USA
May 22, 2014
As planting wraps up in the Mid-South, Clearfield® varieties will once again have strong market share, despite reports of some farmers going back to planting conventional varieties and an increase in demand for medium grain.
Consistent yield performance, stable weed management costs and grain quality are the things that keep farmers planting Horizon Ag varieties. Based on the difficult weather environment we've encountered, having Clearfield varieties in the ground has been very positive in many ways with the most notables being excellent seedling vigor and high tolerance to two important grass herbicides, Command® and Newpath®.
Unfortunately, grassy weeds tend to grow more rapidly in cool temperatures than rice. Because Clearfield varieties have consistently tolerated Command and Newpath in cool temperatures, many in the field report the ability to manage fast-growing grass more effectively without fear of injuring rice. In the long run, vigor and tolerance are important from both a weed resistance standpoint and yield performance standpoint. Keeping fields clean by overlaying residual herbicides has proven to be the best option for weed control and protecting yield potential.
Preflood Nitrogen
With permanent flood just around the corner, fields need to be cleaned of weeds soon and farmers should prepare for the most important fertilizer application of the season. The preflood nitrogen (N) application is the largest amount of N applied for the year and subsequently has the highest potential for loss. Urea is the most common form of N used. It is critical to protect preflood urea from ammonia volatilization. The longer urea is left on the ground prior to flood, the more likely volatilization is to occur.
According to research from University of Arkansas, Mississippi State University and Louisiana State University, losses from volatilization can range between 10 to 30 percent for a 10-day period depending on soil type and weather conditions. The best way to ensure against volatilization loss is to apply urea onto dry soil then flood within three to five days. If this is not possible, using a urease inhibitor containing N-(n-butyl) thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT) is well worth the investment. In research conducted at the same three universities, stabilizer products that contain NBPT at 20 to 27 percent and applied at three to four quarts per ton of urea have stabilized urea from ammonia volatilization losses for 10 to 14 days after application. Products that claim to stabilize N from volatilization that do not have NBPT at the rates specified above have not proven effective.
Nitrogen Rates
Nitrogen rates and management differ greatly across the southern Rice Belt. Each state's land-grant institution does a great job of determining N rate and application timing recommendations. However, growers must understand that recommendations are typically based on an average response. The development of the N-ST*R system aims to ultimately improve N recommendations, and has been outstanding in a lot of situations. There are still some holes in the test, especially on high clay content soils.
Precise N rates and timing will depend on soil type and location, however the basic suggested N rate for CL111 is 120 to 165 pounds per acre.
CL151 requires less N with the range being 90 to 140 pounds per acre. CL151 is very susceptible to lodging. Excessive rates of N at midseason (>60 lb N/A) tend to increase lodging potential due to increased top-growth that puts more pressure on a naturally weak stalk near the base of the plant. Research has demonstrated the best way to manage this variety is to apply the bulk of the recommended N rate preflood with no more than 45 pounds per acre at midseason. On the other hand, CL152 has good stalk strength, but excessive preflood N rates can exacerbate kernel smut and shading. The recommended rate range for CL152 is 120 to 165 pounds per acre.
The Horizon Ag field team is happy to assist you in determining the appropriate N rates and application timings to help you be successful growing Clearfield varieties.
Sunny Bottoms
Technical Services Manager
(225) 241-5526
Horizon Ag Crop Report
Texas and Louisiana
Stable yield performance under extreme blast pressure in 2012 coupled with it meeting quality demands made by mills in southern Louisiana put CL111 into many Texas and Louisiana farmers' planting mix again this season. Acreage planted to this Horizon Ag variety should be strong.
Rice in southern Louisiana and Texas is looking pretty good, but it seems to be in slow motion. There is a small percentage of rice yet to be planted due to the crawfish harvest. Many farmers are applying the second shot of herbicide and taking their rice to flood, and some have already been at flood stage. Last year was a late crop for these farmers and this crop is progressing very similar to last year. On our farm in 2013, we put out our first midseason fertilizer on May 20, and this year our first midseason fertilizer went out on May 21.
Things are looking pretty good and no major problems in the field reported so far. Rain last week really helped some of the southern Louisiana parishes. West of Houston, Texas even received much needed rain with some reports of up to 6 inches, but as little as 0.5 inch closer to the coast.
Northern Louisiana is a different story as there is still perhaps 15% of the rice acres left to be planted. I have received some phone calls with farmers asking about herbicide options, so there is some rice being sprayed and some being planted. I do not know of any fields being at permanent flood stage. Some people are back in the field planting after the rains early last week, but some places are still too wet. The farmers I have talked to are pleased with their stands and the rice is looking good, but they just want to finish planting. Whether it is rice or beans, these guys are running wide open and really want to finish.
Michael Fruge
Sales Manager, Texas and Louisiana
(832) 260-6193
Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri
Things are really starting to shape up after the stop-and-go start to planting and farmers are close to finishing up. The rain that occurred a week ago was much needed for most farms. Even though we were just drying up from a substantial rain event the soil was starting to crust over and growers needed to start flushing on a lot of acres. Stand counts look good overall. There are a few thin stands here and there where flood water covered the fields for several days and farmers will have to make decisions to live with it or replant to soybeans.
Lately, it seems like, if it isn't raining the wind is howling, making herbicide application difficult. The weather looks to get back to normal this week, so hopefully growers will be able to get ahead of the weed pressure in places. If the ground can dry out growers should also be able to re-build levees where needed. The earliest rice in Arkansas and Mississippi is healthy and starting to tiller well. We should see some of that rice go to flood within the next week. The earliest planted rice in Missouri may go to flood in the next 7 to 10 days
Garrett Williams
Sales Manager, Mississippi, Arkansas and Missouri
(573) 820-5506
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