Tough 2010 Crop Comes to Close With Mixed Yield Results

The 2010 growing season has been tough in certain areas to say the least. Excessive heat has affected many crops across the Mid-South, including rice. The lesson learned this year would certainly focus on the benefits of crop rotation, proper soil fertility, planting dates and a mix of varieties and hybrids to manage risks. This has been a very difficult crop and the clear winner for 2010 is Mother Nature.

Growers in Arkansas and Missouri continue to report a wide range of rice yields in all counties. Early planted rice seems to have fared quite well with CL151 being reported as high as 253bu in Prairie County, the highest 2010 confirmed rice yield in the state according to local seed dealers. This shows that even though some fields affected by excessive heat did not perform to expectations, the yield potential of this variety continues to be as good as any variety or hybrid on the market. CL111 performance has been quite good across most acres and demand will increase for 2011. Medium grain growers continue to express the need for CLEARFIELD® technology on their acres. CL261 will be widely available in 2011.

Click here to download the current Harvest Update .pdf document.

Early Yield Reports for CLEARFIELD® Varieties are Promising

The 2010 rice crop has now turned into a rush to harvest for growers across the southern rice belt. Latest reports indicate a full blown effort with growers trying to get this crop out of the field as quickly as possible. Yields vary overall and it’s evident that this crop, although significant in total acres planted, will probably not break any yield records. Extreme temperatures, disease pressure, and now remnants of a tropical depression in Louisiana continue to impact production this season. Rice prices are also lower than expected and must improve for growers to be profitable at year end.

This crop continues to be a challenge, but Horizon CLEARFIELD^® varieties, which were planted on more than a million acres this season, are again proving to be “best on the farm.” New offerings such as CL111, CL142-AR and CL261 are establishing themselves as welcome additions to the Horizon portfolio. Yield performance of CL151 continues to demonstrate why this variety is an excellent alternative to CLEARFIELD hybrids, with growers reporting tremendous yields in many areas.

Click here to download the current Harvest Update .pdf document.

Horizon Ag Field Research, Part 3 in Mississippi

Horizon Ag's research with CL151 continues in Mississippi with part 3 of this series.

Mississippi Crop Report - July 2010

Mississippi Extension Rice Agronomist Tim Walker gives crop report on July 14.

Mississippi Field Research Part 2

Here is part 2 of a video series being done on Horizon Ag field research in Mississippi. Continue checking this Blog for more on the Mississippi research and other research being done on CLEARFIELD rice varieties this summer.

Mississippi Field Research Underway

Correct seeding rates, nitrogen rates and timing are keys to maximizing the performance of CLEARFIELD rice varieties. Horizon Ag has set up commercial research fields this season to demonstrate proper management systems for it products. The video on this post is the first in a series on work being done on CL151 in Mississippi.

Welcome to our blog

Welcome to the first posting of Horizon Ag’s “Field Blog” for CLEARFIELD^® rice. We’re very excited about using new communication methods to support our business. This is another mechanism we intend to incorporate for sharing current news and items of interest related to Horizon’s activities in the field, and it will also serve as a forum for those that follow to discuss current happenings. Look for many more postings in the near future as we gather information that we think could be useful to anyone interested in CLEARFIELD rice production.

Best of luck to all with the 2010 crop, and please let us know if there’s something we can be of help with as we move into the next stage of rice production. This looks to be a very promising crop so far, and we have plenty of new and exciting things going on at Horizon. New varieties, on farm testing, head-to-head comparisons with competitors, and fertility management are just a few of the things you’ll see here.

Be sure to check the Horizon website for our blogs and field day information throughout the summer and fall.