AgFax Rice - Louisiana
OVERVIEW
Rain began falling in the middle of the week through much of our coverage area. For the Midsouth, it was welcomed. In the coastal rice belt, totals were overwhelming in places. See comments by Dustin Harrell and DeWayne Dopslauf.
Diseases are turning up in southwest Louisiana. A little sheath blight and leaf blast have been detected.
In the Midsouth, plenty of rice seed had been planted in dry soil, so the rain could give growers a break where flushing up stands seemed likely.
LOUISIANA CROP REPORTS
Richard Griffing, Griffing Consulting, LLC, Monterey, Louisiana:
"Maybe as much as 50% of our rice has gone to flood. On the other hand, the last 700 acres of the 2019 rice crop will be planted tomorrow (6/4). The grower would have planted earlier but couldn't get seed. He wanted to go with a hybrid, and those were in short supply here. But with people pulling back on rice in Arkansas and Mississippi, the seed was available but had to be shipped in.
"A lot of flushing is underway and people are spraying, and more rice is going to flood now.
"Beans range from R3.5 to still being planted and a few more will be planted as flood water drops a bit. We started fungicides in places. Overall, beans look fair.
"This will be the latest crop in my 34-year career. It's certainly the most spread out. I'm optimistic but also realize it will be a long season."
Dustin Harrell, Louisiana Rice Extension Specialist, LSU Rice Research Station, Crowley:
"We had a couple of weeks of warm weather. The crop turned the corner and actually started looking good after all of this season's trials and tribulations.
"However, the trials and tribulations continue. Last night and this morning (6/6) it rained 4 to 12 inches in southwest Louisiana where 75% of the state's rice is grown. We already had high water in places and this adds to it. A lot of rice is under water and we're just hoping that we can move the water off as soon as possible.
"But fields anywhere near bayous may get backwater flooding if they haven't already. Plenty of water is heading in this direction.
"At the rice research station's north farm, it rained 6.4 inches. A gauge a mile or so away had a 9-inch total. The rain moved through quickly and stopped this morning and the sun came out. But, the forecast calls for an 80% chance of rain tomorrow. We're hoping it's not a big one.
"Obviously, we've got to move a massive amount of water off these fields and people also are concerned about how that will affect their midseason nitrogen where they've already applied it. How much of that fertilizer will they lose when they pump the water off?
"The key to determining that is when did you apply it? Typically, the crop takes up 75% to 80% of the nitrogen within 3 days of the application. So unless you applied it a day or two before the rain, you're probably okay. If you haven't applied it yet, wait until the water is drained off and the flood stabilizes.
"In places, we've started picking up sheath blight and a little leaf blast. Once we get past this water situation, start focusing on disease scouting and fungicides. We'll probably start finding heads next week in our earliest planted fields."