Circles for Rice Update | by Jake LaRue and Kelly Downing

Currently, the Valley Circles for Rice team is observing fields under center pivots in Brazil, Chile, Zambia, and Australia. Growth stages vary from 1-2 leaf to early tillering.

• Weed control is a challenge and becomes a big problem if the weeds are not controlled when they are small. Grasses in particular seem to be a problem and, in some cases, are taller than the rice.
• A plan and knowing available herbicide options when you start a rice crop is critical for pre-emergence and post-emergence treatment.
• Please follow the herbicide label. If the herbicide is not labeled for rice use, DO NOT use it.
• Irrigation management requires an understanding of the rice root zone from week to week. When talking "field capacity," we mean that when the soil is completely saturated and a rain event occurs, the rain would either run off the field or leach quickly through the root zone.  Due to this, in general, you should refill the root zone of the crop to within 15% or so of field capacity to allow room for a rain event.
• An example - rice at early tillering:
• Root zone -- 7.5 to 10 cm
• Soil -- silt loam
• Allow 30% depletion at this stage -- up to 60 mm
• Crop water use
• Confirm the evapotranspiration (ET) -- let's assume it is 7 mm/day
• Assume rice at this stage has a crop coefficient of .35 mm
• Daily use would be about ET x crop coefficient (7 x .35 = 2.45 mm)
• Center pivot can apply 9.5 mm/day
• Probably need to be applying about 6 to 7 mm every other day
• If you have soils that tend to crack, start irrigation during the tillering stage when cracks are 2 to 3 mm wide
• Both light, frequent applications and heavy applications can be a problem. Watch your wheel tracks and watch for runoff
• Check the crop root zone and confirm that you are refilling the profile without runoff or irrigation moving out of the root zone

Remember: the data from soil moisture sensors is only as good as the installation. Make sure your sensors are properly installed and calibrated, and use the "smell test", i.e. if something smells bad (if the readings seem bad), it probably is. Check conditions around the sensors periodically to make sure that what they report is the real situation in the field.


Have questions?  Please enter them into the Comment box below!

Sprinkler Packages 101 by Jerry Gerdes

I have just completed my first year as a member of the Valley Circles for Rice team, and I have learned much about the process of growing rice. Crop-specific information is very useful when selecting sprinkler package components for a center pivot or linear irrigation (lateral move) machine. The term "sprinkler package" refers to the collection of sprinklers, pressure regulators, drop components, and fittings used to mount the sprinklers to the machine.

The sprinkler package is designed to apply water evenly (ie: uniform depth throughout the field) and efficiently. This is to maximize crop yields, minimize water usage, and operating costs. Sprinkler choices are designed to operate at pressures in a range of 6-30 PSI, depending on the sprinkler model. Products called U-pipes and drop pipes (or drop hose) are used to mount the sprinklers below the span trussing. The combination of low-operating pressure and low-ground clearance maximizes the application efficiency of the irrigation water. This type of sprinkler package was used on all 2010 Valley Circles for Rice fields.

Soil type is an important consideration when selecting a sprinkler model for growing rice. More on this in my next blog entry next month.

Do you have questions on sprinkler packages and how they relate in rice production under center pivots and linears? Leave a comment in the box below or email rice@valmont.com.

Circles for Rice | 2010 Final Yield Report by Jake LaRue

Below you will find the final yield report for the 2010 Circles for Rice growing season in the United States, Ukraine, and Pakistan.

United States

Blodgett, Missouri - 201 bu/ac
Neelyville, Missouri - 186 bu/ac
Scott, Arkansas - 173 bu/ac
Sikeston, Missouri - 160 bu/ac
Crawfordsville, Missouri - 160 bu/ac
Eagle Lake, Texas - 149 bu/ac
Dyersburg, Tennessee - 130 bu/ac

Crimea, Ukraine - 55 bu/ac

Pakistan

AAS 501 (hybrid) - 122.8 bu/ac
HS 777 (hybrid) - 108 bu/ac
Superi (variety) - 81 bu/ac
Shantaj (hybrid) - 79 bu/ac
#385 (variety) - 68.6 bu/ac
Super Guard Basmati (variety) - 62.4 bu/ac

If you have any questions about the yields, or about the Circles for Rice project in general, please send me an email at rice@valmont.com .

Circles for Rice | Brazil Update by Kelly Downing

Sáo Borja

Sáo Paolo

I was able to visit several fields in Brazil during a visit November 8 - 15. We really covered a lot of country. Once again, I was struck by the wonderful people, as well as by the great beauty and agricultural potential of Brazil. It was a great pleasure to be hosted by Embrapa Professor Jose Parfitt during part of the trip.


Pelotas and Bage areas:
Embrapa: Unusually cool, wet spring, so delayed emergence (planted September, just now emerging). Jose Parfitt (Pelotas) and Naylor Perez (Bage) leading the research, focused on variety, irrigation scheduling, and fertility issues, as well as rotation into forage system.

São Borja area:
Farrouphilha: Professor Marcelino Knob is researching rice in rotation under a pivot. The rice is just emerging, due to cool weather. There may be some interaction with antecedent crop/herbicides.
Renam Toniazzo: São Borja area, rice looks very good. No disease or weed problems. Good crop last year, expects another successful year.
A first-year Circles for Rice grower farms 2,000 ha of rice at this location with his brother and father. Rice planted in September and looks wonderful - thick and lush. A few spots of clomazone damage, but will recover. Some areas of the field should be monitored for wheel track issues.

São Paolo state:

Lagoa Bonita: volunteer wheat from previous crop dominates the field. They planned to use Aura (profoxydim). I hope it works.
Lagoa Farm: in this field, volunteer edible beans from antecedent crop has taken over most of the field. It is tough to treat, since bordering fields contain both edible beans and soybeans. Volunteer beans are infested with anthracnose, so their agronomic consultant has advised them to wait for the volunteers to die.
First-year Circles for Rice grower: very nice crop, planted in late September. We saw some spots with stunted plants, may be iron chlorosis, zinc, or sulfur shortage.

Congratulations, Kelly Downing!

It is with our great pleasure to announce that Kelly Downing, a member of the Valley Rice Team, has become a Certified Crop Advisor, as determined by the American Society of Agronomy.

Qualifications include requirements in education and experience, along with an examination process. One examination is issued from the national office and is uniform across the United States. In addition, each state designs, offers, and grades an exam specific to the crops and conditions of that state. Following successful completion of the two exams, CCAs are required to earn continuing education units (CEUs) to maintain their certification. All exams and continuing education requirements include four technical areas: Soil & Water Management, Nutrient Management or Soil Fertility, Integrated Pest Management, and Crop Management.

Please join us in congratulating Kelly for this accomplishment!


Original copy written by Michelle Stolte, Intl. Mktg. Materials Mgr., Valmont Irrigation, November 11, 2010.

Circles for Rice | Update by Jake LaRue

Missouri, USA | October 2010

Ukraine | September 2010

Pakistan | November 2010

Between U.S. post-harvest analysis and traveling, it's been a few weeks since I've been able to post an update on the project!  For the 2010-2011 growing season(s), we have confirmed Circles for Rice fields in the following countries: Zambia, the United Arab Emirates, Brazil, China, Pakistan, and the United States.

United States

The rice crop has either been sold or is in the grain bin, and we are working with interested growers planning for the 2011 season.

Ukraine

Harvest is complete.

Pakistan

This week, there is a series of field days at the Circles for Rice field; harvest will soon begin.


Brazil
2010-2011 Circles for Rice fields in Brazil have been planted and the new rice crop has begun to emerge. The crop is facing early season challenges, particularly weed control.

Africa
Fields are being planted in southern Africa, while fields in northern Africa will plan in December and January.

China
Plans are being made for a series of rice under center pivot trials.


For those of you planning to produce rice under a center pivot or linear for the next crop cycle, please be sure to consider the following:

• Seed selection for yield and disease resistance
• Weed control
• Fertility and nitrogen management
• Irrigation hardware
• Irrigation management
• Disease control

We are still gathering the last of the U.S. and Ukraine harvest data. As soon as we have that data analyzed and published the the web, I will post an update.

Is there a particular topic related to rice production under center pivots and linears that we have not yet posted on? Let us know!

New Writers to Rice Blog!

I would like to introduce two new voices to the rice blog - Kelly Downing and Jerry Gerdes.

Mr. Kelly Downing (Certified Crop Advisor and Ag Specialist, Valmont Irrigation) will be contributing his thoughts on several topics, including crop specialty and soil moisture, as they relate to rice production under center pivots and linears.   

Posts by Mr. Jerry Gerdes (Water Application Product Manager, Valmont Irrigation) will focus on water application as it relates to rice production under center pivots and linears.


Do you have questions about soil moisture and water application in rice production?  Comment below!  We will make sure your question is addressed in a blog post by either Kelly D. or Jerry.

Have a wonderful weekend!