USA
February 14, 2020
Rice farmers considering whether it’s time to turn to Provisia® rice in 2020 can benefit from the experiences of Arkansas farmer Wes McNulty, who first tried the Provisia Rice System in 2018 to combat a rapidly worsening problem with herbicide-resistant weedy rice on his farm. Speaking at the recent Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference in Memphis, Tennessee, McNulty, who farms near Pine Bluff, Arkansas, said he not only got the control he needed but also made strong yields and excellent milling quality, cost efficiently.
McNulty planted Provisia variety PVL01 the first year it was available, a few years after weedy rice began spreading quickly on his farm. “I had been fanatical about rotating Clearfield® and conventional rice so that I wouldn’t get resistance problems, and I did anyway,” he said. “Thank goodness for the Provisia system. The weed control and overall results I’ve gotten with it have been outstanding."
McNulty said he had heard warnings from different people that PVL01 would yield considerably less than the rice seed he typically plants, but he planted it anyway to address weedy rice. His overall experience was much better than he had been led to believe. “I absolutely got good yields,” he said. “Yes, it was slightly less than our normal yields, but nothing like what you hear. I would encourage people to not be scared of planting it. In addition, the cost per acre is very reasonable. It puts me right in line with everything else I do. I am a big fan of Provisia rice.”
Rice farmer Wes McNulty shares his experiences with Provisia rice during the Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference in Memphis, Tennessee.
Reality Better Than Perceptions
McNulty’s experiences with Provisia yields are more in line with reality than the perceptions some people have, according to Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag general manager. In fact, a BASF survey confirmed that the yield perceptions of farmers who have not grown Provisia rice are 10 bushels less than those who have.
After two years of managing the system, McNulty said two keys to maximizing production are planting early and using the right seeding rate. He’s had fields planted a month apart and has consistently seen advantages to getting the crop in early. Reduced seeding rates also pay off, from both a performance and cost standpoint. “The early-season vigor of Provisia rice is outstanding,” he said. “It tillers profusely. I’ve planted it at different rates, and 65 pounds is plenty. In fact, this year, I am going to shoot for the 60- to 62-pound range on drill-seeded rice.”
When he put a pencil to his Provisia rice, McNulty’s weed control program was $30 to $50 less per acre than his other systems. He used Provisia, Facet® L and Permit® herbicides first, followed by a second 16-ounce application of Provisia herbicide per acre, with good results. “I was very pleased,” he said. “It wasn’t 100 percent control, but it was 99 percent. Any escapes were late enough that none headed out before I harvested. So again, early is a big deal. It did a great job controlling the weedy rice.”
McNulty added it’s important to manage PVL01 for diseases, and he used one application of Quilt Xcel® fungicide at boot split. “I didn’t see any more disease problems in my PVL01 than in a variety like Diamond, but you should definitely watch it.” He also recommends using a harvest aid for easier cutting.
Provisia Rice Strengths:
- Grass Control and Weedy Rice Control
- Cost Effective
- Straw Strength
- Yields Exceeded Expectations
- Milling Yield
Solid Results
As for yields, after listening to others, “I thought I would be lucky to get 150 bushels per acre,” he said. Instead, his drill-seeded rice fields yielded from 177 to about 180 bushels per acre, dry, while his water-seeded rice fields yielded from 153 to almost 170 bushels per acre, dry. Most importantly, he said his yields in those weedy rice infested fields would not have been even close had he gone with varieties or hybrids other than PVL01.
“I fought the weedy rice a long time,” he said. “This is not my father’s red rice. We had 12 different biotypes of red rice in some fields. Those infested fields were at the point where I was going to have to start laying them out. Provisia saved me in that respect.”
Milling yield for his PVL01 also was very good. In 2018, it milled in the range of 59-69. This past year’s rice has not milled less than 60-71.
And while McNulty has been very pleased with the overall performance of PVL01, he plans to shift some of his acres this season to the latest Provisia variety, PVL02, which is available for planting for the first time. “I hear PVL02 will be better, so I am looking forward to it, and more Provisia rice,” he said. “Even if it is just a little better, I think it is going to be an outstanding product. I’ll probably have 500 to 600 acres of Provisia rice this year and am hoping to do half and half in each of the two varieties.”
KEYS TO TOP RESULTS WITH PROVISIA RICE:
- Use the right seeding rate
- Plant early
- Manage for diseases
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