The rice season has started. If you drive around the valley you will see tractors working the ground, fields being flooded and airplanes flying seed. The UC Rice Project staked its first variety trial of the season today. It was the Glenn County variety trial. This trial has 104 10x20 feet plots. We will probably seed this location next week. This trial has varieties in the intermediate/late maturity group and it's planted in a M-401 field. 

Every year variety trials are established throughout California’s rice production areas. The trials are a cooperative effort between UCCE and the Rice Experiment Station (RES). Their objective is to determine production potential and adaptability of new materials for local conditions, as well as the response of commercial varieties to local weather, soil and agronomic practices.

The 2011 trials were conducted at eight farm locations. Additionally, varieties were also evaluated at the RES in Biggs. Tests were arranged in randomized complete block designs with four replications. Individual plots, except at San Joaquin County, were water-seeded by hand at a planting rate of 144 lb/acre. The plots at San Joaquin were drill-seeded at a rate of 120 lb/acre. All tests were harvested with a small-plot research combine. The harvest area per plot ranged from 140 to 153 ft². Grain moisture was assessed at harvest and yields were adjusted to 14% moisture.

Very Early Maturity Group (<90 days to 50% heading at RES)

Butte County (RES): Planting date: 05/16, harvest date: 09/30

Sutter County: Planting date: 05/18, harvest date: 10/24

Yolo County: Planting date: 05/18, harvest date: 10/17

San Joaquin County (drill-seeded trial): Planting date: 05/09, harvest date: 10/27

Early Maturity Group (90-97 days to 50% heading at RES)

Butte County (RES): Planting date: 05/16, Harvest date: 10/21

Butte County: Planting date: 05/10, harvest date: 09/30

Colusa County: Planting date: 05/16, harvest date: 10/26

Yuba County: Planting date: 05/12, harvest date: 10/19

Intermediate/Late Maturity Group (>97 days to 50% heading at RES)

Butte County (RES): Planting date: 05/17, harvest date: 10/28

Glenn County: Planting date: 05/06, harvest date: 10/25

Sutter County: Planting date: 05/03, harvest date: 09/26

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For an electronic copy of the complete 2012 Agronomy Progress Report, click here.

Kent McKenzie, Rice Experiment Station (RES) Director, has announced that foundation rice seed produced in 2011 has been cleaned and sampled for germination and purity evaluations. 

The price of foundation seed will be $40.00 per cwt in 2012. A $10 per cwt deposit and a signed Warranty and Disclaimer are required by the RES by April 5, 2012 to reserve foundation seed. The balance of the payment for the seed is due when the grower takes delivery of the seed at the RES. Foundation seed allocated to growers on which the $10/cwt deposit has not been received may be re-allocated to others after the April 5, 2012 deadline.

Foundation and breeder seed of 14 rice varieties were produced on 136 acres in 2011. A total of 932,328 and 30,842 pounds of cleaned foundation and breeder seed, respectively, were produced for planting in 2012. The RES produced an additional 36,018 pounds of clean basic seed of Koshihikari for the California Rice Industry on 8.4 acres. The quantities of foundation rice seed by variety for sale in 2012 are shown in the following table.

† Plant Variety Protection Certificate (PVPC), Title IV Option, or PVPC applied for that specifies variety can be sold only by name as a class of certified seed in the United States of America.

†† Utility patent issued, pending, and PVP.

For more information contact Bob Stewart, Foundation Seed and Certification Service (530-752-9826), or Kent McKenzie (530-868-5481).

During 2010 and 2011, the distribution of rice blast in California expanded considerably. The disease was found in areas where it typically had not been a problem in the past. Yolo County is one of these areas. To assist rice growers not familiar with this disease, UC Cooperative Extension and the Yolo County Agriculture Department are organizing an informational presentation that will cover disease symptoms and field identification, disease cycle, conditions that favor disease development and strategies for management. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session.

WHERE & WHEN
Tuesday, March 13, Norton Hall, 70 Cottonwood St., Woodland

TIME
Doors open at 8:40 am and meeting starts at 9:00 am

PRESENTERS:
Luis Espino, Rice Farm Advisor, UCCE Colusa, Glenn and Yolo Counties
Chris Greer, Rice Farm Advisor, UCCE Sutter/Yuba, Placer and Sacramento Counties

One hour of DPR Continuing Education credit has been approved.