No-till Rice or Direct Drilled Rice
Recent University of California trial work at Richvale Station has shown equal yields with conventional rice.
Stale seed beds from fields worked the fall before have worked for rice farmers in Sacramento Valley. Soil activated herbicides work in this problem of growing rice crops allowing growers to rotate herbicides to keep down weed resistance.
We started working with No-till rice using Duncan Multiseeders over 20 years ago. We learned that you can drill rice on 1-1.5 inches deep, deeper means longer emergence so that weeds can get ahead of the rice seedlings resulting in a disaster.
We learned that rice should be drilled when soil temperature is 65 degrees or better, again slow emergence results in colder soils. Weed problems arrive to work against a good crop.
Yes, you can farm organic rice direct drilled into a cover crop. The cover crop is key to weed control.
Seeding rates of 100 to 150 pounds per acre did well, but lower rates are possible with patients. Dry rice seed. No soaked seed as the seeding mechanism can damage soaked seed.
No-till drills have improved over the years-
- Duncan now manufactures the Enviro Drill
- Haybuster 107 drill works well with low maintenance compared to John Deer
- California Drill for pastures, alfalfa and other crops
How we can help you with No-till or direct drilled rice-
- We rent Haybuster 107 drills and can help you calibrate and set-up drill.
How can we help you find the best No-till drill for your operation?
- We are dealers for Haybuster
- We work to build California Drills to order
- We are the parts depot for Multiseeders and the dealer for Duncan drills from New Zealand
- We are the Sukup drill dealer
For more information, give us a call at 530/872-2624.