Skip to main content
ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #281121
Title: Agronomic potential of southern rice cultivars under organic management

Author
item McClung, Anna
item ZHOU, XIN-GEN - Texas Agrilife Extension
item DOU, FUGEN - Texas Agrilife Extension

Submitted to: Rice Technical Working Group Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/27/2012
Publication Date: 2/27/2012
Citation: Mcclung, A.M., Zhou, X., Dou, F. 2012. Agronomic potential of southern rice cultivars under organic management. Rice Technical Working Group Meeting Proceedings. Feb. 27 - Mar. 1, 2012. Hot Springs, AR :pg. 133.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Organic rice production is expanding in the United States as a result of increasing market demand. Although acreage of conventional produced rice has declined in Texas over the last twenty years, organic rice production has increased to almost ten percent of the Texas rice acreage. Organic growers in Texas have relied upon using land that has been fallow for a number of years and can be certified as organic. However, because there is little information available regarding organic rice production methods, yields are highly erratic. In addition, even though there are a wide variety of organic fertilizer amendments available to farmers, there is little known about their efficacy in a rice production system and their economic impact on the crop. Moreover, the organic rice market utilizes not only conventional market classes of rice but also specialty rice cultivars suited for the aromatic, flour, and pet food markets. We conducted a set of studies to determine the impact of organic fertilizer amendments on rice yield potential yield and to identify rice cultivars that are best suited for organic production. For the variety study, sixteen cultivars were evaluated over three years in a replicated yield trial. Cultivars were evaluated under both conventional management and organic management at Beaumont, TX. Over two years, the variety Presidio was evaluated using four rates of seven organic fertilizer products. Yield, agronomic traits, and milling data were collected in all studies. Results will be presented that will demonstrate the best performing rice cultivar under organic management and selection of the best combination of organic fertilizer amendment and rate that achieves the highest yield potential. In addition, the impact of other production factors such as cover crops, seeding rate, and seeding method on yield will be discussed.