AgFax Rice - Louisiana

By AgFax Media LLC, AgFax.com

Ashley Peters, Peters Crop Consulting, Crowville, Louisiana:

"A few growers are still trying to get a stand in places and I think one guy replanted a little rice yesterday (6/26), unfortunately.

"Some rice is at green ring now and we're scouting for disease in it. A big portion of the crop also is moving close to green ring. We'll be doing midseason applications next week. A little of the late-planted rice still isn't going to flood yet but the majority of our fields are either at flood or quickly heading that way.

"My rice acres are down 15% this year, maybe 20%. It's been a tough year all around. In one instance, ground was watered 3 times in order to plant soybeans and I still don't know if they've been planted."

Dustin Harrell, Louisiana Rice Extension Specialist, LSU Rice Research Station, Crowley:

"More rice is heading in southwest Louisiana. We're now seeing the effects of uneven stands that developed after planting. Plenty of rice had germination issues or emerged very slowly, and in places it came through much later.

"Now, we're seeing rice that's heading but other nearby plants only have 2- to 3-inch panicles in the boot. In those fields, maturity will be a spread-out process. Once those first plants are mature and ready for harvest, they may have to wait in the field a little longer for the rest of the rice to catch up. That may be a factor in terms of milling.

"The weather forecast calls for a high probability of rain tomorrow (6/28), with about 10 days of rain chances after that. So, we need to closely check for diseases. Also, the rain could affect pollination, depending on when it falls. The prime period for pollination is between about 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Rainfall or even high winds at that time can blank grain that is primed for pollination on that day."