Mississippi, USA
December, 2007
Source: Mississippi Agricultural
Experiment Station,
Mississippi State University
Full report:
http://msucares.com/pubs/infobulletins/ib0439.pdf
INTRODUCTION
In 2007, approximately 190,000
acres of rice were planted in 14 Delta counties of Mississippi,
where practically all rice is produced in the state. In 2006,
Mississippi producers also planted 190,000 acres of rice.
Bolivar County
had the highest planted acreage at 56,821 acres. Essentially all
of the production in Mississippi was long-grain rice. Cocodrie
was the predominant variety grown in Mississippi this year,
occupying nearly 62% of the rice acreage, followed by Clearfield
161 at 15% and hybrid cultivars at 15%. Other varieties,
including Wells, Sabine, Clearfield 171-AR, and Hidalgo, were
grown on about 8% of the acreage.
The on-farm rice variety trials represent the final step in the
breeding program’s yield performance evaluations before a
variety is released for commercial production in Mississippi.
Conducting these trials on commercial farms
across the Delta provides important information on variety
performance and adaptability under diverse environmental and
management conditions. These sites give a partial sampling of
actual production situations in the Delta. These multiple sites
also permit evaluation of test entries for resistance to pests
and/or other field-related stresses, such as soil crusting and
straighthead, which often have a greater natural incidence at
locations other than the Delta Research and Extension Center
(DREC). There was no observed incidence of blast at any site in
2007. The incidence of sheath blight at the on-farm sites ranged
from light to moderate in 2007. False smut was detected at some
sites at very low infestation levels. Kernel smut was not
detected at any of the on-farm sites. Symptoms resembling
straighthead were observed in some plots at one site.
Planting dates for the different locations ranged from March 27
to April 24, which are within the typical period for planting
rice in the Delta. Three sites, Cleveland, Blaine, and
Stoneville, were planted into conventionally prepared seedbeds,
and the other four were planted into stale seedbeds. Four of the
sites were flushed: Blaine, Stoneville, Hollandale, and Louise.
Light to moderate sheath blight infection developed on
susceptible entries at all seven sites with the least being
observed at Stoneville. Soil samples were collected at planting
within the test area at each site. Results indicated nutrient
levels were generally high at all sites. However, the Blaine
location had a low level of sulfur.
Variety selection is one of the most important decisions a rice
producer makes in preparing production plans each season. The
information in this bulletin is intended to help the producer
with this decision-making process. In addition to the yield
performance of a variety, consideration needs to be given to
whole-grain and total milling percentages, maturity, lodging,
and disease reactions. The milling percentages reported here are
relative among the entries included and may not equal commercial
milling yields. Factors that influenced these milling yields are
location, variable emergence, harvest interval following
heading, and lodging. Weatherrelated
stress, harvest delays due to untimely rainfall, and the
specific harvesting and processing equipment used for these
tests may also affect milling yields. Some of these factors may
not have the same influence on rice that has been commercially
harvested or processed. The widely grown variety, Cocodrie,
which has known milling characteristics, can serve as the
milling reference check for relative comparisons with other test
entries. Data summarized over locations and years are a more
reliable measure to show future variety performance than results
from individual tests. Other sources of information may include
past production experience with
a particular variety and consulting with local and state rice
Extension personnel.
Full report:
http://msucares.com/pubs/infobulletins/ib0439.pdf
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