The last year seemed to be a concerning one in terms of weedy rice issues in California. While the year ultimately ended with overall low occurrences of the weed species, there was a troubling discovery of a new biotype. “We’re getting a lot of reports but low numbers that are new locations, but we did have one new biotype identified this year, said Whitney Brim-DeForest, UC Rice Farm Advisor for Sutter, Yuba, Placer and Sacramento Counties. “So, good and bad.”
Brim-DeForest described the characteristics of the new biotype as being easily mistaken for type 4 at first glance. “The seed looks a lot like our type 4, so it’s black hulled with awns again. So very similar to the type 4,” Brim-DeForest noted. Growers who may need assistance in identifying weedy rice in their fields can visit the California Weedy Rice website.
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