Rice pest problems were minimal in 2012

Rice insects and diseases were minimal or easy to control this year, reported Larry Godfrey, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Entomology at UC Davis, at a rice field day in Biggs, Calif., according to an article in Western Farm Press.

Godfrey reached that conclusion even though he trapped 10 times more rice water weevils in his control trials this season than in 2011, the article said.

Tadpole shrimp populations also were high this season and damage was evident. Godfrey believes they were excessive due to the winter dry period. It took longer for growers to flood fields due to the dry spring soil conditions and that contributed to the higher shrimp population.

Godfrey is testing insecticides Coragen and Belay to control these pests. Coragen is several years from registration. Belay is entangled in a honey bee kill issue so the state and federal governments are asking for more testing.

Godfrey was a presenter at a recent rice field day at the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation, Inc., Rice Experiment Station. World demand for rice, the article said, will only grow more voracious.

Read more