- 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
- Author: Luis Espino
Four Locations:
Richvale: Monday, Jan. 28, 8:30 am, Evangelical Church, 5219 Church St., Richvale
Yuba City: Monday, Jan. 28, 1:00 pm, Veterans Hall, 1425 Veterans Memorial Circle, Yuba City
Colusa: Tuesday, Feb. 5, 8:30 am, CIP Conference Room, 100 Sunrise Blvd., Colusa
Glenn: Tuesday, Feb. 5, 1:00 pm, Glenn Pheasant Hall, 1522 Highway 45, south of Glenn
Time:
Doors open at 8:30 am and meetings start at 9:00 am at Richvale and Colusa.
Doors open at 1:00 pm and meetings start at 1:30 pm at Yuba City and Glenn.
Program
8:30 a.m. (1:00 p.m.) Doors open, sign-in, coffee
9:00 a.m. (1:30 p.m.) Call meeting to order
9:05 a.m. (1:35 p.m.) Rice Research Board Nominations - Dana Dickey, Rice Research Board
9:15 a.m. (1:45 p.m.) Rice Pesticide and Regulatory Update – County Agricultural Commissioner
9:30 a.m. (2:00 p.m.) Overview of Recently Discovered Noxious Weeds in California Rice - Cass Mutters, UCCE
9:50 a.m. (2:20 p.m.) Management of Potassium in California Rice Systems – Bruce Linquist, UCD
10:20 a.m. (2:50 p.m.) Facts and Situation Status of Arsenic in Rice- Chris Greer, UCCE
10:40 a.m. (3:10 p.m.) — BREAK —
11:00 a.m. (3:30 p.m.) Aerodynamic Measurement of Rice Evapotranspiration – Richard Snyder/Honza Rejmanek, UCD
11:30 a.m. (4:00 p.m.) Update on Multiple-Herbicide Resistance Management - Albert Fischer, UCD
12:00 a.m. (4:30 p.m.) — ADJOURN —
****Applied for DPR and CCA CE credits****
Printable program
