Current low commodity prices and high input costs mean rice farmers must simultaneously cut production costs and maximize yield potential. And since the average Texas rice farm is 500 acres, producers often face the cost of hiring additional help. Fortunately for these farmers, technology can transform a farmer's toolbox to include a cutting-edge forecasting machine.

Using any standard home computer with Internet connection, rice farmers can now access a Web-based program called the Rice Development Advisory (RiceDevA), which is designed to assist them in tracking crop growth and development.

Created at the Texas A&M University System Research and Extension Center in Beaumont, the program is user-friendly with advanced options for creating, running and displaying field growth forecasts for different rice varieties in the Texas Rice Belt.

According to Dr. Ted Wilson, director at the Beaumont center the program is a useful tool for rice farmers, even those with very little computer experience.

"The pop-up menus and fill-in-the-blank windows walk you through in a step-by-step fashion to input all the necessary information," Wilson said. "Once the raw data is loaded, the farmer can log in as often as they want to check on the progress of their fields."

Based on the variety, location, planting date and weather data, RiceDevA can tell farmers when the rice is likely to reach certain stages, such as tillering, panicle development or full heading. Since the timing of fertilizer applications for rice production is so critical, the RiceDevA can be like another pair of eyes in the field, alerting farmers to apply nitrogen for maximum effectiveness.

For added flexibility, RiceDevA allows farmers to choose weather station data or add in their own data from personal weather stations on their farms.

Scientists at the Beaumont center have gone a step further and are working to help farmers predict crop yields. The team is currently developing a Web-based version of the Rice Cultivar Selection Program (RiceCSP), which has been proven to accurately predict rice crop growth stages and crop yields.

It accounts for changes in crop development due to temperatures, rainfall, solar radiation, soil type, fertilizer application, water management, planting density, row spacing and other factors. RiceCSP, which is scheduled for release in spring 2006, will give more options to users to manage and predict their rice crops.

According to Wilson, the team is just gearing up.

"As we continue to increase our knowledge and understanding of the rice cropping system through our research, we are also realizing the increasing importance of extracting and integrating knowledge in agronomy, physiology, ecology, entomology and economics into a system that is user-friendly and easily accessible," Wilson said.

"Such an integrated system would greatly help rice producers and consultants in managing their crop production" For more information, go to http://beaumont.tamu.edu/RiceDevA .