EPA approval of a Section 24C registration for use of Dermacor X-100 in water-seeded rice in Louisiana

I just received word from Bobby Simoneaux, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, that the EPA approved a Section 24C (special local need) registration for use of Dermacor X-100 in water-seeded rice in Louisiana. This registration will expire on 2/6/2017. The purpose of this registration is to combat the recent detection of Mexican rice borer reproducing populations in western rice producing parishes of Louisiana. This registration is in addition to the existing Section 3 registration of Dermacor X-100 in drill-seeded rice.

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Mexican rice borer is now present in Jeff Davis Parish, LA

Mexican rice borer (MRB) male moths have now been collected in pheromone traps in Jeff Davis Parish, Louisiana.

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Advanced entomology training resources posted online

The 3rd Annual LSU AgCenter Advanced Entomology training was held at the rice research station in Crowley on Sept 13, 2011. The training focused on secondary pest problems and the Mexican rice borer. If you could not attend the training, or you just want a refresher of what was discussed, the powerpoint files have been posted at www.lsuagcenter.com. We also video-recorded the training and the links to the video files are included in this post.

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Mexican rice borer management recommendations and new Louisiana Agriculture articles on rice IPM

This post contains links to a few new educational resources on rice IPM. These include MRB management considerations, rice water weevil management, and IPM practices in a rice/crawfish rotation.

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Rice insect update

Activity is beginning to slow down in the field and we are moving into “grant-writing” and “meeting” season. This post gives an update on latest reports of insect pests in second crop and crawfish rice. We also present reminders about a couple of rice and cane entomology trainings this month.

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Mexican rice borer site visit announcement – Beaumont, TX – Sept 27 to 28, 2011

As the MRB continues to spread across Louisiana, it is becoming more critical for those associated with the rice and cane industries of Louisiana to become familiar with identification, biology and management of this pest. Drs. Gene Reagan (LSU AgCenter) and Mo Way (Texas A&M Agrilife) are hosting their annual Sugarcane Field Research Site Visit in Beaumont, TX on September 27 and 28, 2011. Louisiana and Texas Sugarcane and Rice Consultants, Agricultural Extension Agents, and Industry Cooperators are invited and encouraged to attend.

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3rd Annual Advanced Rice Entomology Training – Sept 13, 2011 – Crowley, LA

The advanced rice entomology training is back by popular demand. I had initially hoped to focus this training on the diversity of insects that occur in a rice field (pest, beneficial, and just plain interesting aquatic insects). Unfortunately, the continued movement of the Mexican rice borer (MRB) into rice country is an important issue which trumps the aquatic entomology focus for this year. The LSU AgCenter is currently developing management recommendations and an educational program on the MRB. This information will be discussed at the training.

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MRB larvae confirmed in Calcasieu Parish

About a week ago Calcasieu Parish County Agent Jimmy Meaux e-mailed me a picture of a borer larva in rice that he suspected was the Mexican rice borer (MRB). This was a highly suspect sample due to a combination of the morphology of the larva and where it was found – which was in the same area where LDAF caught the first adult MRBs in pheromone traps in Louisiana. This confirms our suspicion that MRB are now establishing and reproducing in Louisiana. I would strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with identification of this pest. Below is some information on this particular field infestation from Johnny’s Saichuk’s field notes. Following this I’m including some information on identification of MRB.

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The Mexican rice borer continues to move east across Louisiana

The Mexican rice borer (MRB) has now been found near Lake Charles, LA. It is important that you learn to identify this pest, and distinguish it from other borers that can be found in rice or cane. You can study up on the pest by downloading LSU AgCenter numbered pubs which are linked to this blog posting. If you find a larvae in rice or cane and suspect that it is MRB, please call me and we can arrange to pick up the sample.

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Mexican rice borer extends reach into Louisiana

The Mexican rice borer, a threat to sugarcane and rice, has moved eastward from Texas extending farther into Louisiana. The insect was first found in Louisiana in December 2008 north of Vinton. On Nov. 22, 2010, four male adults were found in a pheromone trap about six miles southwest of Sulphur, according to Gene Reagan, LSU AgCenter entomologist. Chris Carlton, director of the Louisiana State Arthropod Museum, confirmed that these trap catches were Mexican rice borers.

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