Helping Rice Producers Control Weeds

Challenges

• Rice has historically been the fourth-highest-revenue row crop in the state, trailing only corn, soybeans, and cotton.
• Competition from weeds is a primary source of yield loss in Mississippi rice.
• Primary weeds of rice in Mississippi include barnyardgrass, Palmer amaranth, morningglory species, and Italian ryegrass.
• Sustainability of rice farmers depends on the profitability of the farming enterprise.

Extension Response

Extension specialists and agents use applied research and a variety of outreach methods to inform rice producers of efficient and cost-effective methods to reduce losses from weed infestation.

• Extension faculty and professional staff develop and deliver targeted applied research and educational programs, as well as technical assistance activities, to assist rice producers.
• These programs and activities address the issues of weed management strategies, varietal tolerance to herbicides, and integration of weed control with other cultural practices such as fertilizer management.
• Scientific, research-based knowledge from more than 2,000 replicated small plots was disseminated through educational programming activities, various publications, and individual producer encounters in FY2023.
• Partnerships with industry and other entities have resulted in grants and contracts of approximately $150,000.
• Most of this money was provided either directly or indirectly by rice producers, demonstrating the importance of Extension educational programming to the state’s producers.

Economic Impacts

• Extension educational programming focused on weed control in rice production has determined that best management practices could result in an expenditure of $140 per acre, but producers could accrue an additional $854 per acre by implementing these practices.
• Rice producers harvested 120,000 acres in 2023. Given a conservative 75% adoption rate by rice producers of the recommendations made by the MSU Extension Service, net revenues from implementing best practices could increase by an estimated $64.3 million for 2023 alone.
• This increase in revenue could generate these estimated economic impacts:
  • 928 additional jobs in Mississippi earning $35.5 million
  • an additional $45.7 million in value-added in the state
  • an additional $138.5 million in output for the state

M2480-05 (10-25)

Will Eubank, PhD, Assistant Professor, Delta Research and Extension Center