Texas A&M University System Agricultural

Research and Extension Center

Beaumont, Texas

September 2001 Volume I Number 7

Texas Rice

Integrated Pest Management:A Historical Perspective

Integrated Pest Management(IPM) is a management approachthat focuses on long term preven-tion of pests or their damagethrough a combination of tech-niques that rely on diligent cropmonitoring. These techniques in-clude biological control, habitatmanipulation, modification of cul-tural practices, and use of resistantvarieties. Pesticides are used onlyafter monitoring indicates they areneeded. Pesticides are selected andapplied in a manner that minimizesrisk to human health, beneficial andnon-target organisms, and the en-vironment.

The origin of the IPM move-ment can be traced back to the early1950’s when entomologists beganto discover that insects were devel-oping resistance to many pesti-cides. They began to developstrategies to avoid development ofresistance, such as relying on natu-ral enemies, cultural controls, andby alternating classes of pesticides.It was during this time that the termIPM was coined and the conceptof an economic injury level and aneconomic threshold were devel-oped by Dr. Vern Stern and cowork-ers at the University of Californiaat Riverside. The economic injurylevel is the lowest population den-sity that will cause economic dam-

age, wheree c o n o m i cdamage is theamount of in-jury that willjustify the costof artificialcontrol mea-sures. Thee c o n o m i cthreshold is apopulation density that is usuallylower than the economic injurylevel, and in practical terms it is thepest density at which a pesticidecontrol is initiated. If a grower orconsultant has their own planes orspray rigs, and if they can sprayright away, then the economicthreshold is equal to the economicinjury level. But, if it takes a day ormore to schedule an application, theeconomic threshold has to be lowenough to insure that the pesticideis applied before an increasing pestpopulation reaches damaging lev-els. Numerous studies have shownthat increased grower profits willinevitably be the result when soundeconomic thresholds are used inconjunction with practical but reli-able sampling methods, the foun-dation for a sound IPM program.

Early momentum for the IPMmovement came in 1962 whenRachel Carson published Silent

Spring, a landmark book thatwarned of the dangers that pesti-cides posed to our environment. Al-though the merits of the book are

still often hotly de-bated, there is nodoubt that it fueleda new publicawareness that na-ture was vulner-able to humanintervention, rein-forcing the basicprinciples beingdeveloped for In-tegrated Pest Man-

agement. But, it was not until 1971that the first large-scale IPM re-search efforts begin. The Huffakerproject, named after Dr. CarlHuffaker at the University of Cali-fornia Berkley, trained hundreds offuture researchers and crop consult-ants. Funded by the Environmen-tal Protection Agency, the NationalScience Foundation and the USDA,the Huffaker Project encompasseduniversities in 18 states, with over300 participating scientists. Theirwork was primarily on alfalfa,apples, citrus, cotton, pears, pinetrees and soybeans.

The Consortium for IntegratedPest Management (CIPM) was anoutgrowth of the Huffaker projectand was initiated under the direc-tion of Dr. Perry Adkisson at TexasA&M University in 1979. Thisproject included 17 state universi-ties. Interdisciplinary effort was

The Rice Water Weevil adult, a majorfocus of rice IPM programs.

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FromtheEditor...

Inside This Issue

Researcher in the News: Mo Way ......................................3

Cooperative Extension in the News: Kelby Boldt .............5

Rice Tec Basmati Patents ................................................10

Pest of the Month ..............................................................10

National Rice Month.........................................................10

State, National and International News ............................11

Rice Crop Statistics Report ..............................................12

Cover Story:Integrated Pest Management

This issue of TexasRice covers Integrated PestManagement, a topic that isnear and dear to my heart.In 1970, when I left thefamily farm implement andwelding business and began work as an entomologyfield assistant, my new boss was none other than Dr.Vern Stern, the father of Integrated Pest Management.Dr. Stern was a character bigger than life. It was notuntil several years later that I really learned to appre-ciate the scope of influence that this man had on agri-culture and on the lives of many of the youngresearchers that he helped to train.

Dr. Stern, along with Drs. Robert van den Boschand Kenny Hagen developed the economic thresholdand economic injury level concepts, which are so cen-tral to the development of IPM. The idea that a pestwas only a problem when its numbers reached a dam-aging level was revolutionary at that time. These for-ward-thinking individuals were also instrumental inpromoting pest management as a complete packageof management tools revolving around the use of reli-able sampling methods to determine when pests reachlevels requiring a control action, the use of resistantvarieties, and cultural, chemical, and biological con-trols in combination to regulate pest populations atsafe levels. By initiating control actions only when apest reached an economic threshold, Dr. Stern andmany who followed in his footsteps were able to showthat growers could greatly improve profits using IPM,while reducing the risk of economic loss.

In the years that followed, I was fortunate enoughto work for several other distinguished IPM experts.Dr. Tom Leigh, a tall German with a deep boomingvoice taught me the love of science. Dr. Dan Gonzalez,possibly the greatest biological control foreign explorerin the history of entomology, taught me the importanceof reliable sampling tools to determine the abundanceof pests and beneficial insects. He was also the first toconvince me that the old saying “The only good bugis a dead bug” is often not true and that for every pestspecies there are probably a dozen or so “good guys”who use the pests as food.

In the mid-1970’s, my IPM training took a major turnwhen I met a brash young Assistant Professor. Dr. AndyGutierrez was at that time beginning to develop aninternational reputation as one of the very best IPMtheoreticians. Like many theoreticians, Dr. Gutierrezhad a strong working knowledge of ecology and math-ematics. But, Dr. Gutierrez was a different breed thanthe large majority of his colleagues by having a tre-mendous amount of field experience. He not onlytalked the talk, he walked the walk when it came tounderstanding what made agricultural systems tick.Possibly more than anyone before or after, Dr.Gutierrez taught many of us how to better unravel theinner workings of the different parts of an agriculturalsystem. He taught me that putting IPM into practicerequired a thorough knowledge of what makes a cropgrow the way it does, determining how insects, weeds,and diseases affect a crop’s growth, and how marketpricing and input costs determine the best way to growa crop.

From my early years as a field assistant to my cur-rent position as Beaumont Center Director with theTexas A&M University System, I have watched IPMevolve far beyond its entomology roots. Now whenpeople talk about IPM their thoughts increasingly en-compass all aspects of crop production and manage-ment. Whether we call it IPM or ICM (Integrated CropManagement), as is increasingly popular, the conceptwill continue to evolve with the goal of increasing prof-itability and sustainability for U.S. farmers.

Sincerely,

Ted WilsonProfessor and Center Director

Mo with Mark Nunez (L) and Glenn Wallace (R) on top of theGuadalupe Mountain, the highest peak in Texas. Mo is holdingthe record book that is kept at the peak’s summit for hikers to

sign in when they reach the top. Mo makes an annual trek withhis crew to various scenic locations across the country.

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Researcher in the News...Beaumont Entomologist

Mo WayMichael Orrin Way was bornand raised in Bakersfield, California.His mother and sister still live there, but Moleft California in 1982 to make his home in Texas.

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From early childhood Mo had a keen interest inscience and agriculture. He participated in 4-H, rais-ing sheep and calves for show. When Mo was oldenough he began working for local growers pickingmelons, scouting cotton fields, and loading freight carsfor fruit packing sheds. His mom worked at home tak-ing care of Mo and his older sister, Donna Rae, whilehis dad worked in the oil fields surrounding Bakers-field.

After high school, Mo went to Bakersfield JuniorCollege for two years before transferring to the Uni-versity of California at Davis where he captained thefootball team. It was at Davis that Mo received hisBS, MS and PhD, all in entomology. His decision tocontinue on after his BS degree was influenced greatlyby his undergraduate advisor, Dr. Al Grigarick, whospecialized in insects associated with rice production.He began working as a technician in Dr. Grigarick’slab soon after transferring to the UC Davis campusfrom the UC Riverside campus where he worked forDr. Vern Stern, one of the fathers of Integrated PestManagement (IPM). Mo was impressed by Dr.Grigarick’s dedication and love for his work. He con-vinced Mo to continue in school, and served as Mo’smajor professor for his PhD work. In 1982, as Mo wasfinishing his dissertation, he saw a notice on the bulle-tin board for an opening at the Beaumont Center for arice/soybean entomologist. It was a perfect fit, and Mocame to work for Texas A&M in September of 1982.

Making the transition from an academic environ-ment to the ‘front lines’ of an off-campus experimentstation was a little awkward at first. Mo soon learnedthat interaction with growers was vital. He believesthat for his research to be truly relevant and useful hehas to know what questions the farmers are asking,and what are the specific problems they need solved.This understanding can only come from spending timewith the growers and walking their fields. Accordingto Mo, this is a special challenge for off-campus re-searchers - balancing their academic requirements withtheir commitment to directly serve constituents, i.e.

the Texas farmer.In looking at the Beaumont Entomology research

program, it is clear that Mo focuses on projects thathave a direct impact on his farmers. In recognition ofhis strong commitment to extending his research find-ings, Mo’s position was recently changed to includean extension component. Since the inception of theJefferson County Rice IPM program in 1997, Mo hasassisted Kelby Boldt in training the scouts and answer-ing specific questions that come up throughout theseason. Essentially, Mo’s research objective is to de-velop IPM programs for insect pests of rice and soy-beans. Because the rice water weevil (RWW) is a keypest, the Entomology Project has spent considerabletime developing effective, affordable and safe controls.Working with Dr. Ed Rister and Sandra Sundarapather,they developed economic injury levels for the ricewater weevil. And Mo’s project was largely respon-sible for extending the use of Furadan from 1989 to1999, in addition to registering 3 new pest manage-ment tools to replace Furadan. Currently, Mo’s gradu-ate student, Bandara Ratnayake, is working ondeveloping an artificial diet for the RWW. If success-ful, the diet could be used to bioassay transgenic ricefor resistance to various insect pests. This research issupported by Rice Tec, Inc. of Alvin.

Every year Mo’s program evaluates novel insecti-cides to increase the number of pest management tools

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Researcher continued...

Spotlight on Support

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Glenn Wallace holds the honor of having worked at the Beau-mont Center longer than any other current employee. He began hiscareer in the fall of 1960 working for Dr. James Stansel in Environ-mental Genetics. When Dr. Stansel transferred to Eagle Lake, Glennbegan working for the Entomology Program under the direction ofClarence Bowling. Ten years later Clarence retired and Glenn tookup the reins for the new entomologist, Dr. Michael (Mo) Way. Itwas truly a bonus for Mo, fresh out of U.C. at Davis, to have some-one with Glenn’s experience in entomology research to direct hiscrew. Glenn was born and raised in Beaumont, the oldest of fourchildren. He and his wife, Reba, live in China and have five chil-dren, ranging in age from 25 to 36. Glenn’s duties include landpreparation, planting, plot maintenance, treatment applications, har-vesting, data collection, and sample processing. He is also the of-ficial research center weatherman. Glenn believes, as far as bossesgo, it doesn’t get any better than working for Mo: donuts everyFriday, frequent crew lunches, annual hiking retreats, and, of course,the beach bash that Mo throws for his hard-working crew everysummer.

Mark Nunez was born and raised in Beaumont, the fourthchild in a family of eight. He acquired a B.S. in EnvironmentalScience from Lamar University and went to work for the City ofBeaumont in the Water Utilities Dept. In 1984 Mark accepted aposition with Dr. John Sij in the Alternative Crops program at theBeaumont Center. During his thirteen years with Dr. Sij he re-turned to Lamar and completed a M.Ed. in Secondary Educationspecializing in biology. When the alternative crops research wasdiscontinued in 1997 Mark taught high school and also worked foran irrigation company designing and installing sprinkler systems.In May of 2000 Mark returned to the Center to work for Dr. Way.He helps coordinate activities for the summer crew and is involvedin all aspects of the research project including field operations anddata collection and analysis. He and his wife, Shelly Ryan, re-cently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. They have twogreat teenagers, Casey(16) and Emily(14).

Derick Beach was familiar with the Entomology Program longbefore he began employment at the Beaumont Center. Derick’sdad, David Beach, worked with Glenn Wallace under ClarenceBowling. When Derick was just knee-high to a grasshopper hebegan working at the Center, first for Robert Weatherton, and thenfor Dr. Way in the summer. When he was a senior at Hardin-Jefferson high school Derick participated in the work co-op pro-gram, going to school in the morning and working for Mo in theafternoon. Derick has worked in the Entomology Program for fouryears and is currently attending Lamar University pursuing a de-gree in business administration.

The Entomology Program also works closely with the clericalstaff (Tammy Tindel, Robin Clements, and in particular CynthiaTribble) who are essential to the efficiency and productivity of theresearch and extension programs. They answer the phones, typeand edit reports, prepare slides, schedule meetings and help createan enjoyable work environment. Without their help and dedica-tion, the Entomology Program would be far less effective.

available to Texas rice and soybean farmers. Moretools mean less chance of resistance build-up, in-surance against withdrawal of an insecticide byEPA, and greater competition among basic manu-facturers, which theoretically reduces pesticidecosts. This year the lab is evaluating 6 new insec-ticides at different rates and timings.

With regard to the efficacy of Icon 6.2FS treatedseed after storage,Mo and his crewaddressed this ques-tion with an experi-ment conducted atthe Beaumont Cen-ter this year. XL-6and Cocodrie weretreated with Icon6.2FS at 0.0375 lb(AI)/acre in Dec2000 (then stored ina rice bin) or treatedin Apr 2001 (justbefore planting).Plots were plantedat 80 lb seed/acre in

April. Results of the test, showed that storage oftreated seed overwinter did not reduce efficacy ofIcon 6.2FS relative to RWW control.

An increasing part of Mo’s research programnow focuses on the biology and management ofstem borers. Stem borers, primarily Mexican riceborer (MRB), are becoming more abundant anddamaging in the southern portion of the Texas RiceBelt (Jackson and Matagorda Counties). The MRBwas introduced from Mexico into the Lower RioGrande Valley of Texas in 1980 and was first de-tected in the Texas Rice Belt in 1987. In 2000,MRB pheromone traps were placed in most coun-ties of the rice belt to determine the current rangeof this insect. Adult moths were found in Fort Bend,Brazoria, Wharton, Waller, Matagorda, Calhoun,Jackson and Colorado Counties. None were col-lected in counties farther east. Trap counts sug-gest that populations gradually build during thesummer and peak in early fall when ratoon rice ismaturing. This research is partially funded by

Glenn Wallace, the EntomologyProject’s senior technician.

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Kelby Boldt in Jefferson County

Texas Cooperative Extension in the News...

Raised on a 400-acre farm southeast of San Anto-nio, Kelby grew up with typical responsibilities of afarmer’s son. The oldest of three, with two youngersisters, Kelby was responsible for feeding, wateringand caring for a variety of animals including chick-ens, hogs and cattle. He knew early on that agriculturewas his love, and would one day be his life’s work.Kelby and his wife, Sharon, along with their 2 chil-dren, Clayton (15) and Amanda (11), have a beautifullittle farm in Bevil Oaks. A strong supporter of FFAand 4-H, Kelby guides his children in rearing pigs andcattle. He believes in the youth agricultural programs,and recognizes the importance of such activities foryoung people. Says Kelby, “It gives them a sense ofresponsibility, and teaches them the value of hard workand dedication.” These are values that Kelby lives by,not just at home, but in his work for Texas producers.

Kelby started working for Texas Cooperative Ex-tension in 1975 in Brazoria County. Having just ac-quired his bachelors degree from Texas A&M inAgricultural Education, Kelby began his extensionwork in the 4-H program. After two years he trans-ferred to Liberty County where he worked in horticul-ture, agricultural production and 4-H, including

Kelby Boldt is not your averageextension agent. With over 25 yearsexperience in agricultural production and foragemanagement, Kelby is a valuable resource forTexas producers and for his community.

extensive involvement in the planning and coordina-tion of the area livestock shows. During his time inLiberty County, Kelby acquired his Masters Degreein Agricultural Education, also at Texas A&M, finish-ing in 1982.

In 1992 Kelby transferred to Jefferson County,where he initiated several new projects. In an effort tobetter assist SE Texas producers, many who raise cattlein rotation with rice, Kelby began forage crop evalua-

tion trials at the Mark Stiles unit of the TexasDepartment of Criminal Justice. Starting in 1994,the project evaluates yield and other character-istics on many varieties of forage grasses com-mon to this area. One of the early varieties testedwas Jiggs, a Bermuda grass now familiar to manyTexas producers. Kelby is able to capitalize onprison labor to some extent, but still has to watchthe plots closely and apply fertilizers and herbi-cides as needed.

Another innovative project that Kelby helpedinitiate is the Jefferson County Rice IPM Pro-gram. Development of the project began in 1997with a meeting of area rice producers, represen-tatives of the Texas Pest Management Associa-tion, Texas Cooperative Extension and the Texas

continued on next pageClayton with his show calf, getting help from younger sister Amanda.

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Extension continued...Agricultural Experiment Station.With ever increasing productioncosts and concerns over the envi-ronmental impact of agriculturalproduction, they recognized theneed for a scouting program basedon IPM principles. Many farmerssouth and west of Houston hire con-sultants to scout for weeds, dis-eases, and insects and to monitorplant nutrition. These farmers re-

port that implementation of consult-ant recommendations significantlyincreases income by utilizing tech-nology more efficiently to increaseyields and milling quality, reducingper unit production costs. Unlikefarmers in the western rice belt,very few eastern farmers contractfor consulting services. Reasons forthis vary, but a major factor is thatonly one semi-retired consultant isavailable for all of Jefferson, Cham-bers, Liberty, Orange, Galvestonand Hardin counties. In 1997 riceacreage in these counties was size-able, around 63,000, which com-prised 25% of the total rice acreagein Texas. Therefore it was believedthat growers east of Houston wouldbenefit greatly from a Rice IPMprogram.

And indeed they have ben-

efited. During the 3 year pilot pro-gram, total production costs in IPMscouted fields was reduced, withherbicide cost nearly $10 per acrelower and insecticide costs reducedas well. In the first year 1343 acreswere enrolled in the program, withthat number climbing to 1680 acresin 2001. The cost per acre to farm-ers has stayed below $10 per acrein all four years of the program. The

range in yields (expressed inpounds per acre as dry weight)was also evaluated. The highyield in the IPM and non-IPMfields was not significantly dif-ferent; however, the differencebetween the high and low yieldwas much less in the IPM pro-gram fields (3472 pound range)as compared to the 5075 poundper acre range in the non-IPMfields. The value of IPM scout-ing is apparent when one con-siders the difference in the low

yields. In other words, IPM pro-grams help to prevent problems.This clearly demonstrates that theprogram has been a success. Thoseinvolved in the project, including

Kelby with his wife Sharon.

Jack Bauer who is the steering com-mittee chairman, lobbied the statelegislature for a position to beadded within the extension servicefor an IPM agent. Unfortunatelythis did not happen, but in spite ofthat the consensus was to continuethe program and build on the suc-cess of the initial 3 years.

For now, Kelby will continue tocoordinate the IPM Program, whichincludes extensive record keeping,hiring and training of scouts, andinsuring that the program is run ac-cording to the needs of the pro-ducer. Many of the BeaumontCenter scientists have participatedin the program including Mo Way,Fred Turner, Jim Stansel, RobertWeatherton and Toni Marchetti (re-tired). Arlen Klosterboer and JoeKrausz, at the College Station cam-pus, also assist in disease evalua-tion. The program is an excellentexample of how producers, exten-sion agents and researchers canwork together to improve agricul-tural sustainability in Texas.

Article and photos by Jay Cockrell.

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Kelby with his son Clayton and daughter Amanda, givingshowmanship lessons to first year 4-H kids.

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emphasized, and the project expanded the use of ap-plied ecology and modeling to better evaluate the im-pact of pest and natural enemy species in crop systems.Their focus was on alfalfa, apples, cotton and soybeans.

In 1984 the CIPM Project ended and funds wereredirected to the USDA Regional IPM Program which

consists of four regions; theNorth East, North Central,Southern and Western. Eachregion concentrates on cropsgrown in that area, capitaliz-ing on the scientific expertiseresiding within the region.Each program is structured toplan, develop and implementprograms needed in their re-gion, with cooperation en-couraged between regions.The Regional IPM Programcontinues to provide funding

for research and extension activities, but its funding islimited and the project is less integrated than were theearlier Huffaker and CIPM projects. As a result, itsimpact on developing IPM programs and training sci-entists and consultants on the use of IPM has not beendramatic.

In recent years, the federal government has pro-vided funds to establish a National IPM Network. Thisnetwork is coordinated out of North Carolina State,http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/, providing valuable informa-tion on IPM programs across the United States. Somestates, most noticeably California, http://www.IPM.ucdavis.edu/, New York, http://www.nysipm.cornell.edu/, and Texas, http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/extipm.html, maintaincomprehensive IPM computer websites as well. Theoldest of these websites was initiated in California aspart of the University of California Systemwide IPMProgram. Today, this program receives in excess of $2million per year in research and extension funding tofoster the development and implementation of IPMprograms.

Texas maintains possibly the most effective state-wide IPM program in the U.S. The program had itsinception in the early 1970’s and is a joint effort ofTexas Cooperative Extension, the Texas Pest Manage-ment Association, and the Texas Agricultural Experi-

ment Station. Texas Cooperative Extension and theTexas Agricultural Experiment Stations provide theneeded expertise to develop and implement IPM tech-nologies in major commodities throughout the state,while the Texas Pest Management Association handlesthe daily routine of financial management of scoutingprograms and administration. In Texas, CooperativeExtension Specialist Dr. Tom Fuchs oversees 25 IPMExtension Agents statewide. Each IPM agent main-tains one or more scouting programs. They work witha grower advisory committee that helps design the lo-cal IPM program and growers provide funds for scout-ing and implementation of the program. This is anexcellent example of University working closely withfarmers to improve production.

At a local level, in Jefferson County, the Rice In-tegrated Pest Management Program was conceived in1997 when Jefferson County producers met with rep-resentatives of the Texas Pest Management Associa-tion (TPMA) and Texas Cooperative Extension. Theyrecognized the need producers in the Eastern zone hadfor a scouting program based on IPM principles, andimplemented the project in 1998. A producer may en-roll any portion of their land in the program, for roughly$10 an acre, and a scout will evaluate the crop for pests- including weeds, diseases and insects, and nutrientdeficiencies throughout the growing season. The riceIPM program is coordinated and implemented by ex-tension agent Kelby Boldt, with input and training fromBeaumont Research Center scientists Mo Way, FredTurner, Arlen Klosterboer and Toni Marchetti (retired).The program has been successful in making marginal

Integrated Pest Management continued...

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From left to right: Dale Mott, Extension Agent - IPM inWilliamson/Milam Counties; Dr. Tom Fuchs, Extension

Specialist and IPM Coordinator; Justin Sladek, IPM Intern.

Dr. Vern Stern, retiredfrom UC Riverside,

developed the concept ofan economic threshold.

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IPM continued...fields profitable, as well as reducing unnecessary useof pesticides and fertilizers. For more informationcontact Kelby Boldt at 409-835-8461.

On the international scene, the United StatesAgency for International Development (US/AID)funded the first large-scale effort on IPM. This projectprovided technical assistance on pesticide use and pestmanagement to developing countries. Administered by

the Universityof Californiafrom 1971 to1980, thisproject com-bined the ex-p e r t i s e ,experience andresources ofnine U.S. uni-versities to re-spond to thecrop protectionneeds of devel-oping coun-tries. As a direct

outgrowth of the US/AID project, the Consortium forInternational Crop Protection (CICP) was formed in1978 by a group of U.S. universities, spearheaded byRay Smith at UC Berkley. This organization is still inexistence with its purpose being to assist developingnations to reduce food crop losses caused by pests,while advancing economically efficient and environ-mentally sound practices to ensure the health of ruraland urban communities. Another noteworthy projectof international scope was started in 1982 and contin-ues today. This project initially focused on rice IPMin Indonesia, then subsequently expanded to severalsurrounding Asian countries. The coordinator for thisproject is Peter Kenmore, working for the United Na-tions Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).Peter’s group conducts IPM training workshops whosegoal is to train the trainers. Farmers and scientists par-ticipating in the program learn the techniques, then goout into their respective communities and conducttraining sessions to other farmers. The basic conceptof this program has proven to be extremely successfulin many developing countries that lack extension pro-grams.

Dr. Ray Smith in 1997 at a dinner in hishonor, along with Dr. Perry Lee Adkisson,as they were joint recipients of the World

Food Prize. Ray was a driving forcebehind the Consortium for International

Crop Protection (CICP). He died in 1999.Photo courtesy of Donald Dahlsten,

UC Berkley.

TRRF and is being expanded in 2001, in cooperationwith Dr. Gene Reagan, sugarcane entomologist at LSU.

Experiments conducted in 1999 and 2000 atGanado showed that stem borers, primarily MRB, didnot attack rice until about panicle differentiation, eventhough adult MRB were collected in pheromone trapsmuch earlier (before the permanent flood). This sug-gests that moths are actively choosing to lay eggs inrice at a specific stage of crop development. Informa-tion such as this can help pinpoint the best time toapply insecticides for maximum effectiveness. Re-search last year showed that Icon 6.2FS as a seed treat-ment at the rate commonly used by growerssignificantly reduced whiteheads compared to un-treated rice. Intrepid 240SC and Confirm 2F also re-duced whiteheads. In another experiment, Karate Zapplied at the first sign of stem borer damage (aboutpanicle differentiation) significantly reducedwhiteheads. This research was expanded in 2001 toinclude evaluation of other novel insecticides, ratesand timings.

With the help of Dr. Olga Mejia Ford, Mo’s previ-ous graduate student, the Entomology Project devel-oped an IPM program for chinch bugs which revealednew information on biology, economic thresholds and

control. Similarly, in cooperation with Drs. Ed Rister,Jim Mjelde, Bart Drees and Jay Harper, the Entomol-ogy Program developed economic thresholds for therice stink bug. Mo was also the first to recognize riceseed midges and the rice leaf miner as pests of Texasrice and management programs based on cultural con-trols were developed.

In an effort to assist Texas growers, Mo helped

Researcher continued...

continued on next pageArticle by Ted Wilson and Jay Cockrell.*

Derick Beach preparing a field for a conventional till vs stale seedbed study.

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Researcher continued...gain “Crisis Exemptions” for pyrethroid insecticidesto control outbreaks of the fall armyworm. This was acritical need, as the outbreaks were severe in someareas threatening stands and yields. In cooperation withTexas Wildlife Management Services, Mo helped setup the winter blackbird baiting program. State Repre-sentative Robby Cook was responsible for obtainingfunding to hire additional employees to continue thisprogram.

As far as professional service, Mo served as Sec-retary and Chair of the Rice Technical Working Groupin 1996 and 1998, respec-tively. He is also active in theTexas Plant Protection Asso-ciation and served as Presi-dent of this organization in1994. Mo is active in theSouthwestern Branch of theEntomological Society ofAmerica. He is a member oftheir Youth Outreach Com-mittee and routinely servesas a judge for the annual sci-ence fairs. He is also activein rice and soybean regionalprojects and has served assecretary and chair of thesescientific exchange groupsnumerous times. Mo cur-rently serves as a member of the USA Rice Federation’sEnvironmental Regulatory Committee, which coop-erates with the EPA to register new pest managementtools for the U.S. rice industry.

In addition, Mo is increasingly involved in inter-national activities. He traveled to Sinaloa, Mexico in1989 to learn more about the Mexican Rice Borer. Hewas a consultant for the Food and Agriculture Organi-zation of the United Nations in 1991 when he traveledto China, South Korea and North Korea to study theintroduction and spread of the RWW. In 1994 Mo vis-ited with scientists in Costa Rica to try and set up col-laborative research on the RWW, leafhopper andplanthopper pests of rice. Mo also was invited to Nica-ragua in 1998 to inspect rice for stink bug damage. Hehas been an invited speaker at international symposiain England, South Korea, Brazil and most recentlyMalaysia. Mo believes some U.S. farmers have themisconception that international scientific activities

benefit foreign competitors to the detriment of U.S.farmers. However, Mo has gained valuable informa-tion from foreign colleagues including improved test-ing methodology, acquisition of foreign germplasmuseful to the U.S. rice industry, and knowledge of for-eign rice production pest management tools to helpconvince EPA to register certain rice pesticides. In ad-dition, foreign contacts have enabled Mo to hire dedi-cated, motivated graduate students.

With all of his research and extension responsi-bilities, Mo spends long hours at work. But he is quick

to point out that you can’t let workbe your entire life. With his wife,Jeanie, who is a registered nurse, heenjoys reading, traveling, backpack-ing, and home improvement work.When Mo and Jeanie were marriedin 1984, Jeanie’s children were quiteyoung, from 3 to 9 years old. Nowthe children are grown; Melissa (27)is the oldest, with a 9 month oldbaby girl named Madeleine. Melissahas a MS in Midwifery from theUniversity of Texas. Stephanie (24)graduated from Texas A&M with aBS in Management InformationSystems, and the youngest is Mike(21) who lives and works in Orange.Mo also enjoys fishing, water

sports, running and working out at the health club. Hesaid that the fitness training really helps in the line ofwork he has chosen. Mo is also a mentor in the “I HaveA Dream Program” and serves as a counselor for for-eign exchange students in the Beaumont SpindletopRotary Club.

When complimented on the success of his program,Mo is quick to point out the efficiency and dedicationof his crew. He strongly believes that a researcher canonly be as effective as the people he has in the field,often working under hot, miserable conditions. Mo alsogives much credit to the work done by the secretarialstaff, who help in preparing reports and papers forpublication. In addition, the Eagle Lake staff headedby Jack Vawter provides significant support for Mo’sprojects. He considers all the research station staff tobe extended family, and believes these close relation-ships strengthen the Beaumont Center.

Article by Jay Cockrell.*

Mark Nunez inspects plants in the greenhouse forinsect damage.

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Pest of the MonthBlack Faced Leaf Hopper:A potential pest of rice fromemergence through harvest.

This Septemberwill mark the 11th

annual NationalRice Month cel-

ebration. This event wasestablished in 1991 by apresidential proclamationto increase awareness ofrice, and recognize the con-tribution made by the U.S.rice industry to America’seconomy.

The popularity of ricecontinues to grow in the United States, as rice con-sumption here is at an all time high of 27.1 poundsper person. With its versatility, nutritious benefits andease of storage and preparation, it is no wonder Ameri-cans are consuming more rice than ever before.

Rice is one of the most important foods in theworld, being a staple food for most of the world’spopulation. In 2001 U.S. rice farmers are expected toharvest approximately 3.1 million acres, and 90% ofthe rice consumed in the U.S. is grown here.

Given these facts, it is clear that we all benefit bypromoting rice consumption through events like thisyear’s National Rice Month. For more informationabout activities see www.nationalricemonth.com

The black-faced leafhopper,Graminella nigrifrons, is a sporadic pestof rice. This small insect has piercing-sucking mouthparts, similar to the ricestink bug. The adult is about 1/8” long, has wings andis light green, yellow or tan in color, depending on theregion. Females lay eggs in rice plants and when thenymphs hatch they begin feeding immediately. Sev-eral nymph stages occur before the adult stage isreached.

This is a multi-generation insect which can befound on rice from emergence all the way through ra-

toon. Populations seemto build up to dangerouslevels late in the season.Severe feeding cancause bronzing of thefoliage and reduction inyield and quality. High

populations are evidenced by abundant cast skins andthe presence of black sooty mold on the foliage. Thisfungus grows on the sweet “honeydew” excreted bythe leafhoppers during feeding.

The Entomology Project has collected more than1000 leafhoppers in 10 sweeps in heavily infestedfields! More research needs to be conducted to developaccurate economic injury levels for this pest. Leafhop-pers can be controlled most effectively with Icon 6.2FS,Karate KC/Z and Sevin XLR Plus. For more informa-tion contact Mo Way at 409-752-2741 ext 2231.

Adult leafhopper

Ariel photo of a rice field heavily infested withleafhoppers, showing the bronzing effect of foliar

damage. Photo courtesy of Dan Bradshaw.

Adult stage,full face view

showingcharacteritic

black markings.

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“Solomon-like.” That’s the term that RiceTec,based in Alvin, Texas, used to describe the new U.S.Patent Office ruling on its 4-year dispute with Indianorganizations over use of the term basmati for its aro-matic, long-grain rices. The ruling “resolves the dis-pute favorably for both sides,” RiceTec said.

RiceTec retains the right to market its productsusing the name “basmati,” which the U.S. govern-ment has ruled is a generic name. Said Rice Tec, “Theonly protection we ever sought was to protect our ricefrom competitors in the United States.”

The problem began in 1997, when RiceTec pat-ented three rice lines it had developed as “BasmatiRice Lines and Grains.” RiceTec has also used theterm “American basmati” or “Texas basmati” on la-bels of its aromatic, long grain Texmati rice.

From PlanetRice 8-28-01, Tom Hargrove, Editor

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*

RiceTec Basmati Patent Decided

Article by Beaumont Center Entomologist Dr. Mo Way.*

11

State, National and International News

Thirty Second AnnualTexas Rice Festival

The Texas Rice Festival cel-ebrates everything to do with riceand good times! Chartered in 1969,the festival is a weeklong eventheld annually in Winnie, beginningthe last weekend in September withthe BBQ cook-off weekend. Theevent is held as a celebration of therice harvest and features family en-tertainment with down-home coun-try flair. More than 100,000 peoplecrowd the Winnie Stowell Parkannually, starting off the festivitieswith a BBQ and fajita cook-off,Open Horse Show, TRF QueenCoronation and Kick-off Dance.On Sunday afternoon the finale ofthe cook-off weekend will be the4th Annual NBHA ‘Rice Run’ puton by the National Barrel HorseAssociation.

Festival activities the nextweek begin on Wednesday, Octo-ber 3rd and include Wright’sAmusement Carnival (with a pay-one-price bracelet available foreach day), vendor booths, streetdances nightly, rice education ex-hibits and a multi-million dollarfarm equipment display. The enter-tainment is non-stop along with lotsof great food, including rice balls,gumbo, ettouffe, pistolettes,blooming onions, crab balls,boudain balls and many other deli-cacies. The event is renowned forits outstanding cuisine.

Wednesday, October 3rd, isCajun Night and features entertain-ment by Kingfish and Damon Troy.Thursday the TRF will showcaseLil Al Jackson, Jason DeLeon &Cajun Blend, and the crowd pleas-

ing Zydeco man, Wayne Toupes.Friday, October 5th is dedicated

to youth with the 4-H and FFALivestock Show, TRF Junior QueenContest, Miss LaPetite Contest,Little Rice King Contest, DiaperDerby, Baby Costume Contest,Face Painting and much more.Later that evening at the streetdance, visitors will swing to themusic of the 50’s with Johnny Dee& the Rockin’ 88’s.

Saturday, October 6th, the har-vest celebration features non-stopentertainment beginning with theGrand Parade followed by live en-tertainment on two stages. Featuredthis year are Billy Joe Royal andDarryl Worley. Activities for theday also include a rice cooking con-test, craft show, quilt exhibit, pho-tography and art exhibits.

Each year the festival honorsfarmers and others who have con-tributed to the agricultural industry.This year’s list includes Texas RiceFestival Honoree, Travis andDelores Pair of Winnie; PioneerFarmer of the Year, G.D. “Pink”Heckaman of Hamshire; Farmers ofthe Year, John, Jerold and JayJenkins of Hankamer; and YoungFarmer of the Year, Tony Armentorof Winnie. Parade Marshall for the2001 event will be JeffersonCounty Judge Carl R. Griffith, Jr.of Beaumont.

Admission is $5 for adults, $2for students, and children and se-niors are free. For more informa-tion call 409-296-4404 or seewww.texasricefestival.org

Consumer Demand Grows ForOrganic Foods

USA Rice Federation - Accordingto a study conducted in March byRoper Starch Worldwide: morethan six in ten Americans buy or-ganic foods and beverages at leastsome of the time, 40 percent ofAmericans say organic foods willbe a bigger part of their diet withinone year, 50 percent predict organicfood will play a bigger role in theirlives over the next five years, andmore than two-thirds say organicswill be a major food trend in thenew millennium. According to theOrganic Trade Association, the or-ganic industry has grown about 20percent each year since 1990. Withcompanies such as Kellogg, Heinz,General Mills and Dole packagingorganic products, it is predictedwe’ll be seeing more advertisingand brand marketing in the organicsegment.

Gulf Pacific Buys New Brands

Gulf Pacific announced last monththe purchase of the Eminence andTexas Homegrown rice brandsfrom Affiliated Rice Milling, Inc.of Alvin, Texas. Gulf Pacific willbegin production of the two brandsimmediately.

Mark Your Calendar

The annual USA Rice OutlookConference will be held December2 – 4, at the Union Station Hyatt

Regency Hotel in St. Louis, MO.The conference includes an eco-nomic overview of the domesticand international rice industry, sea-son wrap-ups and current researchactivities on a state-by-state basis.In addition there will be presenta-tions on timely topics of interest tothose in the agricultural commu-nity. Registration materials can beobtained by calling the USA RiceFederation at 800-888-7423 or visittheir website at www.usarice.com.

*

Texas A&M University SystemAgricultural Research and Extension Center1509 Aggie Dr.Beaumont, TX 77713

NONPROFITORG.

U.S. POSTAGEPAID

BEAUMONT, TXPERMIT NO. 367

Rice Crop Statistics Report

Texas Rice is published 9 times a year by The TexasA&M University System Research and ExtensionCenter at Beaumont. Interviews, writing and lay-out by Jay Cockrell. Editing by Ted Wilson, JayCockrell and Tammy Tindel. Technical support byJim Medley. Information is taken from sources be-lieved to be reliable, but we cannot guarantee ac-curacy or completeness. Suggestions, story ideasand comments are encouraged.

Professor and Center Director: L.T. (Ted) Wilsonlt-wilson@aesrg.tamu.edu

Staff Assistant: Jay Cockrellj-cockrell@aesrg.tamu.edu

Texas A&M University System AgriculturalResearch and Extension Center

1509 Aggie Drive, Beaumont, TX 77713(409)752-2741

Access back issues of Texas Rice athttp://aesrg.tamu.edu

Web

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Web

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Texas A&M Dept. of Entomology InsectPhotos

http://insects.tamu.edu/imagegallery/

California Rice Commission-Uses of RiceStraw

http://www.ricestraw.org/

Natural Resources Defense Councilhttp://www.nrdc.org/

Texas Pest Management Associationhttp://www.tpma.org/

WWW Virtual Library – Agriculturehttp://cipm.ncsu.edu/agvl/index.cfm

National IPM Networkhttp://ipm-www.ento.vt.edu/nipmn/

University of California IPMhttp://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/

IPM Accesshttp://www.efn.org/~ipmpa/

Cornell IPM Primerhttp://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/ipmnet/

IPM.primer2.html

The Handbook of Texas Onlinehttp://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/

index.new.html

Consortium for International Crop Protectionhttp://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/cicp/about.html

State Breeder to Join theBeaumont Center Staff

The Beaumont Center is currently interviewingfor a State Breeder position. We are very excited aboutthe opportunity to expand current research andstrengthen the Beaumont/Eagle Lake Centers,enhancing our ability to benefit Texas producers. Fourcandidates are being interviewed. Growers and otherinterested parties have a chance to meet with thebreeder applicants on the following dates:

September 11th – 1pm – Beaumont CenterSeptember 13th – 9am – Eagle LakeOctober 2nd – 1pm – Beaumont CenterOctober 4th – 9am – Eagle Lake

Please take this opportunity to learn more about thepotential candidates and provide feedback to theSearch Committee members. Contact Ted Wilson at409-752-2741 ext 2227.

Acreage Harvested as of Aug 30

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2001 2000 1999 1998

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Eastern Rice BeltWestern Rice Belt

Note: The EasternRice Belt includesLiberty, Hardin,Orange, Jeffersonand Chambers. TheWestern Rice Belt isthe other 17 countiesthat make up theTexas Rice Belt.