- Author: Luis Espino
I was asked the other day what do immature tadpole shrimp (TPS) look like. Young TPS look pretty much like the older ones, just smaller. The very first instar, which remains inside the egg for a few hours, looks somewhat different, but you are not going to see this instar in the field with the naked eye. A few hours later they molt and look more like regular TPSs. Here's a picture of a few of them a few days later swimming belly up. Notice the rice grain floating next to them for size comparison.
- Author: Luis Espino
I just read an article from the latest edition of California Agriculture: “Nitrogen fertilizer use in California: Assessing the data, trends and a way forward”. The article compiles data about inorganic N fertilizer use by major crops in California and compares data from the 1970s to the 2000s. Rice is one of the crops included, accounting for 10% of the total N fertilizer used by the 33 crops considered. Two points jumped at me. First, the article found that “experts” believe growers apply more N fertilizer than growers report applying. The authors used the UC Davis Cost and Return Studies as the experts' opinion, and grower surveys conducted by the USDA for growers input on N fertilizer rates.
The second point is that the average N fertilizer rate for all 33 commodities in the study increased by 25% from 1973 to 2005. In the case of rice, for the same time period, the N fertilizer rate increased from 86 to 130 lbs N/acre (52% increase). The authors caution that these numbers shouldn't be taken in a vacuum, that yield increases should be considered. I calculated just that: if you consider the 5-year moving average rice yield, you find that the lbs of N fertilizer used per lb of rice produced hasn't changed from 1973 to 2005, it's 0.02 lbs N fertilizer/lb rice.
- Author: Luis Espino
The University of California is in the process of hiring a Cooperative Extension Rice Specialist. Two applicants have been selected as final candidates, and as part of the interview process, they will be giving an Extension Seminar. I would like to invite rice growers and PCAs to attend the seminars. The candidates will be talking about you, and wish to be selected to the Rice Specialist position to serve you. Your presence at the seminars is very important!
Both seminars will be held at Lundberg Family Farms Multi-Purpose Room.
March 26th, 10:00-11:00 AM – Dr. Bruce Linquist – “FURTHER STRENGTHENING LINKAGES BETWEEN RICE RESEARCHERS AND PRODUCERS”
March 28th, 10:00-11:00 AM – Dr. Ryan Van Hayden – “OUTLINING A STAKEHOLDER DRIVEN AGENDA FOR RICE RESEARCH AND EXTENSION IN CALIFORNIA”
See you there!
- Author: Luis Espino
I uploaded the 2013 Rice Grower Meetings presentations to the UC Rice Project website. Let us know if you have any questions!
- Author: Luis Espino
What's new in the 3rd Edition?
- New exotic pest discussion
- New detecting, confirming, and managing herbicide resistance sections
- 21 new photos added for diseases, weeds, and vertebrates
- Color illustrations
- New life cycle illustrations for each disease
- 3 new diseases and 4 new weeds, including Bakanae, Rice Blast, and Red Rice
Buy a copy at your local UC Cooperative Extension office, or order online here: www.ucanr.edu/IPMRice
