Ag Alert October 21, 2026

Rice Continued from Page 14

is looking at two very early-maturing lines as potential replacements for M-105. Re- leased in 2011, M-105 is one to five days earlier than M-206, depending on where it’s grown. Although M-105 has good yield poten- tial, it is prone to lodging and susceptible to blast disease. Harrell said any potential replacement is still several years away. The rice foundation this season also released Calamore-201, an arborio-type specialty rice used in dishes such as risotto. The new release has a significantly higher yield potential than the decades-old arbo- rio variety grown in the state. Although Calamore-201 can still lodge, Harrell said it has much stronger straw strength than traditional arborio. The newcomer also is glabrous, meaning the kernels and leaves are smooth and lack minute hairs that irritate and can compli- cate handling. In addition, the foundation this season released Calamylow-202, a short grain with low amylose. A naturally occurring starch, amylose at low levels contributes to rice stickiness. Harrell said Calamylow is intended for commercial uses, where it’s typically mixed 50-50 with Calrose for products kept in food service refrigerator cases or vending machines. The lower amylose maintains a glossier kernel appearance and slows the rice from drying out. Vicky Boyd is a reporter in Modesto. She can be reached at agalert@cfbf.com.

said M-210 offers an alternative because it is essentially M-206 with a gene resistant to blast. During the past two years, the Yolo County farm has hosted yield trials that included M-212, allowing Willson to see firsthand how it performs. “It looked good last year and good again this year,” he said. “But remember, these are just 10-by-10 plots.” The operation also commercially grows M-211 conventionally and organically. “The milling was very disappointing on the conventional with cracking and bro- kens,” Willson said about the 2025 season. Because the farm’s organic crop is sold as unmilled brown rice, it doesn’t undergo any processing after husking. As a result, he said he took advantage of M-211’s high yield potential without en- during low head rice issues in the farm’s organic fields. From medium-grain breeder Tere- sa De Leon’s program, M-212 averaged 9,274 pounds per acre during a five-year statewide yield trial—similar to M-211 but about 4% more than M-210. The new- comer also has two blast-resistance genes, giving it stronger disease resistance than M-210, which has only one blast-resis- tance gene. Both traits were incorporated through traditional breeding.

The California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation released M-212, a medium-grain variety with improved milling over M-211, which is set to be retired due to some agronomic challenges.

M-212 takes longer to mature, averaging about four days later than M-210 but two days earlier than M-211, Harrell said. Much like M-210 and M-206, the newcomer is widely adapted and performs well in the cooler and warmer production areas. Where M-212 excels is in milling, yield- ing 67% head rice and 70% total when har- vested between 18% and 22% moisture. The data come from yield stability-mois- ture trials, where technicians take kernel samples ranging from 26% to 14% moisture and mill them. But Harrell cautioned about

the limitations of their production data. “Again, this is all small-plot research, and you never know what will happen until you get it out on more acres,” he said. The Rice Experiment Station this season is growing 50 acres of M-212 foundation seed, which should produce about 4,000 100-pound sacks if everything goes ac- cording to plan, Harrell said. This will allow rice seed producers to grow about 2,500 acres of registered seed in 2027. By the 2028 season, he said there should be enough registered and certified seed to plant about 135,000 commercial acres. De Leon isn’t stopping with M-212 and

TRG Job NUMBER: RAM22_073267 Ag Season Print Ad CLIENT: RAM JOB NAME: California Region Ad TRIM: 4.75" x 5" LIVE: N/A BLEED: N/A COLOR(S): 4C QUESTIONS CALL: Karen Newman @ 214-891-5875 TRG Job NUMBER: RAM22_073267 Ag Season Print Ad CLIENT: RAM JOB NAME: California Region Ad TRIM: 4.75" x 5" LIVE: N/A BLEED: N/A COLOR(S): 4C QUESTIONS CALL: Karen Newman @ 214-891-5875 TRG Job NUMBER: RAM22_073267 Ag Season Print Ad CLIENT: RAM JOB NAME: California Region Ad TRIM: 4.75" x 5" LIVE: N/A BLEED: N/A COLOR(S): 4C QUESTIONS CALL: Karen Newman @ 214-891-5875

CHA L L ENGE

RAM.COMAGRICULTURE Based on IHS Markit U.S. household model loyalty for all Light Duty and Heavy Duty pickups in calendar year 2021. Ram is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC. America’s Most Loyal Pickup Owners America’s Most Loyal Pickup Owners RAM.COMAGRICULTURE America’s Most Loyal Pickup Owners

Based on IHS Markit U.S. household model loyalty for all Light Duty and Heavy Duty pickups in calendar year 2021. Ram is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC. RAM.COMAGRICULTURE

RAM22_073267_CA Region_4_75x5.indd 1 FOLSOM FOLSOM LAKE CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM 916-790-1615 www.folsomcdjr.com RAM22_073267_CA Region_4_75x5.indd 1

Based on IHS Markit U.S. household model loyalty for all Light Duty and Heavy Duty pickups in calendar year 2021. Ram is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC. REDDING CROWN MOTORS 530-241-4321 www.crowndodgecalifornia.com

12/19/22 4:37 PM

12/19/22 4:37 PM October 21, 2026 Ag Alert 15

RAM22_073267_CA Region_4_75x5.indd 1