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An uptick in dry-seeded row rice acres

A rice expert says there has been a shift in parts of the U.S. to dry-seeded row rice as growers look to improve production and profitability.

Thacher DeStefano with UPL says the uptick has been primarily in northeast Arkansas and the Bootheel of Missouri. “Mainly due to the simplicity of labor,” he says.  “If you look at traditional rice farming practices, levy management, water management, it’s very labor intensive.  The row rice cultural practices essentially cut a lot of that out.”

He tells Brownfield herbicide resistance has been a long-standing battle for rice growers and as they prepare for the 2023 growing season the biggest take-away is residual control.  “Overlap residuals and keep rotating modes of action,” he says.  

DeStefano says UPL offers two products for rice growers.  The first is RiceOne which is a pre-emergent product that can be put out early and lay the foundation to keep some of the new weeds out.  Then, he says, growers can then follow up with Ricebeaux which offers reliable contact and residual control on a wide variety of weeds.  

He says by managing weeds and rotating crop protection products, rice growers can improve their overall bottom line.

AUDIO: Thacher DeStefano, UPL