This season may be a late-planted one due to the potential for a wet and cool spring. Our research has shown that delayed planting reduces yield potential (yields tend to be about 5 sacks/acre less when planted at end of May compared to beginning of May). Furthermore, late planting push harvest into fall where rains delay harvest, reduce quality and drive up drying costs. Growers do not want to pay for unnecessary costs. In this article we discuss a few items that will help with earlier planting, shorter season and reduced costs.

Land preparation

Land preparation typically starts at the beginning of April when soils are dry enough to open the ground - allowing soils to dry out faster. As we write this in early April, no ground has been opened up and more rain is a possibility. On a positive note, the long wet winter and spring will likely have resulted in better straw breakdown than a typical year. This may make ground work a bit faster and easier and possibly let you get by with one less pass. That said, you do not want to skimp too much on seedbed preparation. Good weed and water management later in the season depend on a good seedbed.

Varietal selection

Good variety selection is key. You want a short duration variety that is cold tolerant. M-206, M-210 and M-105 are good options. The shorter duration will allow for earlier harvest. However, cold tolerance is important as well.

Water management

A late planting date shifts the early booting stage (when rice is sensitive to cool temperatures and blanking) later in the year when night time temperatures are lower. Thus, in addition to proper variety selection, it will be important to raise flood water height to about 8 inches between PI and heading to protect the emerging panicle from the cold temperatures.

Fertility management

Nitrogen rate: You do not want to over apply N. Over application will delay harvest and increase risk of blanking. Given these risks, a shorter growing season, and the reduced yield potential due to late planting, you may consider reducing overall N rate by 5-10% from what you typically apply.

Starter fertilizer: Apply P and K only if needed. If your soil P values are above 15 ppm (Bicarbonate P) or if your soil K values are above 120 ppm, applications of these nutrients may not be necessary. If you do not need P and K then do not apply a starter but rather apply all N as aqua. If applying a starter fertilizer, consider applying 20-30 days after planting. This has several benefits: it eliminates a pass before planting allowing for earlier planting, it reduces scum build up (more likely in a late planted year due to warmer weather), and it can replace the post-herbicide N application that many growers practice.

Top-dressing N: Only top-dress if necessary. A leaf color chart or GreenSeeker is a good tool to determine if it is necessary. Unnecessary top-dressed N increases costs, delays harvest and can reduce yields. Our research continues to confirm that splitting N between a preplant and top-dress N application has no yield benefit compared to applying it all preplant.

Avoid at all costs: You want to avoid a situation where you have N fertilizer in the field and you are not able to flood the field. In wet years, this can be a problem as rainfall may necessitate halting fertilizer applications or other field work after fertilizer operations have already begun. If fertilizer gets wet and you are not able to flood it is almost impossible to figure out how much N is potentially lost. Good planning and checking weather forecasts will help avoid these situations. A couple of days delay in planting is likely better than getting caught in the above scenario which will not only result in fertility management problems but also weed problems.

Weed management

It is likely that the weather will be warmer at later planting dates. Weeds will emerge and grow quickly, due to the warmer temperatures. Late watergrass and early watergrass may emerge before the rice in a flooded field. This means that you will need to be careful about herbicide application timing. It will be important to apply herbicides based on weed and rice growth stages, not based on days after seeding. If applications are made based on the number of days after seeding, they will be applied too late, and this will result in poor control. In general, applications should be as early as possible based on the labeled recommendations for each herbicide. Due to warm temperatures, some herbicides will work better. This will be good for weed control, but the herbicides will also be harder on the rice, causing more phytotoxicity than normal. You may see greater stand reduction with Cerano. ALS-inhibitors (Granite GR/SC, Sandea, Halomax, Londax, Strada, and Regiment) may cause stunting and root pruning especially when applied at early growth stages but the rice should recover. Butte, League MVP, and RebelEX may also cause stunting and root pruning due to the fact that all contain ALS-inhibitors as part of the mix.  

Pest management

Late planting will likely result in warmer temperatures during seedling development. Seedling pests like tadpole shrimp (TPS) and rice water weevil (RWW) will develop faster and have the capacity to cause more injury. Under warm weather, TPS will grow and reach a size that can injure rice fast (as quickly as 5 days after the flood is initiated). Germinating rice seeds and seedlings that only have a coleoptile and radicle (no green tissue yet) are preferred by the TPS. Monitor your fields closely during this time and use an insecticide if you see TPS before the rice has any green tissue. Quickly growing TPS means it is easier to miss a problem field or get surprised by TPS.

RWW overwinters in vegetated areas around rice fields and fly to flooded fields during warm and calm nights. Usually the period of RWW flight is extended during several weeks starting in April, but with the current conditions, we might see a more concentrated flight period once temperatures start increasing. If you are in an area with a history of RWW problems, it might be wise to do border treatments soon after the seedlings break the water line.

We are not sure how late planting will affect armyworms. We could see infestations occur when plants are younger than usual, which would make the effect of defoliation more severe. In any case, we will be monitoring armyworm moth flight during the season and will be distributing this information through the UC Rice On-line website.

Blast has not been much of a problem for the past two years. However, looking back at my notes for the 2010 season, when blast was a widespread problem through the valley, I have late planting as one of the factors that probably contributed to the problem. As plants age, they become more resistant to blast infections. Younger plants during weather periods that allow for blast development (warm nights with free water on the leaves) may allow for more infections that can increase incidence (number of plants affected) and severity (how bad the infections are). Managing the crop to limit conditions that favor blast is the best way to prevent infections. To prevent blast, avoid excessive N fertilization, avoid draining the field during crop development, plant the less susceptible variety M-206 or the resistant variety M-210, and avoid plant stresses like nutrient deficiencies, salinity or herbicide injury. If you plant varieties that are less tolerant such as M-209, or M-105, keep a close eye on the field during boot and heading. If infections are detected during tillering, or if we start seeing overcast nights with long periods of dew on the plants before heading, a fungicide application should be made at the very early heading stage to protect from neck blast.

No-till rice

No-till may be a practice that is considered in a late planted year. Since you are not doing tillage work, it has the potential benefits of allowing an earlier planting and reduced costs associated with tillage operations. In addition, weed control costs may be reduced. In previous work at the Rice Experiment Station, we found that yield potential in no-till systems was similar to conventional systems. Here are some things you should consider when practicing no-till:

1. You want to select the proper fields. They should not be rutted from the previous seasons harvest events. The field should not have a straw mat across the surface (i.e. from using a cage roller in the fall), which could impact root penetration. Some standing stubble is not a problem as it helps young seedlings stay in place in case of high winds.

2. If it has rained recently and you CAN see emerged weeds, apply a non-selective herbicide, such as glyphosate to kill emerged weeds. It is recommended to apply glyphosate by ground rig, not by air, to avoid drift issues. Flood fields 24-48 hours after application and seed into the flooded field.

3. If it has not rained recently and you DON'T see emerged weeds, you can:

     a. Flood and seed the field, OR

     b. If you want to recruit more weeds, you could flush the field with water to germinate weed seeds and then kill these weeds before flooding and planting the field (we call this a stale seedbed). To ensure maximum control, you should wait at least 1 week between the flush and the glyphosate application.

4. Use a higher seeding rate to ensure good stand density.

5. Although the pre-plant glyphosate application should kill most grasses, it will be necessary to follow up with a sedge and broadleaf herbicide at the 3-4 leaf stage of rice.

6. You want to avoid disturbing soil and bringing new weeds to the surface so all fertilizers should be applied to the surface. This means using urea pellets instead of aqua. We recommend applying urea preplant to the soil before flooding. Flooding will help move the urea into the soil. Do not apply urea immediately after flooding. If you do not apply before flooding, you could wait about 3 weeks and apply the urea at that time. Apply starter fertilizer by plane after rice leaves have emerged above the soil surface to avoid scum. You may need to apply a top-dress N application as N fertilizer applied to soil surface is generally not used as efficiently as injected aqua. Use a leaf color chart to help make this decision.

7. Keep water level low in field until roots anchor into soil.

Experiments conducted in 2022 were planted in a fallow field where soil was tilled during the 2021 summer (unworked area to the left) or during the 2022 spring (rolled area to the right).

Last year roughly half of the rice acreage was left fallow. We have been conducting research (funded by the Rice Research Board) looking at the differences between rice grown after a fallow versus rice grown following rice. We have found that rice following a fallow has higher yield potential. In our two years of study we saw about a 2 to 3 sack yield advantage in rice after a fallow. Higher yields may be due to reduced disease incidence. In both years of the study we saw lower incidence of stem rot in rice following a fallow year. As mentioned, this can lead to higher yields but also to less lodging.

Regarding nitrogen management, we used a labeled nitrogen fertilizer to allow us to determine if the nitrogen in the plant came from fertilizer or from the soil. We found that fertilizer N was used similarly when rice followed a fallow or when it followed rice. Interestingly, we also found that when rice followed fallow, more nitrogen was available from the soil – particularly after PI. This has a couple of implications. First, it means if you had a fallow rice field last year, you may be able to back off on your overall N rate. In our data from one year, we found that you could back off by up 20 to 30 lb N/ac. Secondly, most of the additional N availability came after PI. This suggests that if you are routinely topdressing, it may not be necessary when rice is following a fallow year. Regardless, I would still suggest monitoring the crop at PI using a Leaf Color Chart or a GreenSeeker to make a more informed decision about N management.

Some of you may be asking “why do we get more nitrogen in a field that was fallowed?”. This is a great question. In fields that have been in rice where the rice straw is incorporated and flooded during the winter, phenols accumulate. Phenols are an organic compound that tend to build up when organic matter, such as straw, decomposes under anaerobic conditions. Given how most farmers manage their straw we would expect a build up of phenols. In fact, we have looked at soils around the valley and have found this to be the case. Phenols also bind nitrogen, making it unavailable for plants. Imposing long periods of time when the soil is aerobic such as during a fallow period, promotes the breakdown of these phenols and the release of nitrogen.

As I write in late March, no one is out in the fields yet. It is too wet. This suggests that planting will be later than normal. On a positive note, I did see that NOAA has forecast a drier than normal April. Anyways, with this I would like to suggest some thoughts for planning.

First, from our Yield Contest data, we have seen that it is really important to ensure good stand establishment. In late years, it is easy to get in a rush and skip steps. While this may be necessary, make sure you do your best to get a good stand. You want an evenly spaced 25 established plants per square foot.

Second, a late planting will probably mean a later harvest. With late harvests, one risks fall rains which can further delay harvest and reduce grain quality. On your late fields, think about planting earlier maturing varieties such as M105, M-206 and M-210. These varieties have good yield potential but are about 5-7 days earlier (more in the southern part of valley) the M-209 or M-211. These longer duration varieties should be planted in earlier fields if possible.

Third, do not over fertilize with nitrogen as this can further delay harvest. For more on this, see the other topic I have written on for this newsletter.

There are many organizations and programs that provide free funding assistance for growers, which can get overwhelming with where to look and who to talk to. In an effort to assist growers with these questions a list of grants has been made to compile those that are currently available. Don't miss out if you qualify!

Organic Production grants

Organization: CCOF

Bricmont Hardship Assistance Fund

Deadline: May 12, 2023

• Note: applications open April 12, 2023

$5,000 maximum

Grant available to organic producers who experienced losses due to natural disasters, personal hardship, or other unexpected emergencies.

Requirements (from CCOF):

• Be a certified organic producer in good standing
• Provide a valid organic certificate from any accredited certifier
• Submit a complete description of hardship endured within the last 12 months along with supporting financial documentation of economic loss
• Must be based in the United States
• If awarded, agree to submit a final progress report
• Grant funds cannot be used for organic certification fees

Priority is given to first time applicants and undeserved producers.

More information: https://www.ccof.org/page/hardship-assistance

Contact: lhernandez@ccof.org

Conservation related grants

Organization: NRCS

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Deadline: Applications accepted year round

Amount not specified

Provide technical and financial assistance to growers and forest landowners to undertake natural resource concerns.

Example:

• Water and air quality improvement
• Water conservation
• Soil health improvement
• improving/ creating wildlife habitat
• And others…

Work with applicants one-on-one to develop a conservation plan based on the applicant's conservation goals and vision as well as providing assistance with the application process. 

Apply at a local USDA Service Center.

More information: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-10/EQIP-fact-sheet.pdf

Contact: Local NRCS office

• https://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?agency=nrcs 

Emergency/ uninsured grants

Organization: USDA

Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program (PARP)

Deadline: June 2, 2023

Up to $125,000 receivable

Direct financial assistance for growers affected by the COVID-19 who produced at least during a part of 2020 and had minimum 15% loss in allowable gross revenue.

• Compared to 2018-19 year or expected 2020 allowable gross revenue (if no 2018-19 year production)
• Payment determined per applicant

More information: https://www.farmers.gov/sites/default/files/documents/farmersgov-parp-factsheet.pdf 

Contact: Local FSA office or USDA employee 1(877)-508-8364

Organization: CCOF

Drought Relief Grants for Producers in California

Deadline: May 12, 2023

• Note: applications open April 12, 2023

$5,000 to $20,000 range amount

Reimbursements for drought incurred expenses. 

Examples:

• “Increased electric utility bills of 50 percent or more due to increased electricity rates”
• “Decreased crop yields/crop loss due to less water available or having to fallow land” etc

Qualification: Must be small-scale CA grower and socially disadvantaged (Description of social disadvantage based on CDFA's farmer equity report*)

**CDFA definition of socially disadvantaged groups: “AB 1348 states that a socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher is a farmer or rancher who is a member of a socially disadvantaged group. A “socially disadvantaged group” means a group whose members have been subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender discrimination. These groups include the following: African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, Female farmers and ranchers of color.”

Not eligible if the grower received a CDFA CUSP within the last 12 months.

More information: https://www.ccof.org/page/hardship-assistance

Contact: lhernandez@ccof.org