AgCenter Project Aims At Making Rice More Sustainable, Profitable

KENNETH GAUTREAUX

CROWLEY, LOUISIANA

 Its full name is Climate Resilient Innovations for Sustainable Production of Rice, but it’s mostly known by the acronym CRISP Rice.

The goal of this project being undertaken by scientists with the LSU AgCenter is to enhance the profitability and sustainability of rice production in the southern U.S.

It is a multidisciplinary approach involving plant breeding, plant pathology, entomology and weed science. But it also incorporates some nontraditional areas such as economics and sociology.

Mike Stout, department head for the AgCenter’s Department of Entomology, is involved with the project. A key component is rice production in today’s challenging climate, with last year’s drought being a prime example.

“No. 1, developing varieties that will allow us to deal with some of these weather-related, climate-related challenges,” Stout said, “and also production practices that will help us deal with the challenges that we anticipate facing.”

Higher temperatures lead to faster insect development and higher populations. These temperatures can also present new challenges.

“Changes in temperatures and warming temperatures can lead to range expansions for insects,” Stout said. “So, insects we don’t have problems with right now, we may have problems in the future.”

He mentioned two pests that are being closely monitored: the Mexican rice borer and the rice delphacid. Because they expect to encounter these pests in significant numbers, Stout and others in the department are trying to be proactive and develop ways to manage them.

Stout said they are examining both traditional and nontraditional ways of controlling these rice insect pests.

“We’d rather use less insecticides, and so that is one of the focal points of the CRISP project, is to develop nonchemical methods for dealing with those challenges with our rice pests,” he said. 

The project is funded by a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Some other goals of the project are reducing soil loss, energy and water usage and greenhouse emissions related to rice production.

Last year’s drought highlighted a problem that many producers are encountering — saltwater in their irrigation or well water. Christine Gambino, an extension associate working on the project, said this problem is being addressed.

“We are having extreme saltwater intrusion where some of the PPTs (parts per thousands) are increasing where you can’t even grow rice,” Gambino said. “So we’re trying to breed different varieties that can withstand that.”

Rice plays an integral role in the economy of southwestern Louisiana where roughly 75% of Louisiana’s 440,000 acres of rice are grown. It is also a staple food in the state.

“It has become part of our culture to eat rice,” Gambino said. “Many of our foods have rice in them. From etouffee to jambalaya to gumbo, we are always using rice.”   ∆

KENNETH GAUTREAUX: LSU AgCenter