Rice under center pivots
Oct 29, 2009 11:02 AM, By David Bennett, Farm Press Editorial Staff
Studies at the University of Missouri Delta Research Center are increasing hope for an untraditional production method: rice under center pivot.
Pockmarked with earthquake-caused sand blows and unable to hold a flood, traditional rice production is not an easy proposition in some fields around Portageville, Mo.
MISSOURI RESEARCH with rice under center pivots could clear the way for growing the crop in areas previously unsuited.
But studies at the University of Missouri Delta Research Center are increasing hope for an untraditional production method: rice under center pivot.
This area in southeast Missouri’s Bootheel “is earthquake country,” says Gene Stevens, Extension agronomist at the center. “We’re in Pemiscot County and are on the fault line. In some fields, the soil is all clay with one sandy spot. The pivot could provide farmers an opportunity to grow rice in areas where they couldn’t before.”
It’s true the pivot may save water and energy. “But the main benefit might be to expand producers’ crop mix and rotation possibilities. The more options for the farmer, the better.”
The field being used for the study couldn’t feasibly grow flooded rice. “It won’t maintain a flood. You’d have to constantly pump and it would be cost-prohibitive,” says Earl Vories, USDA-ARS agricultural engineer at the center.
(For more on Vories’ work, see Bootheel Irrigation Conference.)
Several years ago, a confluence of research, state and business interests came together for the center pivot studies. Stevens was approached by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) looking for technologies that might save resources as part of the state’s soil and water tax.
At the same time, Vories — unaware of Stevens’ DNR contacts — was talking with Valley Irrigation engineer, Jake LaRue. “Valley has an interest in rice under a pivot, obviously, since they sell pivot equipment. Between Valley and DNR, and with help from the local Valley dealer, Mid Valley, we pulled it all together for the research.
Valley actually donated a pivot in order to do the studies while DNR provided operating funds for three years.”
The pivot was put up in May 2008 specifically for the study. There are about 18 acres under the system.
One main objective of the project is to study nitrogen efficiency. At the same time, researchers are also studying water use — Vories’ main emphasis.
“We’ve been comparing split applications of dry urea to fertigation,” says Stevens. “We’re seeing rice yields are much better with the fertigation — probably because we can split it more.”
In 2008, “we had a RiceTec hybrid and two conventional, self-pollinating varieties. We are using Clearfield technology, so were hoping Beyond and Newpath would be helpful for weed control.”
