Niranjan Baisakh developing rice varieties.
Almost all rice grown in Louisiana is irrigated, but drought can still be a threat to crop productivity.
Donal Day, LSU AgCenter professor of biofuels at the Audubon Sugar Institute, explains the work of the institute to Ivars Zarins, center, a member of the Latvian Parliament, and Matthew Brown, head of communications and campaigns at the World Society of Chemistry in London. In addition to hearing a presentation on biofuels development in Louisiana they also toured the facility.(Photo by Johnny Morgan)
Donal Day, LSU AgCenter professor of biofuels at the Audubon Sugar Institute, explains the work of the institute to Ivars Zarins, center, a member of the Latvian Parliament, and Matthew Brown, head of communications and campaigns at the World Society of Chemistry in London on June 11.
LSU AgCenter weed scientist Daniel Stephenson holds johnsongrass in his right hand and Palmer amaranth in his left hand at the LSU AgCenter Dean Lee Research Station. (Photo by Rick Bogren}
Glyphosate-resistant Palmer amaranth, first confirmed in Louisiana in 2010, continues to spread south in Louisiana, said LSU AgCenter weed scientist Daniel Stephenson.
Steve Linscombe, LSU AgCenter rice breeder, loads rice seed into a planter in March during the planting of plots being used to test new lines of rice that could become new varieties. Linscombe said developing new varieties is crucial to farmers. Photo by Bruce Schultz
The challenge of providing viable varieties of rice for Louisiana growers is one of the main missions of the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station.
“Variety development is an ongoing endeavor that started over 100 years ago,” said Steve Linscombe, station director and rice breeder.
Farmers Lucas Berzas, at left, and Neal Lejeune look at an unmanned aerial vehicle, or drone, at the Evangeline Parish Rice Tour held May 22. Randy Price, LSU AgCenter agricultural engineer, demonstrated a drone to show how it could be used to scout fields. (Photo by Bruce Schultz)
Rice farmers should be prepared to deal with their worst insect pest, the rice water weevil, according to LSU AgCenter entomologist Mike Stout, speaking at the Evangeline Parish Rice Tour on May 22.
