AgFax Rice - Louisiana
By AgFax.com, AgFax Media LLC
OVERVIEW
This year's rice crop continues to run behind on a wide basis in both the Midsouth and the coastal rice belt of Louisiana and Texas.
Rain and cold weather have delayed emergence where rice has been planted in the Delta. Somewhat warmer weather seeped into the region over the last couple of days, which has helped plant growth in places. But our contacts continue to say that more heat and drier conditions will be needed to gain momentum.
Further planting in the Midsouth stalled due to heavy rains early in the week. As we closed this issue on Wednesday night, rain was moving through portions of the Midsouth, so further delays are expected. Rains also developed in parts of coastal Louisiana and Texas.
More rice should have already moved to flood in the coastal belt but many of those tillering plants still remain too small to risk cranking up the pumps. Plants also are noticeably stressed from cold conditions, so some growers and crop advisors are holding back on pre-flood herbicide applications until the crop perks up.
How much longer seed treatments will hold has become a concern now. Where rice was slow to emerge, both fungicide and insecticide activity will likely play out before fields go to flood. That raises concerns about seedling disease pressure and damage from grape colaspis in areas where it's commonly found. By the time many fields go to flood, activity on rice water weevils will have faded away as well.
LOUISIANA CROP REPORTS
Dustin Harrell, Louisiana Rice Extension Specialist, LSU Rice Research Station, Crowley:
"After several weeks of cool weather and a significant amount of rain, plenty of our rice is pretty banged up. The weather is in a gradual warming trend, and rice is recovering and looking better, but it's moving slowly.
"We have herbicides that need to go out this week but growers are contending with strong winds, so it's problematic when and where anyone can make applications. Some rice is going to permanent flood but it will probably be next week before we see that on a wide basis.
"A good deal of this rice remains on the short side due to cold conditions. Even though it's tillering, plants need to add a little more height before the pumps begin running. These warmer conditions should at least help bring the rice along.
"In northeast Louisiana, growers have made limited progress with planting and need dry conditions before they can get in the field again. In that part of the state a big portion of the rice goes on heavier clay soils, and those fields are the last to dry up. Barring any more big rain events, we hope producers can push ahead with planting next week.
"People are asking whether to apply herbicides on rice that's been clearly affected by the cold, wet weather. We don't want to lose any stands by spraying rice that's already stressed."