Louisiana Rice: Yields Still Good But Trending Lower

Rice yields over the past week have dropped off a bit as compared to the excellent yields we have seen since harvest has begun. This decline in rice yields is expected as we move into later planted rice. There are many reasons why rice yields decline as the year progresses including increased temperatures during reproductive growth, increased disease pressure, and increased insect pressure.

If you remember in an earlier edition of Rice Notes, I mentioned that we had a 10-day window where daytime temperatures were the mid- to high-90’s, and nighttime temperatures were well above 75 degrees. Unfortunately, we had several acres that were flowering and filling grain during that time. I have observed several recently harvested fields that have had sections of blanked grain on the panicle and secondary diseases that moved in on that blanked grain. This could explain the reduced yield in those fields. These are fields that look like high yielding fields from the road but look less promising when you have a closer look.

The average of the reported rice yields in today’s report (not weighted for acres harvested) was 50 bbl/A (179 bushels/A; 9,383 lb/A). Last week’s average of reported yields was 51 bbl/A (184 bu/A; 8262 lb/A).