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.