Horizon Ag Presents Info On New Varieties
TONY MANLEY
JONESBORO, ARK.
Several dozen farmers, consultants and others in the agricultural industry were on hand to witness an update on the present and a glimpse into the future at the Horizon Ag 2015 Arkansas Field Day in Jonesboro on Thursday.
Those in attendance received updates on Clearfield rice varieties from a group that included Horizon Ag General Manager Tim Walker, as well as Horizon Ag representatives Dr. Sunny Bottoms, Michael Fruge, Tim Jett and Garrett Williams. John Schultz of BASF and Lance Ramthun of Crop Solutions LLC also spoke to the crowd.
“I think we gave them some good information on the new varieties coming along, and we’re very excited about that,” Bottoms said. “The thing I like is we have a high percentage of farmers and consultants that come. There are some industry people, but it’s got a really good mix.
“It just allows people to come and see firsthand in the field the new stuff they wouldn’t get a chance to see. Farmers like being able to see it a couple years before they get it. They just like being able to get their eyes on it. And it lets them know who we are and makes them more at ease calling us with problems or for more information.”
Bottoms updated the crowd on Clearfield long-grain rice varieties. She said CL111 and CL151 have been working well for farmers and will again be available in 2016. She said CL152 has been inconsistent and will be phased out, but there will be a little bit of that available for farmers who have had success with it. She said CL163 will make its commercial debut; she said the high-amylose variety is good for cooking, as the grains stay separate and don’t clump together.
Horizon Ag representatives are excited about CL172 and CL2134, rice varieties set to come out in 2017.
“Clearfield has really taken the South by storm over a number of years. We’re in maybe the 14th, 15th year of the technology, and it continues to have a fit in a large portion of our acres,” Walker said. “The technology is a very stable technology from a weed control standpoint. We’ve got some excellent varieties that are very stable performing in yield and quality, and the good thing is (we have) some varieties that hope to even move the needle a little higher in the coming years.”
Clearfield will have some help from another product in the near future, Schultz said.
Schultz told the crowd about the development of the Provisia Rice System from BASF. He said the non-GMO herbicide-tolerant rice should be ready for a limited launch in 2017, with a more commercial launch in 2018. He said the system won’t be a replacement for the Clearfield System currently in use, but a supplement for it.
“The two systems will be separate; they will not be stacked,” he said. “The Provisia system will be used in a rotation with the Clearfield system and also with soybeans. It will allow farmers an option for two years of rice followed by a third year of soybeans.” ∆
TONY MANLEY: AgWatch Network staff