New Provisia Variety PVL03 A Game Changer For Southern Rice

From Horizon Ag

KAPLAN, LOUISIANA – Rice farmers at the recent Horizon Ag Louisiana Field Day had a chance to see firsthand how new PVL03, the latest variety for the Provisia® Rice System, can be used to effectively bring fields infested with weedy rice and resistant grasses back into profitable production.

After the cancellation of last year’s field day due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a season of disruptions, a sizable crowd came together at Richard Farm to hear the latest on the Provisia Rice System and top-performing Horizon Ag Provisia and Clearfield® varieties.

“We really wanted to be here last year but canceling was the right thing to do because of the pandemic,” said Horizon Ag general manager Dr. Tim Walker. “It is so good to see our customers and our industry partners in person and to have a chance to talk about the latest Horizon Ag developments, like new Provisia variety PVL03 and CLL17, the latest Clearfield variety from the Louisiana State University AgCenter breeding program.”

It’s been more than 20 years since the launch of the Clearfield Production System for rice. Since that time, no new weed control technology has been introduced that dramatically helps rice farmers overcome yield-robbing weedy rice and resistant grass problems in their fields like the Provisia Rice System from BASF.

With Horizon Ag’s PVL03 expected to be in good supply for commercial planting in 2022, farmers will have access to a Provisia variety proven in widespread testing to provide outstanding yields and milling quality, along with resistance to blast and Cercospora. Dr. Walker said he expects adoption of the technology will continue to increase dramatically in Louisiana and throughout the South.

“There is really no technology like Provisia available today,” he said. “Some other seed companies are playing catch-up and making unsubstantiated claims about their performance potential, but the Provisia Rice System with Provisia herbicide has already proven to be one of the most effective weed management tools available for Southern rice. Farmers have seen it, have experienced it, and are using it to completely turn around thousands of acres lost to weedy hybrid rice and resistance issues.”

PVL03, developed by Louisiana State University AgCenter breeders, is a long-grain rice with very good yield potential, milling and grain appearance – advantages over earlier Provisia variety lines. It also has both Pi-ta and Pi-ks genes for blast resistance.

“Blast resistance is very important to farmers in this area,” Walker noted. “It’s a game changer for this technology to have the same blast resistance we have in our most advanced Clearfield lines.”

In Louisiana trials in 2019 and 2020 , PVL03 yielded almost 8,500 pounds per acre, out-yielding Cheniere and putting it on par with top-yielding Clearfield varieties like CL153 in the Coastal Region.

The continued adoption of the Provisia system also sets the stage for farmers to begin to shift from simply rescuing infested fields to actually managing to prevent the development of resistant grasses – something that should be a positive for both the Provisia and Clearfield technologies for years to come.

“The strong performance potential of PVL03 means farmers can begin to adopt a four-year rotation system that consists of soybeans, Provisia rice, conventional rice and Clearfield rice, and achieve outstanding results,” said Walker. “This can rotate herbicide chemistries and extend the lives of these valuable technologies while maximizing the performance benefits with varieties like PVL03 and CLL17.”

CLL17, a Louisiana-bred Clearfield variety released commercially in 2020, attracted tremendous interest in the Coastal Region this season because of its potential for higher yields and milling premiums at a lower total production cost than comparable hybrids or conventional varieties.

It has consistently out-yielded CL153, the top-planted Louisiana variety in recent years in trials in the state and has solid ratoon crop potential. It also offers outstanding resistance to blast and Cercospora.

“CLL17 represents a step up in Clearfield varieties in Louisiana, the complete package of strong yield potential, excellent milling yield, very good grain quality and industry-leading resistance to blast,” said Dr. Walker. “A lot of farmers are getting a chance to see how well it performs in their fields this season and are liking what they are seeing.”

Horizon Ag Louisiana Field Day attendees also learned more about a new contest that celebrates rice farmers who achieve both great yields and great quality during the 2021 season. The ClearPro Rice Challenge by BASF is open to Clearfield and Provisia rice producers in the Southern rice producing region, with prizes awarded to top-scoring, qualifying participants.

“We are happy to be partnered with Horizon Ag and look forward to working together to build in Louisiana,” said Frank Hardimon, portfolio account manager for BASF. “The ClearPro Rice Challenge gives us a chance to showcase these great varieties that are coming out, like CLL17, PVL02 and new PLV03. Yields are always important, but it is also about quality. Horizon Ag has both in its varieties, and that’s good for farmers and the industry.”

Farmers can find out more and sign up for the ClearPro Rice Challenge at https://agriculture.basf.us/crop-protection/Campaigns/ClearPro-Rice-Challenge-by-BASF.html.