Chlapecka Rice Researcher Of The Year
Dr. Justin Chlapecka, while in his role as the Rice State Extension Specialist, Fisher Delta Research, Extension and Education Center, has been named the 2025 Rice Researcher of the Year at the 28th Annual National Conservation Systems Cotton & Rice Conference, Southern Soybean & Corn Conference, Delta States Irrigation Conference and the Southern Precision Ag Conference.
Dr. Chlapecka is a native of Newport, AR, in the heart of Arkansas’s rice growing territory. He developed a love for the outdoors at a young age, shaping his hobbies into hunting, gardening and spending time on the water. He is a big fan of country music and enjoys taking trips with his wife Robyn, to catch their favorite artists live in concerts. Initially, Chlapecka was not pursuing an agriculture degree until he realized being outdoors and doing something he enjoyed was most important. This decision was not a surprise considering he grew up watching his father, Randy, serve as an Arkansas Extension County Agent. After graduating from Arkansas State University in 2015 with a chemistry degree, he then began his master’s degree, Chlapecka spent time serving as the Poinsett County Extension Agent in Arkansas for two years. It did not take him long to decide to specialize, and he began working on his Ph.D., at the University of Arkansas in the crop, soil and environmental science department. Chlapecka’s dissertation focused on the evaluation of irrigation and nutrient management strategies in rice using alternative irrigation methods. He earned his Doctorate in Agronomy and Crop Science in 2021.
In August of 2021, Chlapecka became an Assistant Research Professor working with the University of Missouri as the Rice State Extension Specialist at the Fisher Delta Research, Extension and Education Center. In a short amount of time, Dr. Chlapecka has made a great impact on rice research in the mid-south region. While with the University of Missouri as an Assistant Professor and the State Rice Extension, Chlapecka established the Mizzou Rice Agronomy Program.
Chlapecka’s doctoral research focused on irrigation and nutrient management of furrow-irrigated rice, more specifically nitrogen management. His research program focuses on general agronomic practices relevant to rice production in the Mid-South, including cultivar testing, nutrient management strategies, pest management and cultural management such as planting date and crop rotation. Missouri rice is grown mainly under two contrasting production systems, flood-irrigated (conventional flood) and furrow-irrigated (row rice). Thus, his research program while at the University of Missouri focused on both systems, but with an emphasis on furrow-irrigated rice production due to it being a relatively new interest to most producers.
Dr. Chlapecka’s research focus is working towards decreasing the yield lag associated with transition to furrow-irrigated rice on certain soil types through a variety of factors including pest management and fertility programs, which need to be managed differently when rice is not flooded. Much of his work has been incooperation with neighboring rice producing states such as Arkansas, as well as the MU researchers. He also served as the Missouri State Extension Specialist, where he gathered inspiration to implement relevant and practical research trials with an end goal of increasing rice producer profitability in the Missouri Delta.
In January of 2025, Chlapecka rejoined the University of Arkansas in the Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences as the first-ever Assistant Professor and Research Agronomist, located at the new Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center in Harrisburg, Arkansas. In this role, Chlapecka will continue implementing practical agronomic research trials in rice, especially in furrow-irrigated systems, as well as other crops. ∆