Mississippi Rice Progress – June 28, 2013

Favorable weather conditions continue to help this crop progress.  Major problems outside of drift have been few for most of the spring; however, a few different issues have come up this week.  Dr. Jeff Gore was called to help address a severe chinch bug issue in Tunica County.  The field was planted to a RiceTec hybrid and was not treated with an insecticide seed treatment.  After two applications of a pyrethroid and flushing, a high number of chinch bugs were still present and causing damage to the rice.  Finally, an application of Valent USA’s new Belay insecticide in addition to flooding was recommended.  Dr. Jason Bond has been called to look at possible Newpath resistant barnyardgrass.  Dr. Bond has identified a number of fields over the last several years where the barnyardgrass has increased tolerance to Newpath herbicide.  Increased cases of grass tolerance/resistance to Newpath is alarming.  Please beware of incidences where grass control is not what is expected.  If you suspect that herbicides are not controlling grass, please contact Jason or me so that we can give these concerns due diligence as we try to minimize the problem of weed resistance.

Since we are planted and much of our rice has or is going to flood, I took some time this week to look at where this crop stands for the remainder of the season.  I have put together a table based on USDA’s weekly crop progress reports that predicts 1/2 inch internode, 50% heading, and harvest date for rice emerging each week beginning April 14 DD50 Predictions 2013.  Based on normal weather patterns, approximately 25% of our USDA predicted plantings have reached or will reach 1/2 inch internode elongation by early next week.  Another 30% is within a week of 1/2 inch internode.  With this being the case, it is important to begin scouting for diseases.  The weather forecast for next week will be near perfect for sheath blight and leaf blast to proliferate.  Since we are approaching the time of growth to scout for and treat diseases, I’d like to point you to an article Dr. Don Groth, Rice Pathologist at the Rice Research Station in Crowley, LA, sent out today.  It can be found at http://www.rice.msstate.edu/states/2013/rice-disease-newsletter6-27-13.pdf.  If you have concerns about rice diseases, Dr. Tom Allen or I will work to identify and provide recommendations for treatment.  In addition to making management decisions over the next few weeks, I also put together a chart showing the percentage of the crop by date that it will be ready for harvest Predicted Rice Harvest.  The bulk of the crop will be ready for harvest during the month of September.  Unfortunately, a small percent of the crop could extend into the month of November.

The USDA acreage report came out at 11:00 a.m. today.  It can be accessed http://www.usda.gov/nass/PUBS/TODAYRPT/acrg0613.pdf at I am quite perplexed with USDA predicting Mississippi to have 160,000 planted rice acres.  I have had many people ask me (USDA not being one of them) my thoughts on what rice acres are in Mississippi.  Based on my conversations with folks in the seed trade, consultants, distributor field representatives, and growers, I had settled on Mississippi having approximately 100,000 acres.  I confess I am being a little sarcastic, but I can tell you that many seedsmen, consultants, and those who conduct research programs that are largely based on the number of acres planted would like to know where the additional 40,000 to 60,000 acres are in Mississippi.  It is interesting that Mississippi was the only state USDA predicts to be up in rice acreage….not only up, but up 23% from last year.  If I am wrong, I will gladly eat crow at the end of the season, because if there are 60,000 acres of additional rice in our state, we will have many benefactors.

Let me remind you to pencil in July 30th for the Mississippi Rice Field Day.  It will begin with registration at 2:30 in the Capps Center in Stoneville.  After a presentation from Andy Morris with Mars, Inc., tour trailers will depart for the field at 3:40.  We hope you can attend.