Furrow-irrigated rice acres grow in Arkansas
- Tags:
- Arkansas rice
A rice growing method that was
virtually non-existent half a decade ago is being used to grow a significant
share of the rice crop in Arkansas. Furrow-irrigated or row rice has been
gaining ground, increasing from less than 1% to 10% of total rice acreage in
Arkansas in the past five years.
In 2019, 1.1 million acres of rice
were harvested in Arkansas, accounting for 46% of total U.S. rice production.
Arkansas rice farmers are projected to plant 1.39 million acres this year,
according to the United States Department of Agriculture. It generates billion
of dollars worth of revenue for the state’s economy and supports directly or
indirectly more than 25,000 jobs.
A majority of rice farmers use flood
irrigation to water their fields.
Furrow-irrigated rice, also known as
row rice or upland rice, has been grown in small pockets of Arkansas for more
than 30 years. This method eliminates the need for constant flooding.
Instead, small channels or furrows
are dug between the rows and carry water to the crop. Five years ago, this
method was used on less than 1 percent of rice acreage in Arkansas. Now, it accounts
for a tenth of rice acreage, according to Jarrod Hardke, rice extension
agronomist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“The practice of furrow-irrigated
rice continues to surge in adoption,” Hardke said. “In 2012, there were fewer
than 5,000 acres in Arkansas, but by 2019 we had well over 100,000 acres.
Expectations for 2020 are that we could see 200,000 acres if weather permits
planting of all intended acres.”
Similar increases in adoption are
occurring in the Missouri Bootheel and northeast Louisiana, Hardke said.
The primary reasons for furrow
irrigation are to simplify crop rotations and decrease time and expenses
associated with flood-irrigated rice. Additional benefits could include water
savings, which will prove more beneficial as water resources are further
depleted.
Since rice is a semiaquatic plant,
non-flooded rice production research efforts have been limited. Hardke and
other researchers began compiling information in 2017 to provide producers with
some limited guidance.
A new handbook from the University
of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture provides rice growers with the
latest research and recommendations for furrow-irrigated rice.
The “Arkansas Furrow-Irrigated Rice
Handbook” provides research-based information about selecting cultivars,
establishing stands, and managing fertility, weeds, disease, insects and
irrigation. It also provides information about budgeting and crop insurance,
which became available for furrow-irrigated rice earlier this year through the
U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Risk Management Agency.
“This year we realized there was a
need to expand on that previous information and provide something more robust
as acres have continued to increase and research efforts have expanded to
answer additional questions,” he said. “As research and adoption continue and
we learn more, the handbook will be updated regularly to provide the best
possible information to growers.”
PhilRice warns farmers vs. rice plant viruses
Updated May 12, 2020, 8:58 AM
By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
Farmers should watch out for certain types of viruses that may infect rice plants, as there is no known treatment as yet to some of these viruses, according to an expert of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
(PIXABAY / MANILA BULLETIN)
Plant pathologist Jennifer Niones of the Department of Agriculture’s
PhilRice cited four types of viruses — namely, tungro, dwarf, grassy
stunt, and ragged stunt — which farmers must guard against to minimize
significant yield losses.Tungro virus is an extremely damaging rice disease occurring in South and Southeast Asia that leads to 70-100 percent yield loss. Rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) and rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV) cause this disease, Niones said.
As infected plants cannot be treated, farmers must consider preventive measures especially if their area had past incidences of tungro infestation, she said.
Dwarf virus, which was first observed in the rice fields of Midsayap, Cotabato, could reduce yield by 50 to 80 percent, especially when it strikes down at vegetative stage. Infected plants show pronounced stunting, increased tillering, and shortened darker green leaves with fine chlorotic specks, Niones said.
She noted that the spread of dwarf virus could be prevented through plowing of the fallowed rice field and synchronous planting.
She added that applying insecticide to rice seedlings before transplanting could also be an option, while areas infected during the previous cropping season should be immediately plowed.
The grassy stunt virus could cause stunting and yellowing of the plant. This virus is commonly spread by nymph and adult brown plant hopper.
This virus, Niones said, frequently affect fields where year-round and continuous rice growing is practiced. Although plants can be infected in all growth stages, infection usually happens during the tillering stage, she said.
Niones pointed out that the virus can be managed through planting brown plant hopper-resistant rice varieties.
The populations of brown plant hopper should also be immediately managed, while infected fields should be plowed right after harvest to reduce the virus source, she added.
Another virus also transmitted by the brown plant hopper, Niones said, is the rice ragged stunt virus, which can bring up to 80 percent yield losses. It could cause severe stunting during early crop stages, green leaves with darker than the normal color that appears to have jagged uneven edges, and appearance of yellow to yellow-brown leaves that twist into spiral shapes at the base of leaf blades.
Like the tungro virus, ragged stunt virus-infected plants cannot be treated so preventive rather than direct-control measures should be implemented, she added.
Niones noted that to manage the four types of viruses, infected plants should be immediately removed once the disease is detected.
“They can be prevented by practicing a fallow period of at least one month between each crop to reduce the pests’ food supply; reducing their populations. Resistant varieties should also be considered but insecticide should only be applied when needed,” she said.
PhilRice warns farmers vs. rice plant viruses
Updated May 12, 2020, 8:58 AM
By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
Farmers should watch out for certain types of viruses that may infect rice plants, as there is no known treatment as yet to some of these viruses, according to an expert of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
(PIXABAY / MANILA BULLETIN)
Plant pathologist Jennifer Niones of the Department of Agriculture’s
PhilRice cited four types of viruses — namely, tungro, dwarf, grassy
stunt, and ragged stunt — which farmers must guard against to minimize
significant yield losses.Tungro virus is an extremely damaging rice disease occurring in South and Southeast Asia that leads to 70-100 percent yield loss. Rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) and rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV) cause this disease, Niones said.
As infected plants cannot be treated, farmers must consider preventive measures especially if their area had past incidences of tungro infestation, she said.
Dwarf virus, which was first observed in the rice fields of Midsayap, Cotabato, could reduce yield by 50 to 80 percent, especially when it strikes down at vegetative stage. Infected plants show pronounced stunting, increased tillering, and shortened darker green leaves with fine chlorotic specks, Niones said.
She noted that the spread of dwarf virus could be prevented through plowing of the fallowed rice field and synchronous planting.
She added that applying insecticide to rice seedlings before transplanting could also be an option, while areas infected during the previous cropping season should be immediately plowed.
The grassy stunt virus could cause stunting and yellowing of the plant. This virus is commonly spread by nymph and adult brown plant hopper.
This virus, Niones said, frequently affect fields where year-round and continuous rice growing is practiced. Although plants can be infected in all growth stages, infection usually happens during the tillering stage, she said.
Niones pointed out that the virus can be managed through planting brown plant hopper-resistant rice varieties.
The populations of brown plant hopper should also be immediately managed, while infected fields should be plowed right after harvest to reduce the virus source, she added.
Another virus also transmitted by the brown plant hopper, Niones said, is the rice ragged stunt virus, which can bring up to 80 percent yield losses. It could cause severe stunting during early crop stages, green leaves with darker than the normal color that appears to have jagged uneven edges, and appearance of yellow to yellow-brown leaves that twist into spiral shapes at the base of leaf blades.
Like the tungro virus, ragged stunt virus-infected plants cannot be treated so preventive rather than direct-control measures should be implemented, she added.
Niones noted that to manage the four types of viruses, infected plants should be immediately removed once the disease is detected.
“They can be prevented by practicing a fallow period of at least one month between each crop to reduce the pests’ food supply; reducing their populations. Resistant varieties should also be considered but insecticide should only be applied when needed,” she said.
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Odisha farmers seek Govt nod to sell surplus kharif paddy
All the farmers of the State suffered huge loss during the lockdown as they could not sell their produce including vegetables, a major source of earning during summer months.
Published: 12th May 2020 09:08
AM | Last Updated: 12th May 2020 09:08 AM | A+A A-
For representational purposes (Photo | Express)
BHUBANESWAR: Even as procurement operation for
rabi crops has started picking up, farmers of coastal districts have urged the
State Government to allow them to sell their surplus kharif paddy under price
support system.
Leading the cause of the farmers, the BJP and Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan
(NNKS) said a large number of farmers of coastal district could not sell their
surplus paddy due to twin problems, mismanagement in issue of online token
followed by nationwide lockdown imposed by the Centre.“Procurement of kharif paddy was virtually slowed down in the coastal regions a couple of weeks before the declaration of lockdown due to delay in issue of token and poor lifting of stock from paddy purchase centres (PPCs) by authorised rice millers,” said general secretary of State unit BJP Krushak Morcha Surath Biswal.
Though March 31 was the last date of 2019-20 kharif marketing season for procurement of paddy, the operation stopped 10 days ahead due to lockdown. Farmers who were issued tokens online for sale of their surplus stock are still waiting for the State Government to clarify if the token are valid or not.
Majorities of the mandis identified by the Government for paddy procurement were not functioning even after relaxation of Covid regulations for agriculture activities, Biswal said.All the farmers of the State suffered huge loss during the lockdown as they could not sell their produce including vegetables, a major source of earning during summer months.
The Government should take up the matter with the Centre to allow it as a special case for sale of kharif paddy in rabi season to benefit the farmers to repay their loans and other liabilities, said Akshya Kumar of NNKS.He reiterated his demand for payment a special monthly assistance of `5,000 for each farmer.
Reverse migration: Telangana dials Bihar to bring back 20,000 workers
Rice millers and the agriculture sector alone need at least 20,000 hamalis (labourers), particularly those who specialise in loading and unloading paddy and rice and doing other chores at rice mills and paddy procurement centres.from Times of India https://ift.tt/2SVi8xh
Vietnam resumes rice exports to Phl, ASEAN countries
QUEZON CITY, May 12 -- The Socialist Republic of Vietnam has resumed rice exports to the Philippines and other members of ASEAN to maintain adequate food supply in the region and cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar
said they welcome the decision by Vietnam to resume its rice export
policy and take into account the difficulties faced by various stakeholders
during this crisis. Photo by DA “We welcome the decision by Vietnam to resume its rice export policy and take into account the difficulties faced by various stakeholders during this crisis,” said Agriculture Secretary William Dar.
He thanked Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III, who furnished him a copy of a letter by Vietnam Industry and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh, dated 4 May 2020, assuring the Philippines of delivery of 400,000 metric tons (MT) of rice contracted in April.
In his letter, Minister Tran said that on April 28, 2020, Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc approved the resumption of rice exports to the Philippines and other ASEAN countries, starting on May 1, 2020.
“I hope the new decision by our Prime Minister will contribute to the joint efforts by ASEAN Member States in maintaining adequate food supply to ASEAN Community to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and strengthen ASEAN’s internal unity,” Minister Tran said.
For his part, Secretary Dar said: “Indeed, Vietnam is making a valuable contribution in strengthening ASEAN cooperation and internal unity. We need to keep the regional market open for trade and ensure the sustainability of the supply chain among ASEAN member-states, especially for food and other essential goods.”
From January 1 to May 1, 2020, the Philippines has contracted 666,480 MT of rice from Vietnam, of which 218,300 MT has been delivered, leaving a balance of 448,180 MT, according to the DA’s Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) that issues the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) for rice imports.
“This means that Vietnamese rice exporters will commence fulfillment of their contracts with Philippine importers, and consider future supply deals under an existing bilateral trade agreement,” Secretary Dar said.
Since January 2020, the DA-BPI has issued SPSICs covering 2.7 million MT, of which about 729,000 MT has arrived, with 1.189 million MT to be delivered this month and the rest in succeeding months.
In a related development, Secretary Dar said that the DTI’s Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) has officially opened the government-to-government rice importation for the supply of 300,000 MT of rice, which will serve as buffer stock during the lean months.
The PITC has already sent communications to Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, India, and Cambodia, added Secretary Dar, who also serves as chairperson of the IATF Task Group on Food Security. (TM/DA
In a letter to the Philippine
government, Vietnam Industry and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh assured the
country of the delivery of 400,000 metric tons of rice.
Philstar.com/Irish Lising, file
Philippines secures rice from
Vietnam
Louise Maureen Simeon
(The Philippine Star
) - May 12, 2020 - 12:00am
MANILA,
Philippines — The Philippines has secured enough rice supply as Vietnam, its
biggest source of imports, has resumed its export policy amid the coronavirus
disease 2019 or COVID-19 pandemic.
In a letter to the Philippine
government, Vietnam Industry and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh assured the
country of the delivery of 400,000 metric tons of rice.
Two weeks ago, Vietnam Prime
Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc approved the resumption of rice exports to the
Philippines and other ASEAN countries starting May 1.
“I hope the new decision by our
Prime Minister will contribute to the joint efforts by ASEAN member states in
maintaining adequate food supply to ASEAN Community to cope with the COVID-19
pandemic and strengthen ASEAN’s internal unity,” Tran said.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar
welcomed the decision of the ASEAN neighbor to resume its rice export policy and
take into account the difficulties faced by various stakeholders during the
crisis.
“We need to keep the regional market
open for trade and ensure the sustainability of the supply chain among ASEAN
member-states, especially for food and other essential goods,” Dar said.
For January to May, the Philippines
has contracted 666,480 MT of rice from Vietnam, of which 218,300 MT has been
delivered, leaving a balance of 448,180 MT.
“This means that Vietnamese rice
exporters will commence fulfilment of their contracts with Philippine
importers, and consider future supply deals under an existing bilateral trade
agreement,” Dar said.
Since January, the Bureau of Plant
Industry has issued sanitary and phytosanitary import clearances covering 2.7
million MT, of which about 729,000 MT has arrived.
The remaining 1.18 million MT will
be delivered in the coming months.
Meanwhile, Dar said the Philippine
International Trading Corp. has officially opened the government-to-government
rice importation for the supply of 300,000 MT of rice, which will serve as
buffer stock during the lean months.
The PITC has already sent
communications to Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Cambodia for the
importation.
Last month, Trade chief Ramon Lopez
said the Philippines is spending P8 billion to purchase the additional volume
in a bid to further boost the inventory of the country’s main staple.
Even with the Rice Tariffication Law
already in place, President Duterte could still direct the PITC and DTI to
import.
Global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery Market Report: Production, Revenue, Price Trend by Types & Market Analysis by Application
May 12, 2020
3 Min Read
On the basis of Operation, the rice milling machinery market is segmented into Grading Machinery, Pre Cleaning Machinery, Rice Whitening Machinery, Separating Machinery and Other Operations.
The global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery market is valued at US$ xx million in 2020 is expected to reach US$ xx million by the end of 2026, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2021-2026.
Access more details about this report at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/global-paddy-and-rice-milling-machinery-market-research-report
(This is our latest offering and this report also analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery market and updated by the current situation, especially the forecast)
The research report has incorporated the analysis of different factors that augment the market’s growth. It constitutes trends, restraints, and drivers that transform the market in either a positive or negative manner. This section also provides the scope of different segments and applications that can potentially influence the market in the future. The detailed information is based on current trends and historic milestones. This section also provides an analysis of the volume of production about the global market and also about each type from 2015 to 2026. This section mentions the volume of production by region from 2015 to 2026. Pricing analysis is included in the report according to each type from the year 2015 to 2026, manufacturer from 2015 to 2020, region from 2015 to 2020, and global price from 2015 to 2026.
A thorough evaluation of the restrains included in the report portrays the contrast to drivers and gives room for strategic planning. Factors that overshadow the market growth are pivotal as they can be understood to devise different bends for getting hold of the lucrative opportunities that are present in the ever-growing market. Additionally, insights into market expert’s opinions have been taken to understand the market better.
The major players in the market include SATAKE, Tw Grandeur Machinery, Buhler, Fowler Westrup, AGREX, Milltech Machinery, HTM, Nishimura Machine, Yamanoto, etc.
Purchase this exclusive research report at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/buy-now/1396595
Global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery Market: Regional Analysis
The report offers in-depth assessment of the growth and other aspects of the Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery market in important regions, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and Brazil, etc. Key regions covered in the report are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
The report has been curated after observing and studying various factors that determine regional growth such as economic, environmental, social, technological, and political status of the particular region. Analysts have studied the data of revenue, production, and manufacturers of each region. This section analyses region-wise revenue and volume for the forecast period of 2015 to 2026. These analyses will help the reader to understand the potential worth of investment in a particular region.
Global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery Market: Competitive Landscape
This section of the report identifies various key manufacturers of the market. It helps the reader understand the strategies and collaborations that players are focusing on combat competition in the market. The comprehensive report provides a significant microscopic look at the market. The reader can identify the footprints of the manufacturers by knowing about the global revenue of manufacturers, the global price of manufacturers, and production by manufacturers during the forecast period of 2015 to 2019.
Inquire for more details / sample / customization about this report at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/ask-your-query/1396595
Global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery Market Report: Production, Revenue, Price Trend by Types & Market Analysis by Application
May 12, 2020
3 Min Read
On the basis of Operation, the rice milling machinery market is segmented into Grading Machinery, Pre Cleaning Machinery, Rice Whitening Machinery, Separating Machinery and Other Operations.
The global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery market is valued at US$ xx million in 2020 is expected to reach US$ xx million by the end of 2026, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2021-2026.
Access more details about this report at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/global-paddy-and-rice-milling-machinery-market-research-report
(This is our latest offering and this report also analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery market and updated by the current situation, especially the forecast)
The research report has incorporated the analysis of different factors that augment the market’s growth. It constitutes trends, restraints, and drivers that transform the market in either a positive or negative manner. This section also provides the scope of different segments and applications that can potentially influence the market in the future. The detailed information is based on current trends and historic milestones. This section also provides an analysis of the volume of production about the global market and also about each type from 2015 to 2026. This section mentions the volume of production by region from 2015 to 2026. Pricing analysis is included in the report according to each type from the year 2015 to 2026, manufacturer from 2015 to 2020, region from 2015 to 2020, and global price from 2015 to 2026.
A thorough evaluation of the restrains included in the report portrays the contrast to drivers and gives room for strategic planning. Factors that overshadow the market growth are pivotal as they can be understood to devise different bends for getting hold of the lucrative opportunities that are present in the ever-growing market. Additionally, insights into market expert’s opinions have been taken to understand the market better.
The major players in the market include SATAKE, Tw Grandeur Machinery, Buhler, Fowler Westrup, AGREX, Milltech Machinery, HTM, Nishimura Machine, Yamanoto, etc.
Purchase this exclusive research report at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/buy-now/1396595
Global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery Market: Regional Analysis
The report offers in-depth assessment of the growth and other aspects of the Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery market in important regions, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and Brazil, etc. Key regions covered in the report are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
The report has been curated after observing and studying various factors that determine regional growth such as economic, environmental, social, technological, and political status of the particular region. Analysts have studied the data of revenue, production, and manufacturers of each region. This section analyses region-wise revenue and volume for the forecast period of 2015 to 2026. These analyses will help the reader to understand the potential worth of investment in a particular region.
Global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery Market: Competitive Landscape
This section of the report identifies various key manufacturers of the market. It helps the reader understand the strategies and collaborations that players are focusing on combat competition in the market. The comprehensive report provides a significant microscopic look at the market. The reader can identify the footprints of the manufacturers by knowing about the global revenue of manufacturers, the global price of manufacturers, and production by manufacturers during the forecast period of 2015 to 2019.
Inquire for more details / sample / customization about this report at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/ask-your-query/1396595
Global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery Market Report: Production, Revenue, Price Trend by Types & Market Analysis by Application
May 12, 2020
3 Min Read
On the basis of Operation, the rice milling machinery market is segmented into Grading Machinery, Pre Cleaning Machinery, Rice Whitening Machinery, Separating Machinery and Other Operations.
The global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery market is valued at US$ xx million in 2020 is expected to reach US$ xx million by the end of 2026, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2021-2026.
Access more details about this report at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/global-paddy-and-rice-milling-machinery-market-research-report
(This is our latest offering and this report also analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery market and updated by the current situation, especially the forecast)
The research report has incorporated the analysis of different factors that augment the market’s growth. It constitutes trends, restraints, and drivers that transform the market in either a positive or negative manner. This section also provides the scope of different segments and applications that can potentially influence the market in the future. The detailed information is based on current trends and historic milestones. This section also provides an analysis of the volume of production about the global market and also about each type from 2015 to 2026. This section mentions the volume of production by region from 2015 to 2026. Pricing analysis is included in the report according to each type from the year 2015 to 2026, manufacturer from 2015 to 2020, region from 2015 to 2020, and global price from 2015 to 2026.
A thorough evaluation of the restrains included in the report portrays the contrast to drivers and gives room for strategic planning. Factors that overshadow the market growth are pivotal as they can be understood to devise different bends for getting hold of the lucrative opportunities that are present in the ever-growing market. Additionally, insights into market expert’s opinions have been taken to understand the market better.
The major players in the market include SATAKE, Tw Grandeur Machinery, Buhler, Fowler Westrup, AGREX, Milltech Machinery, HTM, Nishimura Machine, Yamanoto, etc.
Purchase this exclusive research report at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/buy-now/1396595
Global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery Market: Regional Analysis
The report offers in-depth assessment of the growth and other aspects of the Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery market in important regions, including the U.S., Canada, Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Russia, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and Brazil, etc. Key regions covered in the report are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
The report has been curated after observing and studying various factors that determine regional growth such as economic, environmental, social, technological, and political status of the particular region. Analysts have studied the data of revenue, production, and manufacturers of each region. This section analyses region-wise revenue and volume for the forecast period of 2015 to 2026. These analyses will help the reader to understand the potential worth of investment in a particular region.
Global Paddy and Rice Milling Machinery Market: Competitive Landscape
This section of the report identifies various key manufacturers of the market. It helps the reader understand the strategies and collaborations that players are focusing on combat competition in the market. The comprehensive report provides a significant microscopic look at the market. The reader can identify the footprints of the manufacturers by knowing about the global revenue of manufacturers, the global price of manufacturers, and production by manufacturers during the forecast period of 2015 to 2019.
Inquire for more details / sample / customization about this report at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/ask-your-query/1396595
Last update: May 12th, 2020 at 7:00 am
05-11-2020
Scientists identify molecular link between nitrogen and plant growth
Earth.com staff writer
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Plant scientists at NYU have discovered how plants perceive nitrogen availability and adjust their growth accordingly. The breakthrough may ultimately lead to ways to enhance plant growth while reducing the need for harmful and costly fertilizers.
Crop yield can be increased with fertilizer, but the molecular link between a higher dose of nitrogen and greater plant biomass has been a mystery.
A team of experts at the NYU Center for Genomics & Systems Biology examined plants to investigate how increasing doses of nitrogen may trigger changes in genetic expression over time. Next, the researchers used mathematical models to analyze the rate of change in messenger RNA (mRNA) for thousands of genes.
The study revealed that the dynamics of mRNA responses to nitrogen dose were regulated by enzyme kinetics, or enzyme reaction rates, principles that were first described by Michaelis-Menten in 1913.
The researchers discovered that the Michaelis-Menten kinetics model could accurately represent the rate of changes in gene expression among 30 percent of nitrogen-dose responsive genes.
“According to the classic Michaelis-Menten kinetic model, changing enzyme abundance will impact the maximum rate of reaction possible. Because transcription factors establish the rates at which gene transcription from DNA into RNA takes place, they can be directly compared to the catalytic enzymes in the Michaelis-Menten model,” explained study senior author Professor Gloria Coruzzi.
“This means that increasing the abundance of key transcription factors should be able to boost the rate of nitrogen-dose dependent gene expression and, as a consequence, the rate of plant growth.”
Experiments showed that increasing the level of the transcription factor TGA1 accelerated the rates of nitrogen-dose responsive gene expression and the rate of plant growth. In response to nitrogen, the plants that overexpressed TGA1 achieved a plant biomass three times greater than wild plants.
“By modeling the transcriptome kinetics underlying nitrogen-dose sensing using a classic principle of Michaelis-Menten kinetics, we discovered a regulatory gene whose increased expression may boost crop growth within low-nitrogen soils,” said Professor Coruzzi.
“Because TGA1 is conserved in plants, including crops such as rice, tomatoes, and wheat, our findings have implications for improving nitrogen use efficiency in crops, which can benefit agriculture and sustainability.”
The study is published in the journal PNAS.
—
COVID Crawfish Cookout
By Deborah Willenborg
ARLINGTON, VA -- Even the most gifted home cooks get in
culinary ruts, and when you add circumscribed grocery shopping as a result of
the coronavirus pandemic to the mix, it's challenging to come up with something
new to make for dinner. So when the opportunity
to work with an unusual or hard-to-find ingredient presents itself, you have to
jump at the chance.
"Several weeks ago, I was checking in with some of our
Louisiana members and they were sharing the problems farmers there were having
with moving their crawfish harvest," said Michael Klein, USA Rice vice
president of communications, marketing, and domestic promotion. "That side
of their business has been severely impacted by restaurants shutting down and
orders for social distancing putting an end to large group gatherings for
traditional crawfish boils. When I made
an off-hand comment about how nice it would be to have some of their product in
Washington, they offered to ship up as much as I could handle. I notified our Washington USA Rice staff
about the crawfish offer and we very quickly put together an order for 40
pounds."
The crawfish came from Richard Farms in Kaplan, Louisiana,
and were peeled, cooked, and frozen, and then shipped overnight on dry ice in
vacuumed-packed, one-pound bags. They
made the trip from Lake Charles to Falls Church, Virginia, in about twelve
hours.
"The crawfish I got went into a big pot of
étouffée," said Klein. "I followed Randy Thibodeaux's recipe that he
shared with Chef Sara Moulton on her TV show, Sara's Weeknight Meals, back in
2016. The segment, still one of the
series' most watched episodes, was called "Louisiana Style," and was
the first rice-focused show Chef Sara and her crew filmed."
This past weekend, Peter Bachmann, USA Rice vice president
of international trade policy, used his share of crawfish to cook his mom a
special Mother's Day batch of the same Thibodeaux-inspired crawfish
étouffée. In keeping with the Louisiana
theme, Bachmann served it over Kennedy Rice Mill's new brand of white long
grain, 4 Sisters, but, as a native Marylander, he switched out the Cajun spices
for Old Bay seasoning and Old Bay-flavored hot sauce.
The Thibodeaux recipe also popped up last weekend at USA
Rice CFO Rebecca Greenway's house where she was cooking for herself, her three
kids, and some friends.
Staff Writer Lesley Dixon made étouffée using an old family
recipe she got from her uncle in East Texas who makes it for his family at
Christmas every year. "I threw in a
few extra spices and used half as much crawfish as his recipe calls for, and
there was still A LOT of crawfish, so now I'm convinced my uncle is a
madman."
"We hosted a social distancing dinner for our neighbors
on Friday night and served étouffée made with the Louisiana crawfish over long
grain white rice from Windmill Farms in Jonesboro, Arkansas," said Deborah
Willenborg, USA Rice director of communications. "Our friends, who are real foodies,
raved about the crawfish so much we sent them home with a couple pounds."
"I love when USA Rice staff gets creative about
supporting the rice industry," said USA Rice President & CEO Betsy
Ward. "Everyone seemed to enjoy the
results of this effort and it's helping keep us connected with our members at a
time when we can't touch base in person."
Doesn't get any better than this
Buy paddy from farmers, not rice
from millers
·
Published at 12:07 am May 11th, 2020
Photo: Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka
Tribune
Only 1.34% of the farmers
got the government-set price against their produce
Through its food procurement
efforts, the government intends to serve two purposes: 1) maintain a stock to
ensure food security, and 2) provide the crop growers with price support.
Unfortunately, the price
support it offered in Boro season last year benefited the rice millers and
traders far more than the paddy growers.
Not that there is no remedy
for this.
A study that government
itself commissioned last year provided the solution and submitted the policy
option to the line ministries -- Ministry of Food and Ministry of Agriculture
-- last week, a timely intervention, considering the fact that the government’s
food department has just gone to market to buy paddy and rice in the current
Boro season.
It advises the government:
buy paddy from farmers, not rice from the millers.
If last year’s procurement
experience is something to go by, the government would do well to immediately
act upon this study advice.
A whopping 98.66% farmers,
who had to sell their paddy to middlemen, traders, millers and wholesalers, got
an average price of Tk15 for each kilogram of the grain in last Boro season,
which was Tk11 less than the floor price of Tk26 set by the government.
Only 1.34% of the farmers
got the government-set price against their produce, as they were the only lucky
ones who could sell paddy to the government’s food department.
By no means is this
sustainable.
If rice farmers in
Bangladesh don’t get a fair price for Boro, they can’t make much investment in
subsequent important crops of the year -- summer vegetables, Aus and Aman
paddy, maize, wheat, and potato.
It has a chain effect on
overall productivity in farm sector.
The Washington-based
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) carried out the study
through its USAID-funded Policy Research and Strategy Support Program (PRSSP)
in Bangladesh with the Ministry of Agriculture commissioning the task.
The study notes that each
year the food department buys far more rice than paddy under its food
procurement program.
While its purchase of paddy
benefits only a small number of farmers, the lion's share of the
government-provided price supports actually end up in the hands of rice millers
and by default to traders and middlemen -- all of whom buy paddy from
crash-crunched farmers very early in the season, convert the same into rice,
and enjoy a hefty profit by selling the same to the food department.
The IFPRI-study shows how a
neighbouring Indian state does the public procurement of grains most
efficiently -- benefiting the rice growers not, the traders or millers.
Couple of days back, I
talked to the lead author of the study Dr Akhter U Ahmed, who served the global
food policy think-tank at its Washington DC headquarters for many years and is
now heading the IFPRI country operation in Bangladesh.
I asked him what policy
change will most help provide needed support to the large base of the country's
farming community.
Dr Akhter, who has been
assisted in this study, among others, by fellow IFPRI researcher M Mehrab Bakhtiar
and deputy research director of the agriculture ministry’s Agricultural Policy
Support Unit (APSU), Mohammad Mosihur Rahman, said the solution lies with the
government’s "will power."
He suggests that if they
(government agencies concerned) properly internalize the findings and essence
of the study and take move in right direction -- a simple policy shift can make
a big difference.
How
they do it in West Bengal?
In West Bengal, the state
government procures a quarter of the paddy the farmers grow in a year across
all rice seasons.
In Bangladesh’s case the
procurement volume is less than 10% of the total production.
Since 2016-17, the West
Bengal state government has implemented an electronic paddy procurement
(e-procurement) system.
From 2017-18 to 2019-20,
farmers’ participation in the e-procurement system has increased five-fold,
from 465,000 to 2.36 million farmers.
Overall, West Bengal’s paddy
procurement was 22% and 24% of total production in 2017-18 and 2018-19,
respectively.
Paddy is procured from
farmers primarily through two approaches. Under the first approach, farmers
bring paddy to centralized procurement centres (CPCs), where the Food and
Supplies Department assigns one purchase officer and one disbursement officer
who purchases paddy from farmers and records these sales in the e-procurement
system.
Payments are made via
account payee checks under the 'Dhan Din Cheque Nin' program on the same day of
receipt of paddy from farmers.
Under the second approach,
registered farmers’ cooperatives, self-help groups (SHG), or producers’
organizations, which have applied, been screened, and are registered with the
District Food and Civil Supply Department, announce the paddy procurement date
in advance in the locality and procure paddy from registered farmers.
The cooperatives then
deliver the paddy to state government’s designated custom milled rice (CMR)
agencies, which have agreements with select rice mills.
A designated government
official certifies receipt of the paddy and farmers’ cooperatives update the
sales information on the e-procurement system and notify all registered members
about sales via SMS. The state government pays farmers' cooperatives and
self-help groups.
In 2019-20, out of the state
government’s 5.2 million metric tons target for paddy procurement, the selected
state government-designated custom milled rice (CMR) agencies procured the most
paddy (46%), followed by the state government-run CPCs (42%) and the Food
Corporation of India (that is, the central government) (12%).
Are we
moving in the right direction?
Right at the beginning of
the Boro harvest season last year, Bangladesh’s food department announced
procuring of only 150,000 tons of paddy from farmers but over one million tons
of rice from millers.
Two months later, some time
in June 2019, when farmers not getting fair prices caused a national outcry,
the government reconsidered the paddy procurement volume and increased it from
a paltry 150,000 tons to 400,000 tons.
A year later, as another
Boro season comes, the government further increased the paddy procurement
volume. This time it’s 800,000 tons.
Yet, still the procurement
goes in rice’s favour as the government has decided to buy 1.15 million tons of
rice from millers as against 800,000 tons of paddy from farmers.
Agriculture Minister Md
Abdur Razzaque has said the government is moving in the direction of procuring
more paddy directly from the farmers, thereby reaching the price befits to the
growers.
Food Minister Sadhan Chandra
Majumder, a seasoned rice miller himself, has been talking about introducing
e-procurement of paddy in Bangladesh since last year. Unfortunately, this
initiative again fell through the cracks at the last moment in this Boro season
too.
Dr Akhter and his study
states that buying more paddy by the government doesn’t mean millers will be
the losers in any way.
As they explain, the food
department here would definitely involve the rice millers in the process, like
the state government in West Bengal does, even if all the paddy is bought
directly from the farmers.
It would be a win-win
situation for all.
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