Rice Update for Brazil Center Pivots

I hope you all are having a joyous holiday season!

Dr. Concenco returned to Brazil from his trip to India and the United Arab Emirates; he got around to most of the center pivot sites last week.

The early fields are just starting panicle initiation and are looking very good with excellent stand.  One primary concern is the potential for blast, and one grower has already applied the first application of fungicide.  This specific field may require three applications of fungicide.  Two other center pivots are slightly behind and not quite as strong; the farmer is not set up to apply fertilizer through the center pivot and got behind applying nitrogen due to the wet conditions.

Another grower, who already had one pivot with rice, has added a second pivot of rice since they were not able to get their original crop choice (soybeans) planted.  Currently, Valmont is monitoring and working with four growers and six center pivots of rice.

Have a great week!

Rice Update for Center Pivots and Linears

The continuous wet conditions in Brazil have slowed field application of fertilizer, as not all farmers with center pivots are setup to use the pivot to apply their nitrogen.  Using the center pivot or linear for fertigation is a very cost effective and environmentally friendly method of applying the rice's nitrogen needs.

Planning continues in the United States for the 2010 rice crop and the Valley Rice Team is excited about the prospects!

I have not received an update on the rice project under linears in Africa, but I hope to have new information next week.

The next week will be busy as the holiday season is upon us.

Rice Roundup Around the World

Performance results are in for the center pivot in Pakistan.  This field was planted with Basmati which in general does not have as high of yields as other rice.  Under the center pivot the field average for the transplanted area was 2.5 mt/ha while the adjacent flooded fields ranged from 3.0 to 4.1 mt/ha.  There is no question that the blast seriously limited yields.  The water use though was 60% less than estimated for the adjacent flood fields.  This center pivot attracted much local interest and has several asking about the possibilities for 2010.  We own much thanks to Mr. Farid Noon and the team from Valley Irrigation Pakistan for making this possible.

In the US, we have completed a series of webinars for the Valley dealers to update them on producing rice under center pivots and linears detailing results from 2008 and 2009 and plans for 2010.

Michelle Stolte was at the USA Rice Conference in New Orleans, LA, USA, and enjoyed visiting with a number of producers, rice industry suppliers, and university personnel.  Much interest was expressed in the idea of reducing water use for rice but then there are those who are skeptical about using center pivots and linears.

Dr. Concenco presented an update report on the Valley Rice Project in New Delhi, India, at the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) meeting.  He also visited a rice producing area of India and discussed production techniques.

The crop in Brazil continues to develop.  Soil moisture monitoring indicates the fields are staying in the range of 10 to 20% depleted. 

The Valley Rice Team looks forward to hearing your comments and ideas!

Valley Circles for Rice Update

Not much new this week from the production side - crop developing well under all of the pivots in Brazil. Soil moisture sensors indicate 15% or less soil moisture depletion. Harvest is underway in Pakistan.

Dr. Concenco is traveling to India to present an update on Valmont's rice project at the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage meeting.

Jake traveled to east Texas and met with some rice farmers about the water situation with the Lower Colorado River Authority and then presented a paper on Rice Production under Mechanized Irrigation at the Irrigation Association Innovations in Irrigation conference.

Michelle Stolte is looking forward to meeting some of you at the USA Rice Conference next week in New Orleans.

Update on Valley rice projects

With the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States not much has happened this past week.

In Brazil the rains have continued so no irrigation with the center pivots though the tradional fields continue to require flooding. The next application of fertilizer is being done as the rain allows and weed development is being watched closely.

No update was received from Pakistan this past week.

For those of you attending the USA Rice Conference in New Orleans next week please stop and see Michelle Stolte at the Valmont Irrigation booth for the latest information on rice production under center pivots and linears. This week Jake LaRue is at the Irrigation Association Irrigation Show 2009 in San Antonio - stop by the Valmont Irrigation booth and see the latest from the Valley line.

What's happened this past week with Valley pivots and linears on rice?

Rice continues to develop well in Brazil as all fields received good rains again this week.  Most of the fields are in V3 to V4 growth stage and no irrigation was required this past week.  Need to keep an eye on the development of weeds and prepare for the next application of nitrogen.  The one cooperator who usually plants some rice under flood irrigation did not plant any rice to be flooded this year due to a shortage of water.  Flooding of other rice fields in the area began two weeks ago.   Embrapa is keeping a close watch on the variety and herbicide trials under one of the cooperator's pivots. 

In Pakistan the crop is reaching maturity and all are anticipating the harvest and how it will compare with the adjacent traditional flooded fields.  All indications are the rice under the center pivot used 60% less water than the flood fields.

In the United States the Valley Rice Team continues to review potential cooperators and develop the plans for the 2010 crop.

Please stop by and visit Michelle Stolte, a team leader of the Circles for Rice project, at the Valmont Irrigation booth during the USA Rice Outlook Conference in New Orleans December 9th through 11th.

Best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving!

World roundup - Rice under mechanized irrigation

In the U.S., the last plots should be harvested this week in Missouri.

Last week members of the rice team reviewed and soil sampled potential fields in Arkansas and Missouri to be included in the 2010 Valley field trials.

Farid Noon sent in a short report from Pakistan indicated the crop is looking okay. Still not sure how much yield loss has been caused by blast in transplanted area. Anticipate harvest starting soon.

In Brazil, Germani Concenco says the crop continues to develop and first applications of fertilizer are being applied. Rain has continued helping minimize irrigation requirements and the soil moisture sensors are indicating soil moisture depletions of 10% or less. Some fields are showing some light damage from clomazone. Germani expects the crop should rapidly recover from this.

And lastly planting started last week in the rice fields in Tanzania. We hope to be able to provide more detail on these in the coming weeks.

Have a great week!  We welcome all comments!

Update on mechanized irrigation rice projects

Let's start with Pakistan this week - Farid Noon had a field day near Lahore last week with a great turnout of farmers and government officials.  To date, the center pivot has used 65% less water than the adjoining traditional irrigated field.  This really gets people's attention when they can see the fields side by side and the rice under the center pivot looks as good as the traditional irrigated field!  We are anxiously waiting for the harvest which should begin in a week or two for the transplanted rice and several weeks later for the direct seeded rice.

In the U.S., the data keeps coming in and we are still waiting for one field and some plots to be harvested, though with the dry weather this week should be about done.  Some members of the Valley Rice Team will be in Arkansas and Missouri next week measuring wheel tracks in some of the harvested fields and collecting soil samples from fields we anticipate will have rice in 2010 under center pivots and linears.

Our cooperators in Brazil did receive several days of rain this week and the soil profile is full.  Currently soil moisture monitoring equipment is showing about 0% depletion at the different depths being monitored.  This rain will help push the crop along.  The primarly used seeds by the cooperators are Querencia, IRGA 417, IRGA 423, IRGA 424 and Ricetec Ecco.

Have a great week!

Center pivot irrigated rice off to a good start in Brazil

The Brazilian center pivot rice crop is off to a good start with four of the five fields that are part of the Valley Global Rice Project having emerged.  Weather at the pivots has been dry this week  and applications of 7mm has been applied by some.  Rain is expected moving in Sunday and Monday.  Dr. Concenco has installed the field monitoring equipment in two of the five fields.

The rice harvest is wrapping up in the US and we should have data to report on the production fields as well as the plots within the next week or so.

The Pakistan crop under the center pivot continues to develop with the worst blast damage to the transplanted rice and less to the direct seeded who's growth stage is not quite as far along.  It seems the fungicide treatments have helped slow the spread but as with most diseases, fungicides act as protectants only.

The Valley Rice Team is actively working on a webinar for our regional offices and other materials to support those wanting to use center pivots and linears for rice production.

Have a great week and we will be talking.

Update on rice happenings around the world

In the US, rice harvest still is far behind due to extremely wet weather.  Another one of the pivots in the 2009 Valley trials from this summer was harvested and the dry yield average for the field is estimated to be 140bu/ac (6.6mt/ha) which considering the water stress the field experienced is good.  Plots continue to be harvested at different locations and as soon as we have the data we will pass it on.

The crop in Pakistan has headed and there is some concern about blast and the field is being treated with Redomil Gold and Score. 

Dr. Concenco reports that several of the fields in Brazil have been planted and a couple still need to be planted.  It has been dry and one farmer is needing to irrigate to germinate the rice while others are waiting for rain due to low levels in their reservoris.

Have a great week and we will talk with you again next week!

U.S. Rice Harvest and International Growing Seasons Updates

So what is new around the world this week for the Valley rice projects?

First, let's talk about harvest in the US. The weather finally permitted the harvest of one of the center pivot fields. The yield is estimated at 175bu/ac (8.2mt/ha) dry across the field as compared to the yield of 190bu/ac (8.9mt/ha) dry with traditional flooded rice production in the corners and adjacent field. With a little help from the weather, we should have some more harvest information next week.

In Pakistan, the crop continues to develop well and has folks excited about how good it looks and how little water is being used.

Lastly in Brazil, the weather also has been wet and so far planting has only been finished at one of the cooperator's center pivots. The crop has not emerged yet.

Comments and questions are welcome!

Finally I am back from travel to the Middle East!

Now what is happening with rice production under center pivots and linears:

In Brazil, Dr. Concenco reports our cooperators have almost finished with the planting of their center pivots.  In addition the research trials with Embrapa and IRGA are being finalized.

While in the Middle East I met with our cooperator from Pakistan and he is very excited about the rice under his center pivot so far.  He is confident that he is using significantly less water than on the tradition flood fields and the center pivot irrigated crop looks great.  I should mention the variety under this center pivot is Basmati.

In the US, weather has continued to be a challenge for the crop to mature and for harvest.  I should have more specifics for my next report.

Please remember that comments and questions are welcome!

Welcome to the Valley Circles for Rice blog

The Valley Rice Team has developed this blog in order to better communicate with people interested in producing rice under center pivots or linears, whether farmers, developers, researchers, consultants - whoever has a passion for conserving resources and providing better management options for rice production.

We hope to update this blog weekly, and we welcome your comments and feedback.

Now for what is currently happening - The weather has not been helpful this week in either Brazil - to get the next rice crop under the center pivots planted - or in the US, to get the center pivots harvested.

The rice crop in Pakistan under the center pivot is developing well with the transplanted rice looking better than the direct seeded rice.