Wednesday, March 13, 2019

13th March,2019 Daily Global Regional Local Rice E-Newsletter

Polder project: Coastal zone of Bangladesh

March 12, 2019

Professor Robert Aiken discusses work on food networks in this report, specifically the Polder project

“Smallholders manage over 80% of the world’s estimated 500 million small farms and provide over 80% of the food consumed in a large part of the developing world, contributing significantly to poverty reduction and food security.”(1)

As a public agricultural scientist, this is of interest. Food security extends beyond the major food and feed grain crops (rice, wheat, corn, soybean, sorghum), many of which I study. If a substantial portion of humanity depends on food produced by smallholders, what risks do climate changes pose for these community food networks?

The sustainable intensification of smallholder food systems is the focal work of a colleague, Dr Vara Prasad. (2) His network of international collaborators is devoted to understanding the function of community food networks, and opportunities for sustainable intensification to enhance food security. Vulnerability to climate change is an integral aspect of this work.

To gain insight into food networks, I discovered the Polder project, active in the Coastal Zone of Bangladesh. The 1.2 million hectares Coastal Zone is home to 8 million Bangladeshi people in the delta of the Ganges river. (3) The region, typically within 10 m above sea level, is subject to tidal flooding, saltwater intrusion, and seasonal drought. Food insecurity diminishes the development of half the children in the region.

The 1.2 million hectares Coastal Zone is home to 8 million Bangladesh in the delta of the Ganges river.

Water management is critical for crop growth and food security in the Coastal Zone, utilizing dikes and gates established in the 1960s and 1970s to manage large water catchments, known as ‘Polders.’

Another colleague, Dr Krishna Jagadish, directs the Polder project for the K-State Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab. Krishna’s project has established a team of young scientists (nutritionists, water management, agronomy, social sciences, economics, climate-crop modelling) and sociologists who are learning about food networks in one of the nearly 130 plus polders in the Coastal Zone of Bangladesh. Learning hubs form a key component of the adaptive research pursued by these teams.

Crop diversification and intensification affects gender dynamics in the crop-livelihood-food systems of the Bangladesh Coastal Zone. A simplified pathway toward better nutrition, livelihoods, and women’s empowerment in rural households. Image courtesy SIIL Polder Team.

Some of their findings

Adoption of climate-resilient high-yielding rice varieties can boost grain yields by up to 50%. Incorporating fish production into the flooding phase of paddy rice supports household nutrition.

Successive cropping of hybrid corn and nutritious pulse crops can double annual food productivity. Corn grain can support emerging poultry production enterprises, while stalks provide fodder for livestock.

Impact of the SIIL Polder project on cropping patterns of the Coastal Zone of Banglasesh, CREDIT: Image: © SIIL Polder Team

The burden of more intensive cropping can fall, disproportionately, on women in the household, often responsible for crop harvest. Mechanical harvest using small reapers can reduce labour requirements by 80%.

Seed storage enterprises – in rat-proof containers, provide income opportunities for women lacking access to land resources. Coordinated water management in the polders is critical for all of these developments. Learning hubs provide critical means of sharing information about new practices, successes and challenges. The students contribute insights into the polder food network while developing professional credentials and experience. Together, the project fosters learning communities where adaptive land intensification help families adapt to changing conditions.

References

1) Walpole, M. et al. 2013. Smallholders, food security, and the environment. Report prepared for the International Fund for Agricultural Development and United Nations Environment Programme.
2) Director, K-State Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab (SIIL), supported by US AID.
3) Polder Tidings, a newsletter published by the International Rice Research Institute with support from the K-State Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab (SIIL), funded by US AID. Contact Dr. Krishna Jagadish (KJagadish@ksu.edu) or Dr. Sudhir Yadav (S.Yadav@irri.org) for more information.
4) The rabi season (November – March) is typically cool and dry, winter.
5) Yadav, S., M. Mondal and K. Jagadish. 2017. “Foregoing fallow: Improving productivity of polders in Bangladesh. Polder Tidings Vol. 2 No. 1: pp 4-5. International Rice Research Institute.

Professor Robert Aiken

Research Crop Scientist

Northwest Research – Extension Center
Tel: +1 785 462 6281
raiken@ksu.edu
https://www.northwest.k-state.edu/

*Please note: This is a commercial profile

https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/polder-project/60742/

Agriculture department rules out palay imports

March 12, 2019 | 10:30 pm

A worker looks up at the latest batch of imported Vietnamese rice being unloaded at a port in Manila -- REUTERS

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) rejected proposals to import unmilled rice, or palay, noting that rice in that form poses a greater risk for the entry of pests and disease.

The announcement follows plans by San Miguel Corp. (SMC) to import palay once rice imports are liberalized under the Rice Tariffication Act.

Domestically-grown rice is typically milled near its growing area, while the international rice trade typically deals in the milled form of the staple.

“We will not allow the importation of palay. Rice, yes, but unhusked rice, we will not allow it because it will pose danger to our rice industry,” Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol said at a briefing in Quezon City Tuesday.

“We will not allow it because it could bring in pests and disease,” he said, noting that rice husks are likely to contain such elements.

Mr. Piñol said the DA has the authority to impose such restrictions via the sanitary and phytosanitary permit process administered by the Bureau of Plant Industry.

“We still hold the power to determine whether it is safe for Philippine agriculture or not. Nobody can assure that unhusked rice entering the country poses no such danger,” Mr. Piñol added.

Rice import liberalization came into force on March 5 but the law is awaiting the approval of its Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Reicelene Joy N. Ignacio

https://www.bworldonline.com/agriculture-department-rules-out-palay-imports/

Why green tea, carrots could help reverse Alzheimer's disease, according to study

By: Najja Parker, Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Updated: Mar 12, 2019 - 1:42 PM

Why green tea, carrots could help reverse Alzheimer's disease, according to study

While scientists have not found a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, they may be able to reverse the symptoms with some key compounds, according to a new report.

Researchers from the University of Southern California recently conducted a study, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, to determine how diet can impact the brain disorder. They specifically examined two compounds: epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a key ingredient in green tea, and ferulic acid (FA), which is found in carrots, tomatoes, rice, wheat and oats.

For their assessment, they observed mice in good health and with Alzheimer’s-like symptoms. They ran them through tests that assessed their memory and thinking skills.

One was a Y-shaped maze that tested the rodents’ spatial working memory — “a skill that humans use to find their way out of a building,” the team explained in a statement. While healthy mice were able to enter and exit the maze several times, impaired mice could not.

The analysts then randomly grouped the mice into four different categories. The first group consumed a combination of EGCG and FA, the second had only EGCG, the third ate only FA and the fourth had a placebo.

“After three months, combination treatment completely restored spatial working memory and the Alzheimer’s mice performed just as well as the healthy comparison mice,” senior author Terrence Town said.

Despite the results, the researchers noted “many mouse discoveries never translate into human treatments.”

However, they believe their findings are promising, because they think their data proves certain plant-based supplements may help protect against Alzheimer’s disease.

“You don’t have to wait 10 to 12 years for a designer drug to make it to market; you can make these dietary changes today,” Town said. “I find that very encouraging.”

https://www.kiro7.com/news/trending-now/why-green-tea-carrots-could-help-reverse-alzheimers-disease-according-to-study/929872102

Rice Quota Still On Drawing Board

As The National Government Pushes In Its Drive To Ensure Domestic Production Takes Precedence Over Importation, Policy Options Like A Rice Quota System Will Still Come To The Fold As Local Rice Production Lifts Momentum In The Near Future.

March 12, 2019

BY MATTHEW VARI

As the National Government pushes in its drive to ensure domestic production takes precedence over importation, policy options like a rice quota system will still come to the fold as local rice production lifts momentum in the near future.
With major projects being rolled out from major rice manufactures venturing in local projects and inked partnerships with countries such as the Philippines on the borders of last year’s APEC meeting, the drive to reign in rice importation and bolster local production will be brought to the fore.
Also with plans already in discussion for the introduction of the grains board for the country, will see the vital staple commodity take equal focus to other major cash crops that fuel the country’s growing population.
While Minister Allan was quick to note it would not come in the form of the controversial 2015 proposed national rice policy that attracted much criticism from both industry, the Australian government, institutions, and a regulator in the country.
He, however, said the country agenda to improve domestic production was in the best interest of the country that continues to pay for almost all its rice needs to the tune of K500-K600m annually.
Mr Allan said while there is no rice quota and that the market is open, current producers are importing according to their current demand in the marketplace.
He said, however, when domestic production levels pick up, focus will be on locally produced rice and the companies producing.
“As we go into production we will be looking at the rice quota now, which is to reduce imports and increasing exports and domestic production.
“When we go into full production we will look at volume and how we can strategise to increase our production and decrease the imports.
He said the previous submission in 2015 indicated an investor requiring 80 per cent of the market as a condition, with 20 per cent for the existing importers and producers.
“It, however, was only a discussion, but really nothing happened and the submission is there.
“We haven’t progressed it and we asked the investor to come and we revisit the arrangement that they had.
“But they haven’t come back,” Mr Allan said.
“We also have a rice policy but we want to have a board that will manage the industry. It is a big industry and we need have a board to manage the affairs of rice industry.”

https://postcourier.com.pg/rice-quota-still-drawing-board/

Piñol junks proposal to import unhusked rice

By Lilybeth Ison March 12, 2019, 7:46 pm

MANILA -- Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel "Manny" Piñol has junked the planned importation of palay or unhusked rice as it may pose danger to Philippine agriculture.

"We will not allow the importation of palay (unhusked rice) because it could pose danger to our rice industry. It could also bring in pests and diseases," said Piñol, in a press briefing on Tuesday.

The Food and Beverage unit of diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) earlier said it plans to import unmilled rice should the government pass a law lifting quantitative restrictions (QR) on the volume of rice imports annually.

SMC President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang said the company can undertake rice importation to help ensure food security and to assist local farmers.

“We will help by importing. We have grain terminals where we can build extra silos… We will be able to help in the food security,” said Ang on the sidelines of the SMC stockholders’ meeting.

He said these silos would allow for the proper storage of grains so that SMC can import rice by bulk and not just by sacks, after which the commodity can be stored for as long as two years.

Piñol, however, noted that the Rice Tariffication Law does not allow the importation of palay.

"It is only rice in milled form," he stressed, effectively bucking the tycoon's ambitious plans.

Piñol said that the DA still reserves the right to revoke importation of unmilled rice, particularly if it concerns the safety of the country's agriculture sector.

"We still reserve the right, we still hold the power to determine whether it is safe for Philippine agriculture or not, because nobody can assure us na yung mga unhulled rice na papasok dito ay walang nakakabit na sakit," he said. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1064368

CSIR bats for green ‘biocoal’

Wednesday, 13 March 2019 | Archana Jyoti | New Delhi

Against the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s clarion call to the scientists to find a ‘concrete solution’ to deal with the problem of stubble burning, the country’s premier research agency, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has pitched in for conversion of paddy biomass into green ‘biocoal’ to be used in thermal power plants as one of the possible environment-friendly steps to check the menace which chokes Delhi and NCR region, particularly during winters.

Scientists from one of the CSIR’s labs, National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in a study published in the latest edition of The Current Science, said this conversion of paddy stubble into green product biocoal through torrefaction process would also help farmers to earn money using the agriculture residue.

They maintained that the biocoal which has the calorific value equivalent to that of bituminous coal can be used as an alternative fuel in thermal power plants. By optimizing the processing parameters of torrefaction process, desired calorific value of torrefied product has been archived, as per the study conducted in Haryana. It also pointed out that 10 per cent use of torrefied product with coal can consume 140 million tonnes of rice straw and as a consequence, it reduces the consumption of fossil fuels.

If adopted, the technology which is already in vogue in the western countries can help reduce not only consumption of fossil fuels, but also cut down the environmental pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Similarly, residue of other crops like wheat, sugarcane, oilseed, maize and cotton which is estimated to be around 500 million tonnes in the country, can be used as biocoal in thermal plants after torrefaction.

The suggestion holds importance given that presently, to dispose the rice straw for making field ready for next crop, farmers are burning it in the fields itself particularly in States like Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir and Uttarakhand posing lot of environmental, health and economic issues.. This despite State Governments’ offers such as subsidy, machines as well as warning to impose penalty in case of violation.

However, the team of scientists comprising of SR Dhakate, Abhishek K Pathak, Prateek Jain, Mandeep Singh, B P Singh, KM Subhedar, SS Sharda and RK Seth, said that “once farmers get monetary incentive for the waste, burning can be stopped in the fields and it can be used as a source of renewable energy and the country can become self-reliant for energy generation.”

Modi had last December while addressing the farmers’ conclave “Krishi Kumbha” in Lucknow through video conferencing too raised his concerns on increasing smog caused by stubble burning as he urged scientists to find concrete solution to stubble burning.

Being agriculture-based country, India generates more than 600 million tonnes of biomass waste from different crops and produces 140 million tonnes of rice straw alone annually.

Most of the stubble burning takes place over three weeks in October-November, releasing particulates and smog-forming carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide, which drift from the fields over almost the entire Indo-Gangetic plain. This pollution contributes around 12-60 per cent of particulate concentrations depending on the generation of other pollutants in different locations, winds, temperature and other local factors, according to reports.

Wheat and mustard crops to be damaged by heavy rains

Jamal Dawoodpoto

MARCH 13, 2019

Description: Wheat-and-mustard-crops-to-be-damaged-by-heavy-rains

Current wheat and mustard crops are expected to be damaged due to heavy rains and the growers are likely to suffer huge losses in Larkana & Sukkur Divisions.

At the very outset, they faced acute irrigation water shortage and now rains during spring season- sometimes, whole day or whole night along- will badly affect the production of wheat and mustard crops in Sindh.

The first rain brought relief and fulfilled the water scarcity for the tillers but thereafter 5-time rains last month will bring losses to the poor peasants who are extremely worried these days.

In this connection leader of Sindh Abadgar Board Gada Hussain Mahesar and Mir Ishaque Mugheri told newsmen that at the very outset growers were facing water shortage but now after constant rains their standing wheat & mustard crops have been damaged. They said that so far 20% of these standing crops have been damaged due to rains. They said head of wheat grain is falling down when heavy rain occur and it becomes useless as its grains burn. They said if rain continued then damage will increase.

Traders and millers are also likely to undergo huge losses

On the other hand, due to rains, paddy lying at the rice mills has also been damaged due to which rice traders & millers have suffered losses of millions of rupees.

Rice traders and millers in Sindh & Balochistan had procured paddy in large amount when the harvesting season commenced.

They kept paddy in the rice mills under open sky which the rains since last month have been damaging.

Qamardin Gopang, Central President Sindh-Balochistan Rice Millers Association, said that 60% of the paddy kept in various rice mills at open space is going to be damaged.

He said, the businessmen had procured wet paddy due to which it is kept under open sky to become dry to get rice. But after rains, it will also become useless due to which traders and millers are also likely to undergo huge losses.

Meanwhile, more rains have been forecasted here during next 24 hours which will add to the miseries of the peasants.

Published in Daily Times, March 13^th 2019.

https://dailytimes.com.pk/364604/wheat-and-mustard-crops-to-be-damaged-by-heavy-rains/

In Memory: Rex Morgan

USA Rice extends condolences to the family and friends of Rex Allen Morgan, of Indianola, Mississippi, who passed away last week, at the age of 80. Rex was the first chair of the USA Rice Federation at its founding in 1994. He also served on the boards of The Rice Foundation and Mississippi Rice Production.

"Rex was an early proponent of the value of establishing the USA Rice Federation to enhance the effectiveness of the three charter members, the U.S. Rice Producers' Group, the USA Rice Council, and the U.S. Rice Millers' Association," said Carl Brothers, former Riceland Foods COO who succeeded Rex as Federation chair. "His interest to leverage the collective strengths of the U.S. rice industry and seek a stronger rice voice in Washington, along with his gentleman leadership, made him the ideal first chair of the USA Rice Federation."

A passionate farmer, Rex began his career with his mother, and his brothers on family land in Sunflower County. An avid proponent of water management, he served on The Yazoo Mississippi Delta Joint Water Management Board of Commissioners from its inception, and was also instrumental in the founding of Farmers Grain Terminal where he served as chairman of the board for the past 27 years.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 205 Second Street, Indianola, Mississippi 38751, or to a charity of choice.

USA Rice Daily

Rice Water: DIY Secret to Glowing, Healthy Skin

By Lesley Dixon

ARLINGTON, VA -- Odds are you cook rice like most of us do: bringing it to a boil and simmering it in a pot or rice cooker until all the water is absorbed. But some recipes call for soaking, washing, or rinsing your rice before cooking to reduce surface starch. Afterwards you'll be left with a milky, opaque water that you probably toss down the drain, or use to water your house plants if it's drought season. But DIY beauty enthusiasts are obsessed with a new, yet ancient, trend that puts that rice water to good use.

The roots of beautifying rice water go all the way back to the origins of rice cultivation itself, when women rice farmers in Asia noticed that the skin on their hands was soft and nourished after spending hours washing rice, and took to washing their faces and hair with it as well. The Yao women from Huangluo village in Southern China are infamous for their long, thick, and healthy hair, which averages about six feet long. While genetics are surely a factor, they also attribute their robust locks to the nourishing effect of fermented rice water treatments.

It's not just DIYers and bloggers who have caught on to this old-made-new trend. The beauty industry at large has been using rice as an ingredient in cosmetics more and more, from Origins to Dove to Burt's Bees. And to those of you who attended USA Rice's Outlook Conference in December, you might recall that the Marriott Marquis hotel in San Diego supplied their rooms with rice bran hand soap. Consumers are demanding natural, simple ingredients in their products, and nothing is more natural or simple than rice.

So what is it about rice that's causing all this beauty buzz? Rice contains a number of vitamins and minerals that are excellent for your skin, including vitamins B, C, and E. It also contains phytic acid, which is used in many commercial beauty products as a gentle chemical exfoliant; niacin (or vitamin B3), which encourages cell regeneration, heals wounds, and strengthens the skin barrier, allowing skin to better retain moisture; manganese, which supports collagen production and fights free-radicals, keeping skin healthy and resilient; and selenium, an antioxidant that protects skin cells from damage.

If you're interested in trying a DIY rice beauty treatment, there are plenty of recipes and instructions to choose from online. Simply soak half a cup of rice in one inch of water for 30-60 minutes, and you've got an excellent base for a facial or hair mask.

It goes without saying that you should use U.S.-grown rice in these endeavors; who knows what's present on imported rice, and you don't want to gamble when it comes to skincare - something the cosmetics industry has already figured out. Beauty giant Dove, for example, exclusively uses rice sourced in the U.S.

So while the best way to enjoy the health benefits of rice is still simply to eat it, rice beauty treatments are an easy and cost-effective way to utilize rice, especially when considering the exorbitant prices of cosmetics these days. Maybe you've got just a little bit of rice leftover in a bag that's been sitting in your pantry for weeks; it's not enough to make a whole serving, but you hate to throw it out. It's a good opportunity to soak it in some water and give one of these treatments a try.

AGI to purchase rice equipment manufacturer

AGI to acquire Milltec.

03.12.2019

By Susan Reidy

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA — Ag Growth International Inc. (AGI) has agreed to purchase the outstanding shares of Milltec Machinery Limited for $109.5 million, with the potential for up to an additional $38.4 million based on earning targets.

Milltec, based in Bangalore, India, is a leading manufacturer of rice milling and processing equipment in India. It has 400 full-time employees and operates four production facilities in India, three of them in Bangalore, and one in Chennai.

“Milltec is a launching pad for AGI in India and the broader Asian region with a complete product line for rice as well as providing the manufacturing, design, engineering, service and installation capabilities that AGI will leverage across our current product lines,” said Tim Close, AGI president and chief executive officer. “This comprehensive platform brings a talented management group, excellent manufacturing facilities, pan-India distribution and service teams, as well as turn-key systems capabilities.”

AGI said it will fund the purchase with its revolving credit facility. Milltec reported sales of $56.2 million and earnings before interest, income, tax, deprecation and amortization of $10.1 million for the 12 months ended Jan. 31.

Ravindranath Ramaiah and Rajendran Joghee founded Milltec in 1998 and each have over 25 years of experience in the rice milling equipment industry. They will continue to provide leadership and vision to Milltec going forward in their roles as managing directors of the company. Over the past few years Milltec has also bolstered its management team with the addition of two very experienced individuals, Rajan Aggarwal, chief executive officer, and Ganapathy Subramaniam, chief financial officer.

Completion of the transaction is subject to customary conditions precedent and is expected to close prior to March 31.

The acquisition fits with AGI’s 5-6-7 strategy, the company said, noting that it moves AGI into rice processing with a complete product line and establishes AGI’s platform in India. It is also complementary to AGI’s existing product offerings and provides a strategic platform for further consolidation.

In addition, AGI said it has identified several opportunities for sales, operational and supply chain synergies including the service and support of AGI’s current product lines through Milltec’s pan-India distribution platform, the sale of Milltec’s products across AGI’s established global distribution network, and significant advantages in engineering support.

Rising income in India and the ability to purchase higher quality and branded rice is rapidly increasing the size of the rice processing equipment market.

Growth drivers identified, including: (i) As incomes rise in India consumers are choosing to purchase higher quality, and branded, rice products which is rapidly increasing the size of the rice processing equipment market; (ii) Milltec has recently expanded into pulses and seed equipment adding another lever for growth in the region; and (iii) The additional access to capital that AGI provides will support both domestic and export growth.

Milltec’s equipment offerings include:

· Front-end equipment: pre-cleaners, boilers, parboilers and dryers.

· Milling equipment: classifiers, gravity separators, de-stoners, pneumatic shellers, thickness graders, whiteners, silky polishers, rotary sifters and length graders.

· End-of-line equipment: color sorters, packaging equipment with a capacity range of 10 to 75 kilograms.

Milltec also offers end-to-end turnkey solutions for rice processing activities. It has also expanded its product portfolio to include pulse, seed, maize and wheat processing equipment as well as ancillary products including silica extraction and co-generation plants.

https://www.world-grain.com/articles/11767-agi-to-purchase-rice-equipment-manufacturer

Number of rice row crops growing across Arkansas

The number of rice row crops farming is becoming more popular across the state. (Source: KAIT)

March 12, 2019 at 7:28 PM CDT - Updated March 12 at 7:28 PM

(KAIT) -Rice is one of the most popular crops grown in the state of Arkansas, but a more popular way to grow the crop is trending across the state.

According to a report from content partner Talk Business & Politics, the number of rice row acres across the state increased from 40,000 acres in 2017 to more than 100,000 acres in 2018.

“Row rice is an emerging production practice for rice that is increasing adoption, but lacks a consensus on production practices,” Chris Henry, associate professor and extension water management engineer with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said.

According to Dr. Jarrod Hardke, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture rice agronomist, row crop rice could put more money in a farmer’s pocket, saving a farmer up to $70 per acres, per season.

This can save farmers hours of labor on their combines and equipment used to harvest the crop.

Saving up to $70 can also have significant results on the state’s economy.

According to the report, Arkansas farmers grew 1.4 million acres of rice in 2018 compared to 1.161 million acres in 2017.

http://www.kait8.com/2019/03/13/number-rice-row-crops-growing-across-arkansas/

Row rice gaining in popularity in Arkansas

AGRICULTURE

IRRIGATED ROW RICE — Polypipe doing its work in row rice. May 2016 file photo.ROW RICE - Emerging row rice early in the season (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Jarrod Hardke)

William Fuller went on a hunting trip in 1896 with a friend to Louisiana and little did the Arkansas farmer know that the trip would turn him into a “king” and transform his state forever. While he was on the trip, he noticed farmers growing rice, the most consumed grain in the world.

Rice was first introduced in the southern U.S. in South Carolina in 1694, according to historians. Slowly, the crop made its way across the south. Fuller noted that the soil in Louisiana was similar to soils found in the Arkansas Delta Region. It took him nearly a decade to perfect a technique for growing rice in the Natural State, but when he was finished it was a game changer. Arkansas would go on to become the largest rice producing state in the country, growing roughly half the nation’s rice a century later, and Fuller is known as the “King of Arkansas rice.”

Rice is typically grown in paddies, or fields inundated with water. Rice row crop farming, or furrow irrigated rice as it’s sometimes called, is becoming more and more popular, according to the University of Arkansas Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service. Two meetings detailing the emergence of row crop rice were held during the month of February in Jonesboro and Stuttgart.

“Farmers are interested in furrow irrigated rice because of the potential to reduce tillage passes, plant earlier and explore the use of no-till and cover crops,” Henry said. “By sharing experiences, we hope to gather information that can be used to improve recommendations and direct research efforts and it’s an opportunity to learn from other farmers and consultants from across the region.”

Rice paddies have been common in the Delta for many years. During the 1980s farmers experimented with systems that allowed rice to be grown in standard rows, but those fields produced a lot of blast fungus, a disease that can damage or kill a rice plant, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture rice agronomist Dr. Jarrod Hardke said. Science has been able to stem that trend, and rice rows have steadily grown in recent years. The number of rice row acres has jumped from 40,000 in 2017 to more than 100,000 acres in 2018, he said.

In a recent three-year study, funded by the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board, Henry found that row rice used significantly less water than flooded rice using polypipe or multiple inlet rice irrigation and the yields were not significantly different.

“That really surprised us, because we expected higher water use numbers and less yield,” he said.

Row crop rice could mean more money in a farmer’s pocket, Hardke said. A typical rice acre has about $750 in input costs. Growing rice in rows can save a producer up to $70 per acre, per season, he said. Rice in rows can be grown in former soybean beds, meaning they don’t have to be prepped like typical rice paddies. This can save a farmer many hours on their combines and other equipment, Hardke said, adding that those fields don’t require the levee systems and are irrigated with pipes, much like other row crops.

Hybrid varieties of rice make the row system possible. About half of Arkansas’ rice acreage or 700,000 acres is hybrid, Hardke said. Hybrids can develop resistance to diseases such as blast fungus, but a hybrid blend can only be used for one growing season. Hybrids are produced when one part infertile male pollen and one fertile male pollen are combined to produce an offspring, he said. These hybrids tend to produce better yields and are more disease resistant, he said.

Saving $70 per rice acre could have a significant impact on the state’s economy.

According to the Arkansas Farm Bureau, the rice industry is the second largest agriculture sector in Arkansas, only trailing soybean production. Rice contributes billions of dollars to the state’s economy and creates about 25,000 jobs, AFB reported.

In 2018, Arkansas farmers grew 1.4 million rice acres, a 30% uptick from 2017 when about 1.161 million acres were planted. It was 47.1% of all rice acres planted in the U.S., according to the B.R. Wells Arkansas Rice Research.

Those acres accounted for 82.6 million hundredweight of rice and it represented 46.4% of the 178.2 million hundredweight produced in the country. During the last three years, Arkansas has accounted for more than 47% of the nation’s total rice production, the report found. Per acre, farmers had a yield of 164.4 bushels per acre or 7,400 pounds. It was the third highest yield on record in the state and a 570 pound per acre uptick from 2016.

Rice is grown in 40 of Arkansas’ 75 counties and is predominantly grown in the eastern section of the state. The rice growing region in the state starts with Clay County in Northeast Arkansas and extends southward to Chicot County in southern Arkansas. Traditionally, the top rice producing counties in the state are Lawrence, Poinsett, Jackson, Arkansas, and Lonoke, according to the United States Department of Agriculture.

https://talkbusiness.net/2019/03/row-rice-gaining-in-popularity-in-arkansas/

Viewpoint: Despite anti-GMO opposition, poor farmers will finally plant ‘life-saving’ golden rice

Ronald Bailey | Reason | March 12, 2019

Description: NEWSCI GoldenRiceInventor CROP original original

Golden rice could help combat malnutrition in Asia.

Golden Rice which has been genetically engineered to have higher levels of the vitamin A precursor beta-carotene is finally about be to approved for planting by poor farmers in Bangladesh….Environmentalist ideologues have fought fiercely for two decades to prevent this crop from being offered to poor farmers in developing countries. Among other things, they hired thugs to rip up test fields of the grain at the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines.

In 2016, an open letter signed by 100 Nobel Laureates directly called on “Greenpeace to cease and desist in its campaign against Golden Rice specifically, and crops and foods improved through biotechnology in general.” The laureates pointed out that “scientific and regulatory agencies around the world have repeatedly and consistently found crops and foods improved through biotechnology to be as safe as, if not safer than those derived from any other method of production.”

Related article: Viewpoint: Consumers with special dietary needs forced to buy overpriced, less nutritious 'non-GMO' foods

Read full, original article: Life-Saving Golden Rice Finally Gets to Poor Farmers Despite Environmentalist Opposition

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Click the link above to read the full, original article.

https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2019/03/12/viewpoint-despite-anti-gmo-opposition-poor-farmers-will-finally-plant-life-saving-golden-rice/

DIY Science: Walnuts, Rice and Avalanches

12 March 2019

Interview with

Amalia Thomas, University of Cambridge

Part of the show Q&A: Atoms, Avalanches & Armpits

SNOW-MOUNTAIN

Credit:

Grab a jar, fill it with some walnuts, uncooked rice and give it all good shake. Amalia Thomas is a mathematician from Cambridge University who’ll be taking this demo and her research to Parliament as part of a competition called STEM for Britain. She explained to Chris Smith how this work helps to save people from avalanches...

Amalia - Thank you Chris. Adam has prepared this jar thank you very much. And as you might be doing it home I’m shaking it really well.

Chris - That’s worked already.

Amalia - Yeah. Three of four shakes and can you tell me what you see?

Ljiljana - The nuts came on the top.

Amalia - Yeah, the nuts came to the top. So this is a phenomenon that happens in granular systems; these are systems that are made of small solid things, particles - in this case rice and nuts. And it's a very interesting thing that happens in granular systems only that the large materials will always come to the top so this is called size segregation.

Chris - Would that work, Amalia, if the nuts were really heavy? So if had ball bearings in there would it still work?

Amalia - That's a very good point. Size segregation, is only one type, there are other factors which contribute and one of them is density, so if it's larger but a lot denser it would still not rise. Another factor is say surface properties, so if it's very rough it will go up faster.

Chris - And what's the physics of that? What's actually driving that because that was extraordinary, all of the nuts are now perched on top of the rice. All of them and it's within two or three shakes it was phenomenal so why does that happen?

Amalia - Well, that is what my PhD is about. This is something that is still not completely well understood. You might think that the smaller particles are more likely to fit into gaps so they fall but here we've only got a few big ones and they are pushed upwards. The key to that, and for this I'm going to make an analogy with fluid systems, so say with a mudslide, this would not happen in fluid continuous systems because in granular systems forces are not distributed evenly. What that means is some granules carry a lot of weight and some of them don't carry any weight at all and the large particles are more likely to carry weights and, therefore, they’re more likely to be subjected to forces and, as a result they’re levered upwards.

Chris - So it's an average thing is it? Resolves that on average you end with a force being exerted against the big stuff because they're more likely to be pushed somewhere, whereas a small stuff would just slip and slide away and distribute towards the bottom?

Amalia - Yes, to carry weight than small ones.

Chris - Where do we see the same science being manifested in the real world?

Amalia - We see it all the time; we don't know it. This is actually called the breakfast cereal effect and for this I stole my housemate’s granola.

Chris - You really have got a tub of granola.

Amalia - I've got a transparent tub made with a mixture made by my housemate Emily. In here she's got granola, she's got peanuts, walnuts, and coconut.

Chris - And it's all nicely mixed up at the moment? There's no obvious pattern to anything?

Amalia - So we put it on its side and I just give it a little shake, and just with that little shake...

Chris - She could eat three different breakfast with that but now because you've got three different layers in there.

Amalia - I'll put this above my head. Can someone else tell me what they see?

Ljiljana - The bigger things come up.

Amalia - And all the coconut has gone to the bottom, and it's a same phenomenon. Sometimes it's a good thing so this is used in recycling plants when you know you want the different types of garbage separated. And it's a bad thing say in pharmaceutical companies when they want all their active ingredients well mixed.

One big interesting application is in avalanches which is where I actually study this phenomenon. Imagine your free skiers so you're skiing in the mountains and not going through any specific path you get stuck in an avalanche. There is a procedure for that, you have to wear what look like airbags so that if you're caught in an avalanche you pull it and you suddenly become a big particle and then you will rise in the avalanche.

Chris - You literally float to the top of the snow?

Amalia - You will, just like a walnut.

Chris - Does it work?

Amalia - Yeah they do. And they save lives that way because like the walnut you're brought to the top and then your not crushed like everything else that the avalanche has taken with it.

Chris - You might be beaten up a bit but at least you'll be at the top and findable?

Amalia - And findable, which is key, yeah.

https://www.thenakedscientists.com/articles/interviews/diy-science-walnuts-rice-and-avalanches

Research shows health benefits of red rice

· Leya Yang | The Scoop

· Mar 13, 2019

RED RICE: Annatto is an orange-red condiment and food coloring derived from the seeds of the achiote tree. It gives an orange color to foods such as rice. Post file photo

Various forms of annatto can be used to make red rice, including fresh annatto seeds picked from trees on Guam, commercial seeds, and commercial annatto powder.

While walking on one of Guam’s sandy beaches, you may see locals grilling barbecue meat and completing this CHamoru meal with a scoop of red rice.

Tropical annatto (achiote) seed gives red rice its unique taste and color. Annatto is one of the oldest dyes. For more than 200 years, the natural dye was used in England to color cheese. Today, annatto seeds are commonly used as a natural food colorant in the food industry. Cheese, salad dressing, butter and cooking oil are some examples of food colored by annatto seeds.

During the ancient CHamoru period, rice was consumed in drinks or foods for special occasions, such as weddings, funerals or reunions, according to guampedia.com.

In the 17th century, the Spanish introduced red rice to Guam. Today, red rice has become a staple at fiestas and other gatherings on Guam.

The red rice that Guamanians often consume has various health benefits such as antioxidants as well as antibacterial and anti-inflammation properties. My research suggests this very seed also contains anti-cancer properties.

I first conducted an anti-mutagenicity study to test local plants: annatto seed, hibiscus, plumeria flower, and moringa seeds. In the Salmonella Ames assay, the annatto seed displayed the highest anti-mutagenicity among these selected plants.

Various forms of annatto can be used to make red rice, including fresh annatto seeds picked from trees on Guam, commercial seeds, and commercial annatto powder. Different products exhibited different anti-mutagenicity activity. Among these seed products, fresh local annatto seeds and commercial annatto powder exhibited high anti-mutagenicity. Commercial seeds, usually packaged and shipped from other countries, displayed weak antimutagenicity.

Red rice is cooked with heat. Will heat treatment affect the anti-mutagenicity of annatto during cooking rice? An experiment was designed to treat fresh annatto extract at 100°C for 30 to 120 minutes to imitate cooking rice. After heat treatment of 30 minutes, surprisingly, instead of a decrease in anti-mutagenicity, annatto seed extract exhibited an increase in anti-mutagenicity. Further research experiments suggest that heat treatment changed “bixin,” the major pigment in annatto seed, into another active form in anti-mutagenicity.

With more research, the pigment bixin possesses special anti-cancer properties against radiation, which induces skin cancer. This is good news especially because of the strong direct sunlight, a primary cause for skin cancer on Guam.

Based on the results of my study on annatto seeds, consumption of red rice may be beneficial for reducing the risk of cancer. For potential health benefits, preparing and cooking red rice with fresh annatto seed or high-quality annatto powder is recommended.

https://www.postguam.com/island_life/the_scoop/research-shows-health-benefits-of-red-rice/article_1746829c-444f-11e9-84dc-4f9943538f89.html

PhilRice steps up efforts to help farmers cope with El Niño

By Marilyn Galang March 13, 2019, 5:03 pm

Description: http://files.pna.gov.ph/category-list/2019/03/13/transplanting.jpg

SCIENCE CITY OF MUNOZ, Nueva Ecija -- The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has recommended the use of drought-tolerant varieties and technologies to help farmers cope with the ongoing El Niño phenomenon.

PhilRice agriculturist Fredierick Saludez said rice farmers must be prepared to plant drought-resistant varieties that could help them mitigate the impact of prolonged dry spell.

Based on studies, rice normally grows at temperatures between 20-35 degrees Celsius. Temperature above 35 degree Celsius is critical for rice growth especially during the reproductive stage.

Likewise, rice yield can decrease by 10 percent for each 1degree Celsius increase in minimum night temperature during the dry season.

Aside from planting drought-tolerant rice varieties, Saludez said farmers with water source can also try the aerobic rice technology which requires irrigation at 2-5 centimeter every week.

He said farmers in irrigated areas, meanwhile, are advised to use water efficiently so it can reach tail-end areas in the irrigation system.

By practicing controlled irrigation, he said water use can be reduced by around 16-35 percent without reducing yield.

“This technology is aided with an observation well used in monitoring water levels. It is time to irrigate when the water level hits 15 centimeter below ground level,” Saludez said.

While PhilRice recommends a fallow period every cropping season, in times of drought, it also encourages farmers with stable water supply to plant rice immediately after harvest.

Dr. Eduardo Jimmy P. Quilang of PhilRice Agronomy, Soils, and Plant Physiology Division, said the practice, called “quick turnaround (QTA),” has to be done in synchrony within a community.

“QTA is advised to ensure enough rice supply amid the dry spell. In doing this, however, synchronous planting is strongly recommended to prevent pest outbreak. Thus, this has to be well-coordinated with the National Irrigation Administration,” he said.

Likewise, PhilRice recommended to farmers application of direct seeding to reduce production time by an average of 10 days.

In areas with limited water supply, Dr. Ricardo Orge, program leader of Climate Resiliency for Enhanced Agricultural Trade and Efficiency for Rice (CREATE-Rice) Program, advised farmers to diversify from rice.

“If it is already too risky to plant rice, farmers may consider planting short-duration crops instead. We suggest high-value crops requiring less water use such as watermelon. Farmers may also focus on tending livestock,” Orge said.

The PhilRice experts also encouraged farmers to avail of farm insurance to protect their crops from natural calamities. (PNA)

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1064453

Drought warning leads Cambodian government to tell rice farmers not to plant

03/12/2019, 13.07

Water shortages have been reported in 16 Cambodian provinces. El Niño is behind higher-than-average temperatures. About 75 per cent of Cambodia is farmland, devoted mostly to growing rice. The authorities hand out fertiliser and water to affected communities.

Phnom Penh (AsiaNews) – Cambodian rice farmers should refrain from planting crops because of a drought and record high temperatures. The cause is this year’s El Nino with temperatures expected to peak in April and May, warned Neth Pheaktra, spokesman and secretary of state for the Cambodian Environment Ministry.

Communities in 16 provinces around the Kingdom have reported water shortages due to higher than average temperatures – a stark reality in a nation more used to dealing with floods than droughts.

A tributary of the Tonle Sap River in Kampong Thom province has dried out. As a result, a local rice farmer said he had been relying on eating lotus roots to survive.

About 75 per cent of the country’s farmland is devoted to growing rice. Cambodia exports about three per cent of the world’s supply, according to the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).

Pheaktra said his office, in conjunction with the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, has been distributing fertiliser and water to communities hit by drought.

The Mekong River Commission (MRC), which manages the river and its sustainable development along with its member states (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam), said that it was ready to help Cambodia.

Temperatures in Cambodia will reach 40-42 Celsius between April and May this year, said Pheaktra. “Higher temperatures associated with El Nino can lead to forest fires and water shortages,” he added.

Despite heightened concerns, climatologists do not expect this year's drought to be as bad as the one that hit the country in 2016.

Speaking about the latter, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen called it was “the worst natural disaster to hit Cambodia in 100 years”.