2007 - Texas A&M AgriLIFE Research Center at Beaumont - Texas ...

Apply the remaining nitrogen in the floodwater at panicle
differentiation or earlier if plants become nitrogen deficient.
Weed control
Although continuous flood and pinpoint flood culture
should suppress red rice and other weeds, they do not provide
adequate control. These steps help control weeds:
• Apply Bolero ® 8EC preplant at 4 pints per acre to suppress
red rice and control certain other weeds. Apply it
immediately after soil preparation and flood the field
within 3 days. Do not seed the field any sooner than 24
hours after the field has been brought to flood level.
• Apply Ordram ® 8E preplant at 3 to 4 pints per acre depending
on soil texture. Use ground application equipment
only, incorporate immediately and flood as soon
as possible. You can also use Ordram ® 15G preplant
incorporated at 20 pounds per acre. Mechanically
incorporate within 6 hours of application and flood as
soon as possible.
• In addition, you can apply Grandstand ® at 0.67 to 1
pint per acre to control certain broadleaf weeds. Using
Permit ® , Basagran ® or Londax ® alone or with propanil
also can control certain aquatic weeds. Rates depend
on growth stage.
Planting
The flooded conditions mandate that the field be aerial
seeded. Timing and management is critical. The field must
be seeded as soon after flood establishment and stabilization
to minimize damage from seed midge. Also, the water
oxygen content will decrease after flood establishment. The
sprouted seed should be ready for planting as soon as the
field is flooded. The seeding rate should be increased to 120
to 140 pounds per acre.
Blackbirds
M. O. Way
Blackbirds, primarily red-winged blackbirds, are pests of
rice during the planting season, the seedling stage and the ripening
period. The birds consume seed and seedlings on and
under the soil, which can result in inadequate plant stands.
In some cases, the fields must be replanted. Reseeding is
expensive and delays planting, which may reduce yields and
quality and hinder harvesting operations. Also, harvesting
the main crop late can make ratoon cropping impractical and
increase the chances of blackbird damage on the ripening
main and ratoon crops.
Blackbirds also damage the ripening crop by “pinching”
grains (squeezing a grain with the beak to force the milky
contents into the mouth) in the milk stage, hulling grains in
the dough stage, and consuming the contents and breaking
panicles by perching and feeding.
This type of damage is insignificant in the ripening main
crop, according to results of a study in Matagorda County
by personnel of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station
and Texas Cooperative Extension. However, damage to the
ripening ratoon crop was found to be severe, particularly
along field margins. Yield losses ranged from about 4 to 15
percent, even in fields that were patrolled using firearms.
The cost of control was as high as $46 per acre.
Many producers do not ratoon crop, simply because of
potential bird problems. Producers have had to abandon
parts of fields hit hard by birds and/or have had to harvest
too early in order to save the ratoon crop from bird attacks.
For both damage periods (planting and heading to harvest),
fields close to wetlands or roosts usually suffered more damage.
Unfortunately, no easy solution is available, although a
combination of control tactics can reduce the problem.
Bird control on emerging rice
To control blackbirds on emerging rice:
• Delay planting until large flocks of birds move north,
and try not to plant when your field is the only one
in the area with seeds and seedlings available for the
birds.
• Increase the seeding rate if you usually experience
bird problems at planting, and cover the seed to make
it more difficult for the birds to find.
• Patrol the fields early and consistently using firearms
and scare devices.* This is probably the most effective
tactic. Laborers can be hired to perform this tedious
but important job. If possible, make sure all margins of
the field are accessible for patrol. Start patrolling immediately
after planting to scare away “scout” birds.
Birds are more difficult to move once they establish in
a field. Most feeding occurs during the early morning
and late afternoon. However, patrol the fields as long
as birds are present.
• Use continuous flooding, which can deter blackbirds
from feeding on seeds and seedlings. However, other
birds, such as ducks, geese, ibises and dowitchers, feed
on and/or trample submerged sprouts.
• If possible, destroy roosts and loafing sites on the
margins of fields.
DRC 1339, a blackbird toxicant formulated as a bait, can
be used to kill blackbirds threatening rice. It can be applied
only by authorized governmental personnel. For more information,
contact the Texas Wildlife Damage Man-agement
Service at 979.845.6201 or 979.234.6599.
Control on ripening rice
To control blackbirds on ripening rice:
• For the ripening ratoon crop, plant an early-maturing
variety so that the harvest occurs before the flocks
increase to damaging numbers. Late plantings increase
the chance of bird damage to the ratoon crop.
• Again, manage the habitat, and patrol early and consistently.
These are the most important control measures.
• Harvest as soon as grain moisture is appropriate. The
longer rice remains in the field, the greater the chance
for bird damage.
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