As Harvesting Gains Momentum, All Eyes on Yields and Quality

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<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/eddfb572-3648-5fab-5855-3db4969bffd1.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="Ratoon crop from CLL19 production field in Lavaca County, Texas"/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>Ratoon crop from CLL19 production field in Lavaca County, Texas</i></p>
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Harvest is wrapping up in south Louisiana and Texas. I estimate that south Louisiana is 85 to 90% complete, with the majority of the remaining acres located in the northern part of the region. The western Texas Rice Belt is 95% complete, and I estimate that the eastern region of Texas is 70% complete. 

Yields have dropped off some the later we advance into the harvest season. Yields have still been decent in both Texas and south Louisiana, overall, but as I have mentioned in past updates, quality appears to be lower than in years past. I believe that the hot, dry weather that has been favorable for harvest efficiency has also caused problems with milling.

It’s exciting to see that PVL03 is still one of the top millers in Louisiana, considering the significant acreage it was planted on this year.

The condition of the ratoon crop is a little all over the place. I have heard of some fields having quick regrowth and others that have not had it. Surface water availability and the possibility of salt intrusion in far south Louisiana has hampered the flooding of some of the later ratoon fields.

If you would like me to look at something or have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Corey Conner
District Field Representative
337-249-9523

Though some rice has been harvested, we are still a few days away from really getting going. The little bit of rice that has been harvested indicates we likely have a good yielding crop in the field.  

It is still too early to know about milling. I’ve received some calls about applying sodium chlorate. When I was with Mississippi State, I never recommended salting more than I could harvest in 3 days. The University of Arkansas says 5 days. The way I see it, especially early in the season, what you think you can harvest in 3 days usually takes a day or so longer anyway. Just be careful. 

Harvest efficiency is important, especially this year when multiple crops are finishing at the same time; however, milling is an important factor in the final price you receive. Some varieties hold head rice milling at lower moistures better than others. 

We strongly recommend harvesting CLL16 at moistures above 15% to capitalize on the best milling potential. PVL03 is a variety that seems to be more stable in milling across a wider range of harvest moisture.

Dr. Tim Walker
General Manager
901-590-9564

We are finally arriving at the end of the season.  Harvest has started on a small scale in my territory.  I think, however, it will be wide open next week.

Draining continues across the area and I believe we will have this crop fully drained by the first or second week in September. I have not heard any yield or milling reports to date but should be getting some yield reports in next.

We are in a hot, dry stretch and, according to the forecast, I would caution on draining too soon. We want to make sure that we have enough moisture in the field to finish the crop out in good condition. The dry weather is good for harvesting but we do not want to sacrifice some grain fill opportunity at this point in the year.

I hope everyone has a good and safe harvest season.  If you need anything, please let me know and I will help any way I can.

William "Hutch" Hutchens
District Field Representative
870-273-9291

Rainfall has been well above the average for the month of August. Most of the crop is at the grain fill stage and many of the fields are being drained this week. There was a little bit of rice salted this weekend and harvest will be fast approaching. 

Most of the rice will be ready to harvest after Labor Day. Both the CLL16 and CLL18 in my territory continues to look impressive. The CLL16 appears to be in position to have another steady year from a yield standpoint. The CLL18 continues to impress with a very large panicle size, which has many farmers hopeful for exceptional yields in these fields. 

The CLM04 looks very strong from a yield potential standpoint even though most of that variety was planted at or below 55 lbs/acre. As always, please refer to the Horizon Ag App for agronomic information on disease ratings of our products, or feel free to continue reaching out with any questions or concerns you may have. 

Thank you to everyone who attended our field day on August 17, 2023 at the University of Arkansas NERREC in Harrisburg. Thank you for your support of Horizon Ag.

Chase Kagen
District Field Representative
870-273-9283

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/13bf0b23-becc-de2f-a01f-e545ee5008ed.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="Jason Satterfield, talking about the latest varieties in Harrisburg"/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>Jason Satterfield, talking about the latest varieties in Harrisburg</i></p>
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I do not have any yield reports from my territory as of now, but fully expect some rice to be harvested before the end of the month. By Labor Day weekend, I expect things to be running wide open. 

A substantial amount of rice has been drained and the number of drained fields increases daily. With the increases in temperature this week, it made some growers consider not pulling the plug prematurely, especially on lighter textured soils. That is the wisest decision at this point, plus the extended forecast looks to give us a great start to 2023 harvest.  

In conclusion, I would like to say thanks to all my growers, retail and industry partners that attended the Horizon Ag Arkansas field day last week. You have helped make 2023 a successful year. Let’s finish strong and please remember to be safe during this busy harvest season. If you have any questions or need help with anything, please give me a call.

Jason Satterfield
District Field Representative
870-273-9283

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/3c84a228-92b1-59f3-2213-c6c6766b4893.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="Clearfield test plots in Harrisburg at the University of Arkansas Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center"/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>Clearfield test plots in Harrisburg at the University of Arkansas Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center</i></p>
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That’s how Horizon Ag general manager Dr. Tim Walker described the Clearfield® and Provisia® rice varieties available to plant next season to more than 100 farmers, consultants and rice industry leaders who attended the company’s recent Arkansas Field Day in Harrisburg at the University of Arkansas Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center.

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/014a4527-7828-efc5-e7d2-48473da4b535.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="Dr. Tim Walker presenting at the Arkansas Field Day"/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>Dr. Tim Walker presenting at the Arkansas Field Day</i></p>
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“It is exciting to talk about the products we have today that are being brought to market through Horizon Ag’s long-standing partnership with the outstanding breeding programs here in Arkansas and the southern rice region,” said Dr. Walker. “We strive every day to be a good partner with the industry and, most importantly, with farmers, by offering products that provide the best opportunity for them to be more profitable, and the U.S. rice industry to meet the needs of the domestic and export consumers.”

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/_thumbs/9626013f-6cb4-acbd-ca42-aa4f973b5715.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="Dustin Engler (left), Jonesboro, shared his experiences with PVL03. Zack Tanner (right), Bernie, Missouri, talked about the performance of CLL18 and CLL19 on his farm."/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>Dustin Engler (left), Jonesboro, shared his experiences with PVL03.<br>
Zack Tanner (right), Bernie, Missouri, talked about the performance of CLL18 and CLL19 on his farm.</i></p>
</center>

This season, Horizon Ag had a limited launch of CLL18, the newest Clearfield variety from University of Arkansas breeders, after it had consistently outyielded other elite rice varieties in multi-state, multi-year tests. In addition to providing farmers very high yield potential and good milling, CLL18 is a conventional statured rice with excellent straw strength and good tolerance to sheath blight. It is moderately susceptible to rice blast.

Joining CLL18 and proven performer CLL16 in the Horizon Ag lineup next season will be new CLL19, an outstanding semi-dwarf variety from the LSU AgCenter breeding program. CLL19 represents a significant step up over what it’s replacing – CLL17, another early maturing variety – in terms of yield potential and stalk strength, in addition to excellent blast resistance and milling quality.

PVL03, the number one variety planted in neighboring Louisiana in 2023, also is making inroads into the North Delta. Next season, PVL03 will be joined by PVL04, the latest variety released for the Provisia Rice System, and the first from the University of Arkansas breeding program.

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<p style="Margin:0;-webkit-text-size-adjust:none; -ms-text-size-adjust:none; line-height:27px; margin-bottom:14px; color:#333333; font-size:16px">The <em>Horizon Ag Productivity App</em> provides easy access to decision-making features for 2023 Horizon Ag <strong><a href="https://www.horizonseed.com/varieties/clearfield?utm_source=HorizAg&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=news&amp;utm_id=07272023&amp;utm_content=link-varieties" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust:none; -ms-text-size-adjust:none; mso-line-height-rule:exactly; text-decoration:underline; color:#236192; font-size:16px" target="_blank">Clearfield</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.horizonseed.com/varieties/provisia?utm_source=HorizAg&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=news&amp;utm_id=07272023&amp;utm_content=link-varieties" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust:none; -ms-text-size-adjust:none; mso-line-height-rule:exactly; text-decoration:underline; color:#236192; font-size:16px" target="_blank">Provisia</a></strong>&nbsp;varieties and<span style="text-align:center">&nbsp;is available by searching “Horizon Ag” in the </span><strong style="text-align:center"><a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/horizon-ag/id1614880264" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust:none; -ms-text-size-adjust:none; mso-line-height-rule:exactly; text-decoration:underline; color:#236192; font-size:16px" target="_blank">App Store</a></strong><span style="text-align:center">&nbsp;or </span><strong style="text-align:center"><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.horizonag.app" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust:none; -ms-text-size-adjust:none; mso-line-height-rule:exactly; text-decoration:underline; color:#236192; font-size:16px" target="_blank">Google Play</a></strong><span style="text-align:center">.</span></p>
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Harvest is wrapping up in south Louisiana and Texas. We are finally arriving at the end of the season in the Grand Prairie and south Arkansas. Though some rice has been harvested, we are still a few days away from really getting going in Mississippi and North Louisiana. Rainfall has been well above the average for the month of August. Most of the crop is at the grain fill stage and many of the fields are being drained this week in north central Arkansas.

Harvest Advancing in Deep South, North Delta Crop Looks Promising

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<img src="https://uewvpb.stripocdn.email/content/guids/CABINET_6695210d0793b5f148f2444d7ca09e3915bd603cb4d1fb925e326141a10566c7/images/merigoldmscll19530x397x2.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="CLL19 in Merigold, Mississippi"/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>CLL19 in Merigold, Mississippi</i></p>
</center>

Dry, hot weather has allowed harvest in South Louisiana to continue with few interruptions. I would estimate harvest is 65% to 70% complete in the region.  As we move into August, yields and milling quality have started a slight decline. From reports that I have heard, PVL03 has been one of the top millers so far this year, and considering it is planted on over 30% of the acres in Southwest Louisiana, it will help the overall quality in my territory. 

Harvest is also moving along in Texas. On the western side of Houston, I estimate harvest is 60% to 70% complete. CL153 yields are still being reported to be in the mid-to-upper 50 bbl/acre. PVL03 yields have been in the upper 40s to the lower 50s bbl/acre.  Harvest in the Beaumont area has begun as well and will continue to ramp up.

The rice crop in the Upper Delta is one of the most uniform in terms of heading and maturity that I can remember. Regardless of whether you are in North Louisiana or the Bootheel of Missouri, the majority of the rice was planted in a similar planting window. Social media was a bit active over the weekend into early this week with the “first harvest of 2023”, but by in large harvest will not begin much until next week, and should be fully underway by August 25 considering we have favorable weather. We’ve endured a few stretches of hotter nighttime temps than we’d like, but from what I’m seeing, I think we have an excellent crop in the field.

<center>
<img src="https://uewvpb.stripocdn.email/content/guids/CABINET_6695210d0793b5f148f2444d7ca09e3915bd603cb4d1fb925e326141a10566c7/images/bolivarcountycll18530x398x2.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="CLL18 in Bolivar County, Mississippi"/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>CLL18 in Bolivar County, Mississippi</i></p>
</center>

We like what we see with our newer Clearfield® varieties. CLL18 does, in fact, appear to be 3 to 5 days earlier than CLL16. CLL19 has returned impressive yields in South Louisiana and Texas (60+ barrels per acre which is 215 bushels per acre). It is several days earlier than CLL16 and a few days earlier than CLL18.

PVL03 fields continue to be some of the cleanest fields we see. The Provisia® herbicide is definitely the superior ACCase herbicide of the two competing technologies, especially in controlling grasses.

Dry, hot weather has allowed harvest in South Louisiana to continue with few interruptions. The rice crop in the Upper Delta is one of the most uniform in terms of heading and maturity that I can remember. Regardless of whether you are in North Louisiana or the Bootheel of Missouri, the majority of the rice was planted in a similar planting window. 

Harvest underway in the Coastal Region, fungicide applications going out in North Delta

Harvest has begun in South Louisiana and the Western Texas Rice Belt. Yield reports so far have been very good across all varieties, and milling has been higher than the numbers we saw last year. 

CL153 yields in Texas have been consistently in the mid to upper 50s (barrels) range. The one field of PVL03 that I know of in Texas made the upper 40s (barrels) in yield. The production field of CLL19 in Texas brought in yields in the lower 60s (barrels). I have not heard of any milling yields as of yet from Texas.

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/38e0e76b-259b-1eb9-36fb-f542d30cc631.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="PVL03 being harvested in Louisiana."/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>PVL03 being harvested in Louisiana.</i></p>
</center>

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/714da187-9891-23f5-55e4-10352b5461fb.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="New CLL19 in Crowley, Louisiana."/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>New CLL19 in Crowley, Louisiana.</i></p>
</center>

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/69dc78f9-2371-bb26-6b4c-6dd34f0a8169.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="PVL03 and new PVL04 in
Crowley, Louisiana."/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>PVL03 and new PVL04 in
Crowley, Louisiana.</i></p>
</center>

In Louisiana, yield reports for PVL03 have ranged from the lower 40s to the lower 50s (barrels), but the majority of the yields are reported to be in the upper 40s (barrels). CL111 is also yielding strong, with fields in the lower 50s. Limited milling data is available now, but the first reports I have heard show both PVL03 and CL111 milling very well. As harvest ramps up this week, I hope that we continue to have the favorable harvest conditions that we have had so far this year. 

PVL03 is also showing quick regrowth after harvest. Wetting the field soon after harvest is important, but don’t hold a deep flood.

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/22caf20a-98be-6eb0-26bf-71bf6a7a94cf.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="CLL16 (left) and CLL18 (darker green) in Washington County, Mississippi. Photo compliments of farmer Marvin Cochran."/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;"><i>CLL16 (left) and CLL18 (darker green) in Washington County, Mississippi.<br>
Photo compliments of farmer Marvin Cochran.</i></p>
</center>

Rice in my territory continues to progress. Some draining is likely to begin next week and with the forecasted return to hotter days with little to no rainfall, the crop should continue to develop rapidly. As one farmer put it, “the crop looks scary good at this stage.” The last two weeks of weather were conducive for sheath blight development. Hopefully, fungicides were applied at the appropriate rates and timings to protect the upper canopy. Kernel smut is also a disease that has to be protected against by using propiconazole before rice heading.

The Clearfield® Rice Production System has been used on some farms here for over 20 years. There’s no question the effectiveness against weedy rice/red rice is not what it once was. At this time of the season, we suggest surveying farms and paying special attention to fields that have higher concentrations of weedy rice. These are candidate fields/farms to begin introducing the newer Provisia® Rice System in the next cycle of rice production.

We wish you the best for a strong finish to what has been an impressive-looking crop thus far. Let me know how I can help.

The crop has been moving right along in my territory, with rice mostly in late reproductive stages. I am starting to see more and more rice heading every day. I do know of some rice that has been drained and I expect to see some more rice draining in the next couple of weeks. 

The fields of CLL18 that I have been watching have looked very good all year. The variety has kept a very healthy, deep green color and has exhibited good, conventional height. Standability has been notable to this point, and it has tillered very well. Most of the CLL18 in my area is in the late boot stage and should be heading soon. I am excited to see how this potentially very high-yielding variety performs in the territory.

If I can be of any help, please let me know.

William “Hutch” Hutchens
District Field Representative
870-273-9291

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/acdac6a3-fce1-ea46-4743-7f0ca71d98e7.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="CLL18 in Craighead County, Arkansas."/>
<p style="font-size:11px; max-width:530px; text-align:center; padding-top:5px;">CLL18 in Craighead County, Arkansas.</p>
</center>

Most of my area has received significant rainfall in the last 10 days – much of which was welcomed on our customers’ alternative crops. With the majority of our rice in the late boot to heading stage, the cooler days coupled with overcast and rainy weather have led to an enormous amount of sheath blight pressure. 

I have had several calls concerning disease ratings of the Clearfield varieties and fungicide recommendations. One recommendation I have given is to add an additional amount of propiconazole for kernel smut and Cercospora protection. As always, please refer to the Horizon Ag mobile app for agronomic information on disease ratings of our products, or feel free to continue reaching out with any questions or concerns you may have.

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                      <td align="center" style="padding:0; Margin:0; padding-top:30px; padding-left:30px; padding-right:30px;"><h2><strong>Horizon Ag Field Day August 17</strong></h2></td>
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                      <td align="center" style="padding:0; Margin:0; padding-bottom:10px; padding-left:30px; padding-right:30px; color:#003963"><p style="Margin:0; line-height:24px; margin-bottom:14px; color:#333333; font-size:16px" _blank="">With high-yielding CLL18 joining proven top performers like CLL16 and PVL03 this season and promising new Arkansas-bred varieties like PVL04 and CLM05 in the pipeline, the 2023 Horizon Ag Arkansas Field Day is the place to find out about varieties that help farmers set the stage for higher yield, better milling quality, and overall improved profit potential.</p><p style="Margin:0; line-height:24px; margin-bottom:14px; color:#333333; font-size:16px" _blank=""><strong>The event will be held at the University of Arkansas Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center in Harrisburg. Tours start at 5 p.m.</strong>, with the field day including presentations from university researchers, industry specialists, and rice farmers, followed by dinner.</p></td>
                     </tr>
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                      <td align="center" style="padding:0; Margin:0; padding-left:20px; padding-right:20px; padding-bottom:30px; font-size:0px;"><img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/96ae4725-d100-b06b-ff53-44301fb50a7c.png" alt="" style="display:block; border:0; outline:none; text-decoration:none; width="214"></td>
                     </tr>
                   </tbody></table>
</center>

The month of July has flown by, and the crop is moving right along with it. There is a lot of rice heading or beginning to head at this point. It is weird to say, but thankfully we appear to have a drier forecast to wrap up July. It seems like we have received more rain than usual and, combined with high temperatures and humidity, it created a perfect environment for sheath blight. There were reports across the board in fields throughout my territory over the past couple of weeks, but growers and consultants have managed things really well. Keep up the good work and let’s finish this crop out strong. 

PVL04 seed production is looking good. This will be the first University of Arkansas Provisia variety to be released. This variety has excellent milling and grain length. It also has good standability and blast resistance. With the potential yield increase for this variety, it will continue to improve the Provisia lineup. Please reach out to me if I can help in any way or if you would like to go look at any rice variety.

Jason Satterfield
District Field Representative
901-347-9715

Harvest has begun in South Louisiana and the Western Texas Rice Belt. Rice in Mississippi and North Louisiana continues to progress. The crop has been moving right along in Grand Prairie and South Arkansas. Most of North Central Arkansas has received significant rainfall in the last 10 days.

Rice Rebounding With Arrival of Warmer Temps

Growing conditions have improved in the past two weeks, and rice is starting to move along as we approach midseason. We are close to 50% to 60% under flood in Louisiana and close to 75% to 80% under flood in the western Rice Belt in Texas. On the east side of Houston, we are 45% to 50% under flood.

As we move into the next part of the growing season, the time for fungicide applications for control of Cercospora will be here before we know it. Per LSU AgCenter Rice Specialist Ronnie Levy: “Cercospora caused substantial yield losses in some varieties in 2022. Cercospora on the stems and panicles resembles blast symptoms with similar yield losses. The best way to protect yield loss from Cercospora is to apply the higher labeled rates of propiconazole fungicides at the 2-4 inch panicle stage in the boot. Cercospora tends to be more widespread in later planting windows and when environmental conditions are present.”

I recommend treating PVL03 for Cercospora, since it has shown the potential to reduce yields in many later planted fields showing infection in the stems and panicles.

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/d7edefe7-2253-d877-3814-d85220068a39.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="CLL18 going to flood in Jeff Davis Parish, Louisiana."/>
<p style="font-size:10px;max-width:530px;text-align:center;padding-top:5px;">CLL18 going to flood in Jeff Davis Parish, Louisiana.</p>
</center>

Rice planting is nearing completion in most of my territory. There have been a few pockets where more than 3- to 4-day field runs have been hard to come by due to the frequency of rains. The same rains that have delayed some plantings have also benefitted weed control as clomazone and pendimethalin applications have remained active longer than normal.

Off-target herbicide drift has once again reared its head in Mississippi. Most of the rice and soybean acres were planted about the same time, and when this happens, we expect higher incidences of off-target herbicide drift. Though we never like to deal with the ill effects of drift, paraquat and metribuzin are the more common actives in drift cases these days, and, in most situations, rice does seem to grow beyond drift effects of contact herbicides sooner compared to systemic herbicides like glyphosate.

Current weather and soil conditions are allowing for more favorable growth, and the earliest planted rice in my territory will start to go to flood within a week to 10 days.

Row-irrigated rice is a more common practice, and a popular question is how to manage nitrogen. Dr. Justin Chlapecka included nitrogen management for row-irrigated rice in his Ph.D. research and continues to study it today at the University of Missouri.

Based on his research, for heavy clay soil, he recommends 75 lbs. of N/acre at the 5- to 6-leaf rice, an additional 75 lbs. of N/acre applied two weeks later, and a final 46 lbs. of N/acre between green ring and ½-inch internode elongation. On coarser textured soils (silt loams, sandy loams, etc.), the recommendation is to have three applications of 46 lbs. of N/acre spaced one week apart, beginning at the normal “pre-flood” application timing

Please mark your calendars for the 2023 Horizon Ag
Louisiana Field Day on June 27.

It will be held on Christian Richard’s farm near
Kaplan beginning at 5:00 p.m.

While there will be some more rice planted, we are close to wrapping up across most of my territory. There was quite a bit of rice that needed the rain that we received this past week. It was in desperate need of a rain or a flush. Some rice was being flushed last week because the ground was crusting over faster than the rice could emerge. I know of some rice that was pushed to flood last week, and it was some of the earliest-planted rice that I’m aware of.

Our current conditions will help move the rest of the crop along quickly, so getting prepared for flood is our next step, along with herbicide applications. The rice that was emerged is rapidly beginning to look better. It is amazing how quickly it can turn around with sunshine and warmer weather.

I received a few calls last week about replanting rice due to the crusting and the cooler weather we had in previous weeks. If you have a consistent stand of at least five plants per square foot or better, at this point in the year, I recommend continuing with the stand you have. Consistency is key when it comes to stand evaluation. If you are getting a lot of 0s in your stand count, we may have to consider replanting.

As always, please call if you need anything.

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/2d204de8-0173-4458-1d0a-11f1ec239005.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="CLL16 in Prairie County, Arkansas"/>
<p style="font-size:10px;max-width:530px;text-align:center;padding-top:5px;">CLL16 in Prairie County, Arkansas. To the center left, the darker green strip shows 60 lbs./acre seeding rate, and the center right 49 lbs./acre seeding rate.</p>
</center>

The majority of the crop in my area is planted. The rain we received last week slowed down a lot of the levee seeding, but we should finish up this week. There will be a few fields to be planted behind dirt buckets.

Some of the earlier rice is receiving pre-flood fertilizer application and its second shot of Newpath® herbicide. With the lingering concern about urea availability, some growers are going to flood earlier than normal. If you have any questions or concerns about nitrogen rates and application timings, check out the Horizon Ag app or feel free to call me.

Thank you for your support of Horizon Ag.

Rice planting is basically finished in Northeast Arkansas and Missouri. We still will have a couple of fields that will get planted this month, but most of the rice crop is in the ground and looking good.

We have achieved good stands in most areas and the rice has grown out of the issues we experienced from cool April temperatures. We did not receive the rain that we needed 12 to 14 days ago, which forced many growers to begin flushing last week. We had mixed amounts of rainfall Wednesday (5/10) into Thursday (5/11), ranging from a couple of tenths to upwards of an inch or more. Parts of Butler and Stoddard counties in Missouri did not get this rain but, fortunately, did receive some rain last Friday. We really needed this to push the crop along and prevent more flushing, or at least assist with it and activate residuals that have been applied.

One thing that has stood out to me this spring is the value of seed treatment. So much rice was planted very quickly during April, and then the weather became unfavorable for rice emergence or growth. This really increased the importance of having a good seed treatment. In a couple of fields I looked at, growers who opted for no treatment really struggled to make a stand compared to those who did. Thankfully, with some patience and warm weather we ended with enough plants to justify not replanting.

Please call me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your rice crop.

Horizon Ag has created a mobile app that will be a valuable resource for rice farmers as you begin planning for variety selection and planting. 

The Horizon Ag Productivity App provides easy access to seeding rate information, a drill calibration tool, profitability calculator and other decision-making features for 2023 Horizon Ag Clearfield® and Provisia® varieties. This app also makes it easy to connect with retailers in your area who sell top-performing Horizon Ag varieties.

The app is available by searching “Horizon Ag” in the App Store or Google Play.

Division of Agriculture releases high-yielding Clearfield medium-grain rice variety amid increased medium-grain demand

New Article

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station releases high-yielding Clearfield rice variety

CLM05 yielded 192 bushels per acre in statewide and regional trials

Seed will be available from BASF Agricultural Solutions through Horizon Ag in 2025

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station has released a new high-yielding medium-grain Clearfield® rice cultivar at a time of elevated U.S. demand for medium-grain rice.

The new rice variety is called CLM05, and it averaged 192 bushels per acre over two years in statewide trials. It outperformed current commercial cultivars CLM04 and Jupiter in grain yield, disease resistance and lodging resistance, said Xueyan Sha, professor of rice breeding and genetics for the experiment station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

During the 2022 rice season, the state average yield was 164.7 bushels per acre, according to the 2023 Arkansas Rice Quick Facts, published by the Division of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service.

Medium-grain rice typically makes up 10 to 15 percent of the state’s rice acreage, Sha said. It is primarily used by companies like Kellogg’s and General Mills for snacks and table rice. It is also exported to Southeast Asia — especially Taiwan and Turkey.

“This is going to be a replacement showing lots of promise,” Sha said.

<center><img src="https://images.prismic.io/horizon-ag/4af0b2e1-aa62-4983-b7d1-1536159af214_clm05-uofa.jpg?auto=compress,format" style="display: block; height: auto; width: 100%; max-width:400px;" width="400"/></center>
<br>
<center><p style="font-size:10px;max-width:400px; text-align:center;">MEETING DEMAND — CLM05 is a new medium-grain Clearfield<sup>&reg;</sup> rice developed by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture rice breeding program. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)</p></center>

The Division of Agriculture is producing foundation seed of the variety this year, and a limited amount of seed will be available next year, said John Carlin, director of the division’s Arkansas Crop Variety Improvement Program. Horizon Ag will increase seed production, and it should be widely available in 2025.

“We’re hopeful that it’ll give Mid-South producers a solid yielding medium-grain variety that they can use in a weed-controlled program with the Clearfield Production System,” Carlin said.

“CLM05 has a similar disease package, but it outyields CLM04 by quite a bit,” Carlin said. “So with the increased demand in medium-grain due to California’s water issues, it has a really good fit in the Mid-South market.”

California typically accounts for around 75 percent of U.S. medium- and short-grain rice acreage, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s October 2022 Rice Outlook. But because of a “severe and prolonged drought, low reservoir levels and water restrictions,” California’s total rice harvested area is the smallest it has been since 1958 to 1959, the report said. According to the final rice harvested acreage numbers released by the USDA, California rice production fell to 254,000 acres — a 37 percent decrease from the rice harvested area in 2021.

Sha said he is hopeful that this variety will offer a higher-yielding medium-grain variety for Mid-South growers.

“We are very pleased with the introduction of CLM05 to the Clearfield medium-grain rice varieties that are marketed by Horizon Ag and their approved retailers,” said Frank Hardimon, Rice Licensing Account Manager for BASF Agricultural Solutions. “CLM05 has performed very well in university and pre-commercial trials. It will help fill a growing demand for high-quality, medium-grain rice varieties in 2025 for Arkansas rice growers, as well as rice growers throughout the Mid-South.”

Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager, also expressed confidence in the variety’s ability to help meet medium-grain demands.

“Horizon Ag is very excited to bring CLM05, a next-generation medium-grain rice, to our farmer customers,” Walker said. “With each new variety, Horizon continues to raise the bar for yield potential. In pre-commercial trials in Arkansas and Louisiana, CLM05 yielded with our best-in-class Clearfield varieties like CLL16 and CLL18. Just as important, in medium-grain acres where conventional varieties have been dominant, the Clearfield system brings tremendous value in grass and red rice control.”

Walker noted that the release of CLM05 illustrates how the partnership of Horizon Ag with university breeding programs benefits rice farmers throughout the South. “We are facilitating rather than competing with university breeders, helping bring superior varieties like CLM05 to their fields,” he added.

“Dr. Sha’s reputation for breeding medium-grain varieties that meet the demands of buyers like Kellogg’s and others is another key benefit of growing CLM05,” Walker said. “There is an advantage when farmers have access to a superior yielding product that’s also desirable to the market. There will be a lot of interest in CLM05 when it is available.”

CLM05 is susceptible to the rice diseases sheath blight and leaf blast, Sha said. It is moderately susceptible to neck blast, bacterial panicle blight and false smut.

Sha also noted that the new variety is moderately resistant to narrow brown leaf spot, a disease that has intensified in the last two to three years.

These diseases are major causes of yield loss and lower profits for Arkansas rice farms, according to the extension service’s “Rice Production Handbook.”

Maturity days to 50 percent heading is 90 days, which is similar to other varieties, Sha said.

The plant’s height averaged about 35 inches during testing, Sha said. It is about 2 inches taller than Jupiter but 3 inches shorter than CLM04, and it has improved lodging resistance over both cultivars.

The milling yield for CLM05 is 61 percent head rice to 67 percent total rice, Sha said. Milling yield represents the percentage of edible rice obtained from milling the “raw” rice harvested from the field. The milling process removes the outer layers of harvested rice to reveal edible kernels. Milling yield includes percent “head rice” — kernels that are over two-thirds the whole length after milling — and the total percent of whole and broken kernels obtained from milling.

The milling yield may be slightly lower than CLM04, which had a milling rate of 64 percent head rice to 69 percent total rice, Sha said. The standard milling yield is at least 55 percent head rice in Arkansas.

Sha said that CLM05 was developed with support from the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board and BASF.

Breeder seed for CLM05 will be maintained at the Division of Agriculture’s Rice Research and Extension Center in Stuttgart and distributed to growers by Horizon Ag, a seed technology company licensed by BASF to market Clearfield rice varieties.

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

Updates From Across the Southern Rice Production Region

Cooler temperatures and cloudy weather have slowed crop development in south Louisiana and Texas. Some fields have gone to permanent flood in both areas, but many fields are still not quite there, even though they have been planted for six weeks.

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/05953f8f-96c8-4a17-f7b2-1731072e7a5d.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="CLL19 seed production field in Texas"/>
<p style="font-size:10px;max-width:530px;text-align:center;padding-top:5px;">CLL19 seed production field in Texas. The new Horizon Ag Clearfield variety is to be commercially available in 2024.</p>
</center>

Planting in south Louisiana is around 85% to 90% percent complete. The majority of the rest of the acres planted will trickle in through the end of May. In Texas, I estimate 80% or so of the crop is planted. In the western Rice Belt, planting is pretty much done, and the remaining acres will be planted in the eastern region.

Let’s hope for warmer and more humid conditions to push the rice along to permanent flood. If you would like me to look at something or have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Some reading this may not know that Tim Jett began a new job in the agriculture finance industry in February. Until further notice, I’ll be covering sales and technical calls in Mississippi and North Louisiana.

Rice planting began in late March in Mississippi, but compared to rice production areas to the South and North, Mississippi and North Louisiana have been the most behind. However, compared to recent years, planting progress has been very good. Fields began to dry after the Easter rain event, and most farmers were back planting by April 14 in my territory. The forecasted rain event for this past weekend didn’t materialize in a lot of the area, and excellent planting progress has been made.

I have spoken with many who have completed or are nearing completion of rice planting. A forecasted rain event this Friday will help activate pre’s and push some of the older planted rice along. We just need warmer weather. Each rain event has been accompanied by a cold front that returned nighttime temperatures into the 40s and 50s. If you are wearing a sweatshirt or jacket in the morning, rice isn’t growing much.

It looks like rice acres will be up as much as 20% in my territory. With 30- to 40-year rice acreage lows in 2022, that increase is much welcomed. I’m more than happy to answer questions or help walk you through any production issues you have. As I’ve always said, if I can’t help you, there’s a good chance I know someone who can. Best of luck to all with the 2023 crop!  

The weather this spring has given us the best planting start we have had in several years, and planting has been going full force. All crops are being seeded right now, which could give us some problems when herbicide application time approaches in the next couple of weeks. I think rice is around 60% planted in the territory, and we have maybe 10% emergence. Pre-emerge herbicides have been going out, and we will need the rain that is forecasted on Thursday for activation. Parts of the territory received rain over the weekend, but there are areas that missed it and need some moisture for activation. A few areas were getting dry enough that I was told last week that some might have to stop planting to wait for moisture. 

I have had several questions about the planting rate for different varieties. I advise that 60-65 lbs./acre of treated seed will be a good rate for most varieties, but we are looking for 12-15 plants/sq. ft. going into flood for our best opportunity at optimum yield. Please adjust your planting rates accordingly to reach that final plant stand, depending on seed bed prep and soil type. 

If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call. I will help in any way I can.


Planting has been fast and furious in my territory, with little to no slow down. This April has been a stark contrast to last year. The little rainfall we have received has soaked in quickly, resulting in minimal down time. 

We are approximately 70-75% planted in my territory compared to about 5% in 2022. The forecast shows much-needed rain toward the end of this week. By the end of the week, a large portion of the rice acres in my territory will need rain to activate some of the pre-emerge residuals we have applied. 

For references to seeding rates and all other recommendations, please download the Horizon Ag Productivity App from the App Store or Google Play. 

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. Thank you for your continued support of Horizon Ag.

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/7f6fb04a3ef6f1b63e4ec7f07/images/107ac94f-9d4b-ca1d-2912-def4c4dba904.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:560px;" width=“560” alt="Rice planted and levees pulled in Poinsett County, Arkansas"/>
<p style="font-size:10px;max-width:530px;text-align:center;padding-top:5px;">Rice planted and levees pulled in Poinsett County, Arkansas.</p>
</center>

This has been one of the most “normal” springs I can remember in recent years. Thanks to all the field work accomplished last fall, growers were well prepared to get a good start. The earliest rice I know of was planted on March 29 in Missouri, although it was not very much. However, last week (April 10-April 15), a lot of rice went into the ground. After a good run this week, I think we could be around 50% or more planted in my territory. 

Planting has been fast and furious in my territory, with little to no slow down. This April has been a stark contrast to last year. The little rainfall we have received has soaked in quickly, resulting in minimal down time. 

To cap off last week, we received a much-needed 0.5 to 0.75 inches of rain Saturday night (April 15). Growers were already back in the field on Monday and running wide open again on Tuesday. As I’m writing this, we are forecasted to get anywhere from 1 to 2 inches of rain Thursday night into Friday, and this will be welcomed. I couldn’t be more pleased with how everything has progressed up to this point. 

I’m excited to see us getting so much rice planted in April, as this will definitely help maximize the potential of all our Horizon Ag Clearfield® and Provisia® varieties. The new CLL18 variety is spread out across my territory, and I look forward to seeing it perform. CLL16 is again being planted on a bunch of acres in both northeast Arkansas and Missouri as it has continued to prove itself over the past couple of years. Feel free to give me a call if you need anything or have any questions.  

The Horizon Ag Productivity App provides easy access to seeding rate information, a drill calibration tool and other decision-making features for 2023 Horizon Ag Clearfield and Provisia varieties. This app also makes it easy to connect with retailers in your area who sell top-performing Horizon Ag varieties.

South Louisiana and Texas

As we move into April, the pace of planting in south Louisiana and Texas is beginning to slow down. I estimate that, to date, approximately 75 to 80 percent of the crop is planted in south Louisiana, and Texas is somewhere around 50 to 60 percent statewide.

The rice crop in both regions is beginning to develop at a normal pace – starting to grow after being slowed by some cooler temperatures from mid-March through last week. I fully expect herbicide applications to start ramping up within the next week.

<center>
<img src="https://mcusercontent.com/3839e99af175e6357e5d8eccf/images/7d997b22-7476-0e9c-ccfc-bca787c167ee.jpg" style="display:block; height:auto; width:100%; max-width:600px;" width=“600” alt="tractor"/>
<p style="font-size:10px;max-width:530px;text-align:center;padding-top:5px;">New CLL19 being planted at the site of the 2023 Horizon Ag Louisiana Field Day scheduled for June 27 near Kaplan.</p>
</center>

If you would like me to look at your fields or have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Horizon Ag general manager Tim Walker recently participated in the Rice in 2023: Resistance, Best Management Practices and Stewardship webinar, along with representatives from the University of Arkansas and BASF Agricultural Solutions. The goal of the presentation was to help rice farmers preserve the Provisia®  Rice System as an effective tool for controlling weedy rice and resistant red rice. The webinar can be viewed in its entirety at https://youtu.be/INNeKNOUFeU.

Coming off a strong performance year in 2022, PVL03 in the Provisia Rice System clearly stood apart from the other ACCase-inhibitor herbicide system available, showing better herbicide tolerance without a safener, better weedy rice control, and, overall, better performance.

PVL03 has good tolerance of Provisia herbicide, and the herbicide doesn’t need a safener like the competitive product. The Provisia Rice System is widely considered the best system available today for resistant weedy rice and red rice. It’s the right choice since, with the need to manage resistance, rice farmers can’t afford to be safe on weeds.

To date, only one location in Arkansas has had a confirmed instance of ACCase-inhibitor-resistant weedy rice. That said, more weedy rice resistance has been confirmed in Louisiana, and the potential exists for the problem to become more severe unless managed.

Dr. Jason Norsworthy, weed scientist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture who presented during the webinar, said numerous factors contributed to the confirmed instance of resistance in Arkansas, including:

It was in continuous Clearfield® rice from the early 2000s through 2018

It has been planted in continuous Provisia rice since 2019 after the Clearfield system failed there

“The good news is that this field will be planted in soybeans in 2023,” said Dr. Norsworthy, adding that he believes soybeans are a vital component to rotate with to protect technologies like Provisia and Clearfield rice.

Both Norsworthy and Dr. Tommy Butts, a University of Arkansas Extension weed scientist, told webinar viewers that while farmers with zero-grade fields are often reluctant to plant soybeans, many have achieved good yields despite their concerns. “Zero-grade fields may be more challenging, but with today’s soybean varieties, farmers can be successful,” said Dr. Butts.

Norsworthy added that some landlords may push back against growers rotating to soybeans. “If so, I’d be happy to talk to them,” he said. “To manage resistance, we must bring soybeans into that rotation.”

Best management practices recommended for Provisia herbicide include:

Use only Provisia herbicide over the top of Provisia rice.

Start clean, with burndown and/or tillage.

Let the size and population of weedy rice dictate follow-up applications.

Use residuals like grass and broadleaf herbicides for broad-spectrum control.

Do not mix Provisia herbicide with herbicides that have the potential to be antagonistic.

Apply Provisia herbicide to actively growing grasses, red rice and volunteer rice.

Make at least two (but no more than three) Provisia herbicide applications no later than panicle initiation.

Use proper carrier volumes of 10-15 GPA by ground and by air.

Switching from Provisia rice to Max-Ace®  rice is not a rotation option since both are ACCase-inhibitor herbicides with the same active ingredient — Quizalofop. At the same time, the two systems are not equal.

One big advantage Provisia herbicide has over Highcard®  herbicide is that Provisia does not require a safener for use with PVL03 in the Provisia Rice System. Dr. Norsworthy said that in addition to safening the crop, an herbicide with a safener also “provides a degree of safety for weedy rice and barnyardgrass. It is not going to have the same level of effectiveness as Provisia herbicide.”

Dr. Butts told webinar participants that an herbicide with a safener, while effective, is also at more risk when challenges like adverse weather or a bad herbicide application occur. “Add in that the herbicide is little less effective because of a safener, and it’s just another strike against you — one possibility that might go wrong.”

Provisia herbicide does not need a safener when used with Provisia rice and Horizon Ag PVL03. 

A second Resistance, Best Management Practices and
Stewardship Webinar, this one more focused on the
Coastal Region, is scheduled for April 13, from 9 a.m.
to 10 a.m., Central. Click here to register.

We get a lot of questions this time of year about Horizon Ag varieties and availability. There has been a strong demand for PVL03 in South Louisiana and Texas, and we expect good demand to continue as planting gains momentum in the rest of the southern rice production region. In 2024, we expect to have PVL04, a new Arkansas-bred Provisia variety, available.

There is also considerable interest in CLL16 and CLL17  in South Louisiana and Texas, and we expect CLL16 to also go out on a lot more acres in the rest of the southern rice region, due to its ability to consistently achieve high yields from Texas to the Missouri Bootheel.

New CLL18, available for a limited launch, was in very high demand. This is one to watch for potential planting in 2024, along with new CLL19, a semi-dwarf, early maturing variety from Louisiana which is in seed production and will be available commercially next season.

CLM04, a Clearfield medium grain rice, sold out even after we doubled seed production for the year. We also have seen very strong interest in the aromatic variety CLJ01 and CLHA02, a high-amylose rice in demand by our Central and South American customers.

Finally, legacy varieties like CL111 and CL151 are available for farmers who’ve had success with these solid performers over the years.

STARTERS 2023 – SOUTH LOUISIANA AND TEXAS

Warm weather and a quick dry out from earlier in February, has allowed planting of the 2023 crop to begin in south Louisiana and Texas. Planting began in the last week of February and has been at a fast pace since then.

Favorable weather conditions have allowed growers to get many fields planted. I estimate that we may be close to having 40 to 50 percent of the acres planted in south Louisiana by next week. Planting in Texas is not going nearly as fast as Louisiana, but planting is progressing there as well. PVL03 is by far the most popular Horizon Ag variety planted up to this point.

One of the unique benefits of CLL16 is that it is broadly adapted to perform across the southern rice region. From the Missouri Bootheel to the west of Houston, Texas, CLL16 has consistently shown it can yield with or better than top-performing varieties and even hybrids. 

Southern rice farmers looking for the “complete package” in a rice variety don’t have to search any further than CLL16. In addition to high yield potential, its high milling quality, desirable cooking characteristics and industry-leading blast resistance continue to drive more and more demand for the variety.

It’s also become Horizon Ag’s top variety for row rice fields, performing consistently in row rice environments because of its early vigor, excellent standability and disease package.

CLL16 is a few inches taller than typical Clearfield varieties but appears to be moderately resistant to lodging. It contains the Pi-ta blast resistance gene and is resistant to blast. It also contains the CRSP2.1 gene and is resistant to narrow brown leaf spot and moderately susceptible to Cercospora infection on the stem. It is moderately susceptible to sheath blight and bacterial panicle blight.

At Horizon Ag Field Days last summer near Harrisburg, Arkansas, farmer Zack Tanner from Bernie, Missouri, described CLL16 as his “go-to” variety on his fields not under contract for seed production. “We’ve had some great yields with CLL16 over the years we’ve planted it,” he says. “Even when I’m thinking about furrow irrigated rice, it’s a variety I like to plant because of its consistency, blast tolerance, height, vigor and yield potential.”

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