Rice Q & A | by Jake LaRue

As we expand the areas in which we research and collaborate, we are continuously asked questions about rice production. Two such questions came to my attention this week while I was in California:

1. “Does the Circles for Rice team have experience with medium-grain rice production?”
   
   Answer – Our involvement with medium-grain rice has been minimal so far, but we have observed a growing interest in producing this grain in several areas around the world.
   
   
2. “Rice growers who flood their fields may increase their water application depth to help the rice crop maintain higher temperatures in the crop canopy. When you irrigate with center pivots and linears, less water is applied at one time, which means that lower temperatures may be maintained in the crop canopy. Because of this, will growers who irrigate their rice with center pivots or linears have potentially lower rice yields?”
   
   Answer – We have not yet had the opportunity to prove or disprove the theory on a commercial scale.

Discussion Box Challenge

Do you have similar questions or concerns about irrigating rice with center pivots and linears?  Or do you have comments/more questions about the about questions?  Contact us either directly or via Discussion Box below.