Rice harvest expected to be good

As California rice fields begin to be harvested this week, farmers and UC experts say the yield is expected to be good, but unremarkable, said an article by Ching Lee in the Central Valley Business Times.

"It looks like it's going to be an OK harvest," said Butte County rice farmer Michael Arens.

Yields should be "somewhat average," the article quoted Chris Greer, UC Cooperative Extension advisor for Yuba, Sutter, Placer and Sacramento counties.

A hot spell in August limited flowering in some cases, but the warm weather also helped control the fungal plant disease rice blast.

"In a year like this, unless we start getting heavy rains, (harvest) is probably going to turn out fairly good," Greer said.

A Chico farmer reported a problem with weeds this year. Luis Espino, UCCE advisor for Glenn, Colusa and Yolo counties, said UC researchers confirmed last year that smallflower umbrella sedge has become resistant to one of the main herbicides that growers use to control it.

"We'll probably see more of (the resistant weed) as time goes by," Espino said.

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