Chairman's Report-75
 

 

 

Home.gif (3162 bytes)

Next.gif (3180 bytes)

Back.gif (3162 bytes)

Rice Research Board Chairman, James Leathers

 

New short-statured rice varieties will soon be coming on stream for you as a California rice grower. These will help keep you competitive in world rice markets. The short-stature Calrose selection D7 has been proposed for release under the name of Calrose 76. If all goes well in 1976, several short-stature varieties will be increased and foundation seed readied for release in 1977. I am optimistic that these new high-yielding short-statured varieties will further boost the high dividend returns we have been enjoying from our continuing investments in rice research.

The rice variety development program, cooperative between the Rice Station, the USDA, and the University of California, has already proven to be an excellent investment program. New varieties recently released include CS-M3, 1968 (smooth medium); CS-S4,1971 (a high-yielding smooth pearl to replace Caloro); S6, 1974 (a high-yielding smooth pearl to replace Colusa); and M5, 1975 (a high-yielding smooth-hulled medium-grain which is 10 days earlier than CS-M3). Our long strides forward in rice production technology are dramatically proved in our record yield of 5730 lb per acre on 525,000 acres in 1975.

Orderly retirement of old varieties such as Colusa was the subject of a meeting on January 19, 1976, of your Rice Research Board, the Directors of the Rice Experiment Station, and representatives of the California Crop Improvement Association, the USDA, and the University of California. Yet to be developed, a program of retirement seems logical for some of the older varieties that become obsolete, phasing them out so that seed producers and the industry do not have to cope with an unmanageable number of varieties.

In addition to the many more productive new pearls and mediums, we now have a top-yielding high-quality long-grain variety for markets that prefer the long grain -- including the domestic market, which has generally neglected our distinctive flavorful rice. See page 7 of this report.

We are researching the problem of how to get California-produced rice into processed forms that will find wide acceptance by domestic consumers. See the promising research results beginning on page 38. Our 1976 research program is now being expanded to provide further information needed to broaden the uses of California-grown rice, both domestically and internationally.

For exciting new developments in weed control, see page 15. At long last it seems we are going to have several new herbicides to choose from for controlling the grassy and broadleaved weeds that reduce rice yields so seriously. We may be able to apply an herbicide coating to seed and sow our flooded fields with unsoaked seed by air, see page 27. That should eliminate the cost of seed soaking expenditures and increase weed-control efficiency. How about that as a way to cut costs and reduce the herbicide drift problem!

Problems of disposing of rice straw and hulls may soon be transformed into additional sources of income. Pages 32-33 describe work on a system for transforming that problem into energy-producing fuel--and added income to us.

Yes, this team research effort by Rice Station plant breeders, industry, University of California, and USDA research scientists, and extension workers, supported by the rice growers, is continuing to come up with the answers demanded by the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Sections in this report marked with þ indicate those we think of special importance to you now. But the entire report is indeed worth reading and studying. Take time to compare the listing of long-range research objectives (inside front cover) with the progress reported in the following pages. Last year's Annual Report (sixth) featured progress on rice residue management research. This year we spotlight new variety and weed developments.

Recent rice field days at the Rice Experiment Station and at UC Davis acquainted you with our expanded rice research facilities and staff. Four Rice Station scientists work full-time on our problems, and 60 University of California and USDA personnel are involved for varying amounts of time. See pages 41 to 43 for listing of projects and scientists involved on each.

The last page tells you how we budgeted and spent your rice research funds in 1975. If you wish further details, get in touch with your local Rice Research Board representative, listed at the back, or your Board Manager, Mel Androus, P. 0. Box 507, Yuba City, CA 95991 (phone: (916)-673-6247). For any further information on the rice research projects, contact them or your local Rice Farm Advisor.

 

Home.gif (3162 bytes)Next.gif (3180 bytes)Back.gif (3162 bytes)