for the 2013 crop. Demand for hybrid rice seed continues to be strong, and the earlier that you can make your decisions about next seasons needs, the better off you’ll be.

District 9, S Louisiana - Cullen Minter (337) 499-6998

Rice harvest is still in full swing in South and Central Louisiana. We have had some showers here and there, but for the most part we’ve been having good harvest weather lately. The rice crop is roughly 50% harvested in district 9. Many farmers are able to harvest rice on dry ground now. This should help second crop potential. We are getting to the point where farmers need to consider cutting back on nitrogen applications to second crop production. Also we are at the time of year where farmers need to stop flail mowing to ensure that the second crop ripens before the cold weather gets here. We have harvested 2 Large Scale yield trials so far. We finished harvesting an Early Maturity Clearfield trial at Ross Hebert’s farm in Vermilion parish on August 7^th. The high yielder in the trial was CL XL729 at 56.9 dry barrels closely followed by CL XP4534 at 56.1 Barrels and CL XL745 at 55.7 dry Barrels. The hybrid yields from the trial are representative of commercial field yields in that area, which is always good to see when performing yield trials. Hybrid yields across the district have been ranging from the high 40’s to high 60’s with most of the fields falling in the low to mid 50’s range.

District 10, Texas – Derrol Grymes, (281) 381-9371

Harvest is winding down on the west side of Houston, with nearly 75% of the crop out at this point. Yields have dropped slightly since the beginning of harvest with both hybrids and varieties having good years. The ratoon crop is coming along nicely. On the east side, harvest is just getting started with about 20-25% out of the field. Yields are ranging from the upper 50 to low 60 bbl/Ac range. We recently harvested a trial on the east side, with hybrids averaging in the 58-60 bbl range and CL151 coming in at 48 bbl/Ac. It’s too early to tell on the side how the ratoon is coming, but time will tell. Rain is in the forecast for the weekend into next week, so folks are scrambling to get rice out as quickly as possible.

__________________________________________________________________

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us or give us a call at 877.580.7423 . Follow us on Twitter and 'Like' us on Facebook!

Comment

Go Back

RiceTec Hybrid Rice Report - August 17, 2012 (MP3)

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 05:00:00 GMT

This item has no description. Follow link to view item.

RiceTec Hybrid Rice Report - July 20, 2012 (MP3)

Fri, 20 Jul 2012 05:00:00 GMT

This item has no description. Follow link to view item.

RiceTec Hybrid Rice Report - May 18, 2012

Fri, 18 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Audio Version of Report

Flooding? Already?

We’re usually only about 80% planted at this point but this week it seems a good portion of the crop is ready for the permanent flood. Just a reminder, be sure and check out the website for the latest fertility recommendations going into the flood. With very high urea prices, the preflood application is more critical than ever. We can’t stress enough how important it is to get the preflood nitrogen right in order to maximize yield and profit. Nitrogen loss now is yield loss later that can’t be recovered, so get it right the first time. If you have any questions about preflood nitrogen fertilization, weed control, or insect management, don’t hesitate to contact your Technical Services Representative.

Crop Reports from our Sales and Services Team

District 1, SE Missouri - Barry Barnett (870) 273-4988

It is still very dry overall in Southeast Missouri. Some areas have not received any substantial rainfall in six weeks or more. Most rice has been flushed at least twice and some three or more times to achieve an adequate stand. Even where we have flushed with the wind being very bad lately it is no more than a couple days after shutting the pump off that the ground is already starting to crack open. I would say that we are about 90% emerged now. Quite a few fields have gone to flood the last week or so but we still have to flush across fields to keep it growing in order to get enough height out the rice so it will handle a permanent flood. I have seen a few cases of chinch bug damage in the last week or so but it doesn’t seem to be too widespread. I have two trials that are now going to flood and it won’t be long before a couple more will be at that point. If you would like to see any of these trials or have any questions or concerns please give me a call.

District 2, N Arkansas - Stewart Runsick (870) 571-6069

Over the past week, a lot of the rice has yellowed some and just does not have a good appearance. Growth and development slowed due mainly to cooler temperatures. Fields have crusted since the last rain. While a small percentage of the fields are being fertilized and flooded, many are being flushed one more time in an effort to get a few more plants up and to get the rice growing so it will get big enough to flood. It’s been a struggle to get a stand on the clay soils planted no-till due mainly to environmental conditions. Fluctuations in soil temperature and moisture are the main problems along with the wind. These fields are mainly in an area from O’kean to Delaplaine over to Stonewall and Marmaduke. None of the six replicated farm yield trials (RFYT) have gone to flood yet; however, the test at Light is ready and will be soon. Nitrogen requirements for RiceTec hybrids on most soils in N.E. AR are 120 units of N preflood followed by 30 units applied late boot. Feel free to give me a call if you have any questions.

District 3, NE Arkansas - Kurt Johns (870) 243-4696

Flush, flush, and repeat. This has been the routine so far. Thankfully, next week we should start seeing several fields start going to flood. The last ten days has really seen and improvement in the appearance of the crop. Hopefully we are turning the corner and building up steam. Once we get the flood on it should really take off. Getting herbicides out has been tough but maybe we're about to get it done. If you have any questions give me a call. If you'd like to see the trials in your area give me a call.

District 4, N Central Arkansas - William "Hutch" Hutchens (870) 273-9291

These past couples of weeks have moved along quickly and since we had the rain two weeks ago. The rice has perked up considerably. It helped out folks that were flushing and saved others from having to. The rain also helped everyone get some moisture to get fields sprayed. We have had some grass get big on us and we need to get on top of it again before they get completely out of control. I think we are 100% planted more or less, but I do know of one field that will be planted within a day or two. I think we are probably around 95% emerged at this point and around 20% flooded. I know some fields have gone to flood this week and expect much more to be flooded within the next week to 10 days. My Insecticide trial on Keith Watkins’ farm in Griffithville has gone to flood and my Large Conventional trial on Joe Christian’s farm will be going to flood within the next few days. I have walked a few fields this week that have had immature chinch bugs in them and there are some spots in the field that they had killed some plants. So, we need to be on the lookout for them as we are getting close to flooding. I spoke with Gus Lorenz about the chinch bugs when I found them and he said that I was the third call he had gotten that day about them. When your field is dry and you have chinch bugs they will lie in the cracks of the ground and feed on plants below the soil so you will have to flush them to move them up on plants and the levees and then you can spray the field with Karate Z or Mustang Max to kill them.

District 5, Central Arkansas - Whitney Jones (501) 516-6904

Everything is going pretty smooth in D5. With the exception of a few fields here and there, the rice is growing well. I have a field or two that was banged up a little by herbicide applications but seem to be doing much better now that the warm weather is back. I had a guy call me Thursday about a field that the chinch bugs have apparently killed a large portion. He was replanting the dead areas as we spoke and said that he had a corn field right next to the rice field that the bugs came out of. I am also seeing a lot of water weevil scaring right now and with the warm winter that we had, I expect to see a lot of damage from these pests this year. I would estimate D5 to have around 20% of the total rice acres flooded and will be around 40% flooded by the middle of next week. Temperatures in the upper 80s combined with good soil moisture are just what we need to help this rice grow and also help the herbicides do their thing. My trial on Randall Snider and my trial on Greenwalt’s both went to flood this week and are looking great. It’s hard to believe that midseason is just a couple weeks away on this early-planted rice.

District 6, Eastern Arkansas - Garrison Hardke (501) 772-1715

Rice planting in the district is finished, save for a few leveled fields and a little spot planting. Emergence is at 95% with a large portion getting ready for permanent flood in the next week. Since last report, almost everyone in the district has received some rainfall. Totals have ranged from near 1 inch to over 7 inches. Many fields that received a large rain need to be flushed again, as the rain came quickly and it has now been 10 days of dry weather. It is easy to be lulled to sleep after a big rain, but it is important to maintain adequate moisture. Heavy rain can really pack the soil and cause hard crusting when it dries, making it difficult for late emerging seedlings to push through. As you are beginning to think about permanent flood and preflood nitrogen, be sure to follow RiceTec recommendations that are available on our website. These recommendations are backed by multi-year data and are proven in the field. Any adjustment to total nitrogen rates should be made on the pre-flood application and should be made based on specific field conditions. Please give me a call if you have any questions regarding specific recommendations.

District 7, SE Arkansas - Jeff Branson (870) 578-8436

Cooler than normal temperatures 2 weeks ago slowed the progress of the rice crop, but over the last few days the rice has started growing again. Approximately 99 % of the rice crop in D7 has been planted and 85 % of those acres have emerged. Much of the early planted rice is being flooded and around 60% of the 2012 rice crop will have the permanent flood established within the next 7 days.

Command, Clearpath and Newpath have all done an excellent job controlling grasses this year. I have not seen any fields where these herbicides have failed. This year appears to be one of the cleanest crops we have had in several years. Crop response to Newpath has been minimal across the district south of Arkansas County. A few fields in Arkansas County, where multiple ALS herbicides were applied, did show symptoms of ALS herbicide injury. These fields should make a full recovery and the yield should not be affected. Overall the rice crop across D7 is in good shape and off to an excellent start.

District 8, Mississippi and N Louisiana – Jay Burchfield (662) 402.2781

I still know of a few guys that are planting, but we are pretty much done at this point. Some wheat is being harvested now and there are a few guys planning to sew a little rice behind wheat, but that will not be very much acreage. Once again areas of the district got a pretty good rain last weekend, but the majority did not get any. We are dry in most areas. We are flushing a lot of rice and many growers have to run water across fields just to obtain moisture to plant beans. The rice crop is really looking good this year across the district. Chinch bugs have shown up in a couple areas and we are trying to get them addressed now, but we have to go back and spot plant those areas. More and more rice is going to flood. I estimate we will be around 30% – 40% flooded by the end of the week. We did add one more RFYT this week. It is a Clearfield trial and is located on Litton Road south of Cleveland, MS.

District 9, S Louisiana - Cullen Minter (337) 499-6498

The vast majority of farmers in South and Central Louisiana are finished planting their rice, with 90% of the acres past stand establishment. Stands are looking good overall throughout the area. Insect pressure remains on the light side so far. The pest that has been most prevalent to date has been adult water weevils. It’s a good thing that most farmers are now using insecticide seed treatments, because it looks like the adult population is as high as ever. Most of the earliest planted rice is now under permanent flood. With high urea prices, we have been receiving quite a few calls from farmers and reps about fields that received low preflood nitrogen rates. Once the preflood nitrogen is applied and the flood is established, trying to figure out how much to add after the fact becomes more of a guessing game and a balancing act between potential lodging and maintaining yields. So we recommend trying to stick close to the recommended nitrogen rate of 120 units preflood and 30 units at late boot for optimum hybrid yields. The crop is moving along nicely with the warm weather we are experiencing.

I have added a picture of a trial at Ross Hebert’s farm near Kaplan, La taken on May 11, 2012. The picture includes CL XL745 on the left and CL152 on the right.

District 10, Texas – Derrol Grymes, (281) 381-9371

The Texas Gulf Coast Hybrid rice crop is looking good at this time. A majority of the area received between 1 and 9 inches of rain in the past week, which provided some much needed relief for the irrigation systems. Along with the rain, came cloudy, cooler weather that slowed the crop down slightly and prohibited some fields from recovering from herbicide applications as quickly as anticipated. With the rain passing and high pressure setting in, the warm sunshine should now help these fields recover and catch up.

With a majority of the crop going to flood soon, fertility questions are once again popping up. When fertilizing your hybrid acres, remember that the hybrids need 120 units of nitrogen on heavy soils and 90 units on your lighter ground just prior to establishing permanent flood. The next application will be 30 to 60 units of nitrogen at late boot. Utilize the 60 unit rate if you are planning to ratoon crop. Please steer away from fertilizing your hybrid crop at panicle differentiation, as this timing will tend to make the hybrid taller and more prone to lodging.

Overall, the crop appears to be off to an excellent start, and if Mother Nature continues to cooperate, we have the potential for a rewarding harvest.

__________________________________________________________________

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us or give us a call at 877.580.7423.

RiceTec Hybrid Rice Report - April 24, 2012

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 21:32:00 GMT

RiceTec Hybrid Rice Report for 4.24.2012

Download MP3

RiceTec Hybrid Rice Report - April 5, 2012

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 21:04:00 GMT

Planting Rapidly Progressing!

Wow! Things are happening fast. Dry weather, big equipment, and warm soils mean lots of acres planted in a short time. Although expected rice acres are nowhere near the highs of 2010, there will be a good bit of rice coming out of the field at the same time this fall (you mean, summer?). With all the early rice being planted, the prospects of a ratoon crop well into Arkansas are likely in 2012, weather permitting. Check out the reports below from our boots on the ground to get an idea of the progress being made throughout the rice belt.

RiceTec seed is still available, including levee rice in Clearfield and non-Clearfield hybrid offerings. Check with your local retailer or RiceTec representative for more information.

We'd also like to introduce our new Technical Services Representative for District 2, Stewart Runsick. Stewart was formerly a Rice Research Verification Program Coordinator with the University of Arkansas. Please take the opportunity to visit with Stewart should you need any assistance in District 2.

Crop Reports from our Sales and Services Team

District 1, SE Missouri - Barry Barnett (870) 273-4988
It has been very warm and dry in Southeast Missouri and a lot of work has gotten done. Quite of bit of rice has been planted and I would estimate that we are around 30% planted at this point. Some growers are over half done planting rice while others are finishing up planting corn and have just started planting rice or will be soon. This is the earliest we have been this far along planting rice in a long time- if ever. We are off to a good start and could actually use a rain at this point to get the rice we have planted up and going and get herbicide activated. If we miss these next chances of rain most of the acreage will need to be flushed. I was able to get four strip trials planted the last few days. I have planted two non –Clearfield trials. The first trial that was planted is on Bert Pierce’s farm on A highway in Bragg City and the other on Will Hunter’s farm on Y highway close to Bell City. I also planted my large Clearfield trial on Mitch and Andy Clark’s farm on 53 highway south of Poplar Bluff. We also planted a Clearfield seeding rate trial on Darren Brown’s farm on Y highway northwest of Morehouse. I would like to thank these guys for their help. I have two more trials to plant and if it doesn’t rain we should get to these pretty quick. If you have and questions or need help calibrating your drill please give us a call.

District 2, N Arkansas - Stewart Runsick (870) 571-6069

The production year is off to a great start. Conditions have been ideal for planting over the past week. Soil temperatures have been around 72 degrees with excellent soil moisture. I would estimate that 40% to 50% of the rice acres have been planted in D2. Four of the six replicated farm yield trials (RFYT) have been planted. The earlier planted fields are usually the highest yielding. Hopefully this year will provide more normal temperatures with less natural disasters. However if problems do arise or you have any questions feel free to give me a call. I look forward to working with all of you.

District 3, NE Arkansas - Kurt Johns (870) 243-4696

District 3 has five yield trials planted out of seven in about a week and a half. Like everyone else in the area we're about done. I'm guessing we're around 80% planted in District 3 by the weekend if it doesn't rain. Things have been going so fast I have lost three trials in two weeks. I have seen rice emerged already and suspect I have a trial or two emerged already but haven't had a chance to look. We need a rain for chemical activation and it's about dry enough we're gonna need it to get the rice up. Hopefully we get it today.

District 4, N Central Arkansas - William "Hutch" Hutchens (870) 273-9291

We have been going all out for the past couple of weeks now and have gotten a long way into planting earlier than I can ever remember which isn’t very far. I have gotten three RFYTs’ planted to date. One Large Conventional RFYT on Joe Christian’s farm on Hwy 226 east of Cash, an Insecticide CLRFYT on Keith Watkins’ farm at Show Walters corner south of Searcy, and an Early CL RFYT on Steve Tinsley’s farm at the intersection of Hwy 226 and old Hwy 67. I will probably get a couple of more planted before the weekend, but I hope we get a rain to slow things down and help get this rice up that has been in the ground. I would expect that we are around 60-75% planted in D4 at this time with the way it is going it will all be over within about 5 days. If you need to get your drill calibrated please give me a call a few days ahead of time to give me time to get there. As always if you need anything or have a question please give me a call and I will help out any way I am able to.

District 5, Central Arkansas - Whitney Jones (501) 516-6904

Planting is wide open in D5. I would estimate total acres planted on the lighter soils to be around 60% and around 40% planted on the heavier ground. Between drill calibrations over the last two weeks, I have been able to get 3 of my 6 trials planted. The first was on Erik Greenwalt's farm north of Hazen on I-40. It is an early Clearfield trial with 6 different varieties. The next was on Randall Snider at Carlisle, also on I-40. This one is a large Clearfield trial with 9 different entries. And the third one was on Dale Hawkins which is down Hwy 381 south and west of Carlisle. This trial is a large non Clearfield trial that consists of 8 different entries. It looks like rice planting will be over with here in a couple of weeks if we don’t catch a rain pretty quick. If you have any questions or seed needs, please feel free to give me a call. And don’t forget that we still have some hybrid levee brand seed available.

District 6, Eastern Arkansas - Garrison Hardke (501) 772-1715

Rice planting in D6 is underway and seems to be progressing at record speed. Many growers hit the ground running on March 26 and haven’t looked back. I would estimate that the district is 35%-40% planted at this point, with several growers already finished. Exceptionally warm and dry conditions have allowed growers to plant on their heavy gumbo soils that typically don’t get planted until May. Many of these fields were planted in June last year, and growers have been determined to take advantage of this opportunity. Cost management is a top concern among customers these days, and rightfully so. With that in mind, I have been receiving numerous calls about seeding rates and drill calibration. Remember that once a drill is calibrated, we still need to keep an eye on the planters to make sure that we are maintaining the desired seeding rate. I would encourage everyone to take advantage of RiceTec’s free app for iPhone. When looking behind the planter, simply enter your target seeding rate and row spacing, and hit calculate. This will show you the target seeds per row/foot that you need to be looking for. As always, please give me a call if I can help in any way.

District 7, SE Arkansas - Jeff Branson (870) 578-8436

The unseasonably warm weather has gotten the 2012 growing season off to an early start. Rice was reported to have been planted as early as March 17th in the Stuttgart area. In most years planting that early would have ensured you the opportunity to replant, but it looks like this year warm weather has cooperated. The month of March had 16 days that high temperatures were above 80 degrees and 13 days where the low temperatures were in the 60’s. The conditions in mid March were too good for many producers to resist the temptation to plant 15 days earlier than recommended. Approximately 30% of the rice acres have been planted across southeast Arkansas and about 5% of those acres have emerged. As much as 3 inches of rain fell across parts of the district over the past few days and has brought the progress to a halt. Although the extended forecast does not include rain, it does appear that somewhat cooler temperatures are headed this way. If the low temperatures get back into the 40’s and the highs in the mid 70’s as the forecast is predicting, it will take at least 7 days before any more progress in the field can be made.

District 9, S Louisiana - Cullen Minter (337) 499-6498

Due to frequent rains in the area the 2012 Planting season is off to a slow start in South Louisiana. In many areas as the ground is almost dry enough to drill, we get another rain that keeps us out of the field. South Louisiana’s hybrid rice crop is roughly 40% planted. We still have time to drill hybrid rice in time to have full main and second crop potential, but we need a good break in the showers to get that done. While reviewing planting date study data on hybrid rice pertaining to main crop yields and second crop potential, we are not yet at the point where it is advantageous to start stopping up levees and soaking seed for water seeding. On a positive note concerning the rain: At least the rice isn’t the only vegetation green in the area for insects to eat, so far insect pressure has been minimal. Most of the hybrid rice has been treated with insecticide seed treatments, so it’s hard to say how high the pressure actually is. The rice that has emerged is moving along nicely and burning diesel has not been required flushing in most cases. Stand concern calls have been very minimal due to better hybrid planting practices in the area and warm weather. We have managed to get 1 of 7 Large Scale yield trials planted in the district on Ross Hebert’s farm between Kaplan and Abbeville on HWY 335. This is an Early Maturity Clearfield trial planted on March 30th.Pictured at right is a field of CLEARFIELD XL729 from East Central Louisiana emerging to a great stand.

District 10, Texas - Derrol Grymes (281) 381-9371

The planting season in the Texas Gulf Coast is in full swing. With what seems to be weekly rain storms, planting is dragging out longer than what we had hoped for. Still, most are not complaining about the rain following the drought of 2011. At this time I would estimate that we are just above 50% planted with a majority of the planted acres on the west side of Houston. The guys on the east side get close to getting back in the field and then get hit with another round of showers. Hopefully it will dry up soon and they can get started planting. With warm weather and good moisture, the fields that have been planted are emerging to a good stand within five to seven days after drilling. Most everything that we have seen emerging, looks good and is off to a good start. Since the weather patterns have been wetter than expected, some areas could be looking at a later than normal planted crop. In this scenario, you might want to consider converting your varietal acres to one of the hybrids. While the hybrids show a statistical economic advantage over the varieties when planted at normal timings, the advantage significantly increases for later planted rice.

__________________________________________________________________

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us or give us a call at 877.580.7423.