Farm Progress

Rice production this week in the Mid-South: Is that sheath blight or not? Arkansas’ DD50 program changes. Louisiana prepares for rice water weevils. MSU scientists change rice stink bug advice. Crop injury in Arkansas. Armyworms in Mississippi rice. Rice disease checklist.

Ed Phillips 1, Managing Editor

May 26, 2014

5 Min Read

With Mid-South rice planting nearing completion, growers are turning their attention to flooding fields and monitoring for insect pests and diseases. Here’s a roundup of what’s happening in the region’s rice fields.

 

Sheath blight or not?

“Correct disease identification is important since several rice diseases and disorders look like sheath blight or blast," says Don Groth of the LSU Rice Research Station. In his 2014 Rice Disease Newsletter No. 7, Groth provides photographs to help identify sheath blight and leaf blight from other diseases.

Arkansas’ DD50 program changes

Some changes have been made to the online DD50 program for rice this year. Access the DD50 program for 2014.

Louisiana: rice water weevils

Lousiana rice farmers should be prepared to deal with their worst insect pest, the rice water weevil, says LSU AgCenter entomologist Mike Stout. Many fields are being flooded, and that is the trigger for weevils to start laying eggs on the young rice plants. After hatching, the weevil larvae then feed on the rice plant roots. Stout says the cold winter and spring delayed the weevil emergence, but they have appeared as the temperatures have risen. “They’re out in good numbers now,” he says. Watch for rice weevils with warmer weather.

MSU scientists change rice stink bug advice

Mississippi rice producers may need to intensify their treatment of the most important late-season pest in rice based on new recommendations from researchers at the Delta Research and Extension Center. Jeff Gore, Mississippi State University Extension Service entomologist, conducts research with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station. He said past recommendations for rice stink bug treatment were based on a time frame rather than a growth stage. Get up-to-date on the new recommendations.

Crop injury

Injury to the Arkansas rice crop was common last week and it wasn’t pretty. Most of the rice fields have a couple of things in common – planted in late April to early May, and plants are short or stunted. Height reduction seems due to PRE herbicides, cold temps, and heavy rain. All of these things together seem to have resulted in unhealthy rice plants that don’t seem to be capable of overcoming adverse conditions and seedling diseases when they normally should, say Arkansas Extension specialists. In the May 23 Arkansas Rice Update they describe the problems and what growers can do to help their crops along.

Armyworms in Mississippi rice

Similar to most years when there are armyworms in wheat, there is the threat of having armyworms in seedling rice. At least one rice field in Mississippi that was sprayed early last week. In general, say Mississippi State University specialists and researchers, damage from armyworms will not impact rice yields at this time of year unless they are beginning to reduce plant stand. This is especially true in hybrid rice planted at low seeding rates. Armyworms in rice.

Crop progress and more

Arkansas rice progress

With about 95 percent of the Arkansas rice crop planted through last week, the first Arkansas fields were going to permanent flood, reported Arkansas Extension specialists. “If your field is ready – large enough, actively tillering, etc. – then maybe next week ahead of the rainy conditions is a good time to get fertilizer out and begin flood establishment. Don’t jump the gun on it though, maybe just what you need is some rain to boost plant growth and you can try to go to flood when it dries up again,” says Jarrod Hardke, rice Extension agronomist. Arkansas Rice Update, May 23, 2014.

Rice market factors

The rice market is no longer focused on the weather’s impact on planting but the impact on overall crop conditions and eventual production, says economist Scott Stiles of the Arkansas Extension Service. September rice futures continued to find support last week at $14.40. For the time being this is a key layer of price support to watch, he says. Read more about what to expect in rice markets in the May 23 Arkansas Rice Update.

    Check Rough Rice Futures Prices

Rice disease checklist

Don Growth of the LSU Rice Research Station offers some key rice management practices to help deal with diseases as well as help in planning your 2014 fungicide program in 2014 Rice Disease Newsletter No. 6.

Fungicide timing based on time of day

Does the time of day a fungicide is applied to rice affect disease control? Don Groth of the LSU Rice Research Station reports the results studies to determine if there is a best time to apply a fungicide. “Although this information is based on older fungicides, it does show there is a wide window for fungicide application during the day,” says Groth. ‘More importantly, it points out the need to avoid rainfall either after or before fungicide applications. Normally, you do not have control of when a fungicide is applied by an aerial applicator, but avoiding of rain events is important to get the most out of your fungicides.” 2014 Rice Disease Newsletter No. 7.

Urea market

At the Gulf, wholesale urea prices have now declined for the past eleven weeks. Global supplies are ample and imports from the Middle East origins have been steady. Gulf urea prices have been working lower since the start of March. More about future supplies and prices at May 23 Arkansas Rice Update.

About the Author(s)

Ed Phillips 1

Managing Editor, Delta Farm Press

Ed Phillips, managing editor of Delta Farm Press, is a native Mississippian and had daily/weekly newspaper and magazine experience before joining Farm Press in 1977. He has served in various editorial management positions for the company's farm, equipment, and professional turf management publications.

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