Weeds under attack

Larry White, foundation seed manager at the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station, sprayed a mixtures of the herbicides propanil, Permit and Londax. The chemicals will address a spectrum of weeds that includes grasses, sedges and aquatic plants, including alligatorweed.

Fertilizer is scheduled to be applied this week, followed by the permanent flood.

Leadership class visits Rice Research Station

The USA Rice Leadership Class of 2012 visited the Rice Research Station for supper Wednesday night. They were treated with Cajun music and heard from Dr. Mike Strain, secretary of the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry, who talked about the healthy condition of the state’s  agricultural industry.

Thursday, the class was given a tour of the Rice Research Station, then visited the Zaubrecher farm near Rayne to watch different farming techniques. They later dined on crawfish at the home of farmer Christian Richard and his wife Julie.

Farmers in the class are Brian Barrett, Arbuckle, Calif.; Rance Daniels, Hornersville, Mo.; Timothy Gertson, Lissie, Texas; Noble Guedon, Natchez, Miss.; and Clint Roth, Stuttgart, Ark..

The industry-related class members are Dr. Natalie Hummel, LSU  AgCenter entomologist, and Brice Lauppe, rice buyer from Farmer’s Rice Cooperative in Roseville, Calif.

After the rain

Rice seedlings received a welcome dose of rain, 1.35 inches to be exact, on Monday. More rain is expected Wednesday as farmers work to get their crops planted. Shown above  are rice seedlings in the wet soil.

 In the picture below, Bill Leonards, Rice Research Station farm manager, takes measurements to repair a plastic fitting in the blog field.