Natalie Hummel, LSU AgCenter entomologist, at far right, tells farmers at a field day in Jefferson Davis Parish about a test of seed treatments to control rice water weevil, the biggest insect pest of rice grown in Louisiana. Hummel said using the material has been shown to save as much as 1,000 pounds per acre of yield. This test is being conducted at the Mark Pousson farm near Welsh. (Photo by Bruce Schultz)

Xueyan Sha, LSU AgCenter rice breeder, at far left, tells farmers about new lines of rice he is developing, including an improved Jasmine-type that would have more aroma than the Jazzman variety released by the LSU AgCenter this year. Sha was talking at the Evangeline Parish Rice Field Day at the Bieber Farm near Mamou. (Photo by Bruce Schultz)

News Release Distributed 05/27/10

Rice farmers who see their crop starting to show bronzing on the leaves should consider a dose of zinc, an LSU AgCenter agronomist advised.

Dustin Harrell made his remarks at a field day in Evangeline Parish on Tuesday (May 25) and on Wednesday (May 26) in Jefferson Davis Parish.

Zinc deficiency can slow growth of young plants, and alkaline soils with a high pH can prevent rice plants from absorbing zinc, Harrell said. A field probably needs additional zinc if soil testing shows less than 1 part per million, he said.

“Once that rice gets severe zinc deficiency, it’s dead,” Harrell said.

He recommended adding one-half to a pound per acre when using a foliar zinc application. He said liquid chelated zinc products can also be added to the soil preplant at a rate of 1 to 2 pounds per acre.

Cold water pumped from the ground can induce zinc deficiency, he said, especially in parts of a field that get irrigation first. Also, salts can prevent zinc from being absorbed, Harrell said.

Natalie Hummel, LSU AgCenter entomologist, said she is conducting more tests on compounds to control rice water weevils at five locations across the state. She said the two main products, Dermacor and Cruiser Max, used as seed treatments have shown effectiveness. She said a yield difference of 1,000 pounds was found last year between an untreated field and one that received the seed treatment.

Steve Linscombe, rice breeder and director of the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station, said new Clearfield lines are being tested for yield potential this year. He estimates that 70 percent of this year’s rice acreage in Louisiana was planted in Clearfield, a technology developed at the Rice Station.

Linscombe said the Kellogg’s cereal company has not approved the new Clearfield medium-grain variety, CL261, until enough of the rice is available for a thorough round of testing this year.

“They are very anxious to get enough rice to do the full plant run,” he said.

Xueyan Sha, LSU AgCenter rice breeder, said a new Jasmine-type line of rice could be released next year. This new variety will have three times the aroma of the Jazzman variety released last year by the LSU AgCenter. He said the line matures three to four days earlier than Jazzman, and it is 3-4 inches shorter, with slightly lower yield potential.

Johnny Saichuk, LSU AgCenter rice specialist, said this year’s crop was slowed by cool weather, and spraying for weeds was delayed by constant winds.

“A lot of this crop is late because farmers delayed getting the water on it,” he said.

He estimated that this year’s crop in Louisiana will exceed 500,000 acres, adding that he has seen rice growing in new areas. Last year, Louisiana farmers planted 464,000 acres, according to LSU AgCenter figures.

Mike Salassi, LSU AgCenter economist, said he doesn’t expect prices to be favorable to farmers this year because of an anticipated acreage increase.

“In every rice state, this is more rice,” he said.

The current crop nationwide is estimated at 3.4 million acres, the largest since 1999, he said, and the carryover from last year’s crop is more than doubled from last year’s total. Exports are expected to remain the same, Salassi said.

Don Groth, LSU AgCenter plant pathologist, said farmers should watch for disease as the rice plant canopy closes. He said farmers should be most concerned about blast disease, and plan fungicide applications for it at 50-70 percent of heading. Severe leaf blast may require two applications, he said.

Eric Webster, LSU AgCenter weed specialist, said nutsedge appears to be a bigger problem this year. Some weeds, such as barnyardgrass, are developing resistance to the herbicide Newpath, and he advised that farmers should observe the basics of crop rotation.

Webster also told farmers that they often have to accept minor injury to a young crop from a herbicide to get effective weed control.