Research efforts are beginning to provide a better picture of watergrass issues in rice fields. Rice Farm Advisor for Sutter, Yuba, Placer, and Sacramento Counties Whitney Brim-Deforest conducted a survey of watergrass in the area. “We screened them in the greenhouse, and we were able to come up with a bit of a breakdown of what each type is susceptible to and a bit of an idea as to where they’re located throughout the valley; the different types.”
Part of the research has also included providing clarity to enable industry members to better identify the watergrass species that may be occurring. “We’ve got some confusion about if we have late watergrass, versus early watergrass, versus a new type. So, we’re working on that. I’ve been collaborating with the UC Davis Herbarium and hopefully, we’ll have that – fingers crossed – more sorted by the end of the year,” Brim-Deforest noted.
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