RICE RATOONING - IRRI books - International Rice Research Institute

262 RICE RATOONINGTable 4. Cost of production ($/t) by yield level, Lemont and Skybonnet cultivars. aNumber of producersLemontSkybonnetYield levelEstimated cost($/t)2012333–7.8 t/ha Main crop 20010.0 t/ha Main crop + Ratoon crop 16911.2 t/ha Main crop + Ratoon crop 152a Survey by J. W. Stansel.30% to above 95%). The eastern side of the Texas rice belt had the least ratooncropping and the western end the most.There are a number of reasons for the variation in the amount of ratooningpracticed in Texas. The eastern edge of the rice area receives on average 475 mmmore rainfall a year than the western edge. The higher rainfall tends to delay landpreparation and seeding in the spring, which has a negative impact on ratoon cropyield. Higher rainfall also may interfere with main crop harvest and with ratoon cropcultural practices. Harvesting the main crop when the soil is wet may rut the field sobadly that the opportunity for a successful ratoon crop is eliminated, or at least theratoon crop yield potential is reduced. Because drier soils tend to warm up earlier inspring, seeding in the west begins 1-2 wk earlier than in the east. On the whole, higherrainfall tends to be associated with greater weed control problems as well as withhigher disease incidence, both of which can have a negative impact on ratooncropping.Although climatic factors are the major influence on the amount of ratooningpracticed in Texas, other factors affect the practice. Ratooning on land infested withred rice tends to increase the severity of infestation in the following crops. Heavysoils dry out more slowly than light, sandy soils and are more likely to have problemswith rutting during main crop harvest. On the local level, heavy populations of blackbirds can totally consume a ratoon crop in the vicinity of their roosts.Social or socioeconomic factors also influence the amount of ratooningpracticed. In some cases, landlord-tenant agreements do not encourage ratooning.Some farmers who failed at early attempts to ratoon, through poor management orinappropriate weather at critical times, have not made another attempt. Somefarmers do not plan to ratoon, but depend on chance rainfall and main cropfertilization to produce a ratoon crop. With essentially no investment in the ratooncrop, they harvest it only if there appears to be sufficient production to coverharvesting costs and to provide a small profit. In some instances, the lack of water orits prohibitive cost discourages ratooning.For progressive farmers who recognize the potentials offered by ratooning,and plan to ratoon from the beginning of the main crop season, and apply a highlevel of management for both the main and the ratoon crops, the success rate is veryhigh. The cost/price squeeze on U.S. rice producers now is a greatly increasedeconomic incentive to grow a ratoon crop. With the accelerated research programsnow under way in the Southern U.S., we expect ratoon cropping to reach its fullpotential and contribute significantly to the economic well-being of the rice farmer.