Greetings from Louisiana rice country! This year, the blog will concentrate research conducted at the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station, in addition to showing the progress of a 6-acre field of rice planted March 19 to produce foundation seed. We encourage your comments and thoughts to help improve this online tool. If you would like a photograph of a particular piece of equipment or a better explanation of a process, let us know.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Planting


March 20:
Rice seed was sown into a stale seedbed with a drill similar to the one being used in the picture above. The variety planted was Cocodrie, developed and released from the Rice Research Station in 1998. It has been grown on more acres than any other single variety in U.S. rice production over the past 10 years.
Before planting the field had been sprayed on Feb. 12 with herbicides that included 2,4-D and glyphosate.
The laser-leveled field is divided into five sections, or cuts, using four levees.
The rice sprouts emerged March 27, a week after planting.