Evangeline Ag News
News and information for our parish’s agricultural producers and dealers
________
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
May 2013
MAY
1–
NO Commercial or Private application of 2,
Aug 1 4D Herbicides or 2, 4D mixes in Evangeline
Parish. Permitted Application ONLY in
area south of LA Hwy 104 & LA Hwy 26;
North of Hwy 190 between Hwy 165 &
Hwy 13 in Allen & Evangeline Parish.
23
Evangeline Parish Rice Field Tour – Bieber
Farm & Hebert Farm off of Bieber Rd.
24
Deadline to Sign up for EPCA Ranch Tour
___
_
For rice-specific information, go to
www.lsuagcenter.com/en/crops_livestock/crops/rice
where you will find current information dealing
with many facets of rice production and the industry
itself.
UPDATE FROM DR. SAICHUK, STATE RICE
SPECIALIST
JUNE
EPCA Blood Drive – Landreneau Grocery -Pine Prairie.
13
EPCA Blood Drive – Ville Platte Wal-Mart
10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
15
EPCA Ranch Tour – The Branch Ranch –
Mansfield, LA.
26
Rice Research Station Field Day – Crowley
27-30 State Farm Bureau Convention – New
Orleans
8
JULY
18
Dean Lee Field Day – Dean Lee Research
Station
E-MAIL LIST UPDATING
If you have an e-mail address, please call our
office at 337-363-5646, or send an E-mail to me at
(kfontenot@agctr.lsu.edu) or my secretary, Maggie
Dupre at (mdupre@agcenter.lsu.edu). We will put
you on our electronic mail list to receive this
newsletter as well as other informational crop
situation bullets that we receive during the year.
You may also visit the LSU AgCenter home
page at (www.lsuagcenter.com) where you may find
information on many different and varied topics.
Picture From: Dr. Johnny Saichuk, State Rice Specialist
The above illustrates the short rice in still dry plots
on the experiment station. In the April 19th edition I
had a similar photograph to show how short the rice
was considering how long it had been planted. The
scale is in inches and I selected one of the more
vigorous plots for the photograph. I took the second
photograph this morning after between 2.5 and 3
inches of rain fell last night. This was not
intentional flooding and I know Dr. Harrell had
some fertility experiments he wanted to remain dry
until next Wednesday. The rice in the photo-graphs
was planted Thursday of the first week of March.
I have had a lot of calls from farmers wondering if
all this short, late rice is going to suffer yield loss. I
really do not know. Logic points to a reduction in
yield because it has an effect similar to late planting.
However, I think the weather in June and July will
have a great deal to do with the success or failure of
the crop. If we experience a mild summer with more
sunshine than we have had of late, yield potential is
good. If it turns out excessively hot and humid there
is less chance of good yields.
APHID DAMAGE FOUND IN EVANGELINE
PARISH
The critter pictured to the right, was found in a field
in Evangeline parish yesterday. It is a greenbug, a
type of aphid known for its ability to damage grain
crops. We seldom see significant injury in rice, but
the literature indicates this aphid can be especially
problematic when a long cool spring follows a mild
winter. Under those conditions its predators do not
build up as fast as the aphids. A couple of weeks
ago Arkansas reported greenbug problems in rice.
Special identifying characteristics of this aphid are
the darker green line running the length of the
abdomen, the black feet, and black tips of the
cornicles. The cornicles are the little “exhaust pipe”
looking extensions from the rear of the abdomen.
In the field where we picked them up stand was
reduced to the point of having to re-plant, but as you
see in the picture to the right, it was not due solely
to the greenbugs.
The photograph above is of CL111 seedlings in the
same field where we found the greenbugs. Dr. Groth
identified the problem as Stackburn or Alternaria
leaf spot caused by Alternaria padwickii. It is
usually associated with leaf spotting of older rice
without causing significant yield losses. In the
Louisiana Rice Production Handbook is the
following statement, “This fungus is the most
2
common seed-borne fungus in Louisiana and may
cause seedling blight.” I do not recall ever seeing it
as severe as it was in the field county agent Keith
Fontenot and dealer rep B. D. Fontenot and I visited
yesterday. The combination of the greenbugs and
this disease probably caused more damage than
either would have alone—a classic synergistic
effect. The farmer will have to re-plant the field.
HIGH WIND AND HERBICIDE DRIFT ISSUES
With the high winds we have been experiencing, not
to mention the much cooler than normal
temperatures, we have been seeing numerous
problems with herbicide off target drift. The cooler
temperatures have really affected the rice plants
abilities to metabolize even normal herbicide
applications, which usually show no effect on rice.
The two pictures to the right were taken where
Newpath drift was suspected in a non-clearfield
variety planted rice field. Dr Eric Webster pointed
out many of the identifying characteristics on drift
of Newpath with one of these being the Chlorotic
streaking of leaves in rice plants. The plant pictured
above left is volunteer corn in that same field,
which made taking a picture to show the streaking
much easier. Looks exactly the same in rice plants.
Another symptom noticed was blotching on some of
the leaves, as well as twisting of leaf tips on the
newest leaf emerging from the whorl.
Something else that really stood out was the
evidence of herbicide damage on the sides of the
levees in line with the direction of drift coming
from the suspected application. This is seen pretty
easily in the photo above right. Also in the
immediate shadow of levees and tree lines, the
damage is usually not seen, or usually much less
severe where these areas were partially protected.
Rice leaf samples were taken from this field and lab
results did indicate that Imazethapyr, the active
ingredient in Newpath was in the tissue.
3
be an all-day event, tentatively set for Saturday,
June 15. The tour will include viewing of all the
cattle, including all the coming 2 yr. old bulls that
will be offered for sale in the Fall, as well as other
cattle and the pasture and hay operation. A lunch
will be served as well. To assist in planning and
preparing for travel and food, we mailed a letter
asking members to send a reply to the extension
office for a head count. We will try to group travel
to save on expenses. Deadline to reply is May 24,
2013.
2013 EVANGELINE RICE FIELD TOUR
Please join us on May 23, 2013 for a morning Rice
Field Tour. Our first stop for this years’ clinic will
feature, Dr. Dustin Harrell’s agronomy plots with
some excellent fertilizer results showing at the Joey
Herbert Farm with cooperating producer, Kenneth
LaHaye. Our second stop on the tour will be at
Bieber Farms, Kody Bieber cooperating, where LSU
AgCenter researchers and specialist will discuss
research test plots featuring, variety trials, weeds,
insects and diseases of rice.
June is Beef Month
During the month of June several Beef Month
activities are planned including a signing of the beef
month proclamation by the Police Jury President,
and the mayors of several local townships and Ville
Platte. Also in June look for the “Beef Banners” to
be displayed by several local businesses who
purchased these to promote the beef month activity.
Blood Drives
Also a Beef Month activity, Blood drives will be
conducted across the state by many of the parish
cattleman’s associations. In Evangeline Parish we
currently have two blood drives scheduled as
follows:
Saturday, June 8, Jude Landreneau’s Grocery in
Pine Prairie
Thursday, June 13, Wal Mart parking lot in
Ville Platte, 10am-3pm
Please encourage family and friends if possible to
donate on these days. Donors will receive a T-Shirt,
Hamburger, chips and cold drink that association
members will be cooking and serving on the spot
when donors exit the bus. We encourage everyone
to come out and donate blood and get a nutritious,
blood building all beef hamburger, and other
goodies.
7:45--8:00 a.m. -- Arrival at Hebert Farms, Dr. Harrells
Agronomy plots.
8:00—8:25 -- Dr. Harrell- discussing Plot Research on P,
K, & Zn plots: (good results showing)
8:30—8:40 -- Travel to Bieber Farms, site of variety test
Plots on Bieber Rd., 1 mile WEST of Mamou.
8:50---9:30 -- Varieties & Insects viewing the plots along
the road, Dr. Linscombe & Dr. Stout.
Under the oak tree:
9:30 ---9:50 -- Dr. Saichuk—Growing Season Update,
Field Situations
9:50 —10:10 -- Dr. Webster—Herbicide Application
Updates; Other ??
10:10 -- 10:30 -- Dr. Groth—Fungicides; New Products,
Application Rates, Timing
We will have plenty of refreshments and snacks,
courtesy of RiceTec seed. Some of you may not be
able to stay for the entire meeting, but we would
like to have you visit with us as long as you can.
EVANGELINE PARISH CATTLEMAN’S
ASSOCIATION ACTIVITIES
Ranch Tour
At the last Associaiton Board meeting held in
March, the group discussed the possibility of a Tour
for all parish members of, The Branch Ranch. This
is a Purebred Brangus operation located near
Mansfield, La. Owned by Mr. Tommie Rogers and
his family. This ranch has been a seedstock source
for many Brangus Bulls used on commercial and
purebred herds in and around our area, as well as
across the country. Due to the distance this would
If you have any questions, contact me at
363-5646, 230 Court Street in Ville Platte.
Keith A. Fontenot
County Agent
Evangeline Parish
4
5
April 2013
Evangeline Ag News
News and information for our parish’s agricultural producers and dealers
Visit our LSU AgCenter Store
www.lsuagcenter.com/OnlineStore
6