Crop Management & Protection
From data to decisions: the Rice Management Dashboard
The Rice Management Dashboard (Dashboard) is a unique, industry-leading tool developed specifically for the Australian rice industry. It brings together paddock-level data, crop modelling and satellite imagery in a way not currently available in other cropping industries.
The Dashboard allows growers and agronomists to monitor entire paddocks as well as individual zones within a crop, tracking differences in timing, growth rates and nitrogen status. It also predicts key crop stages including panicle initiation (PI), flowering, grain dry down and harvest timing, supporting more accurate and timely decisions.
This level of detail provides rice growers with precision insights that many other industries are still working towards, positioning the rice industry at the forefront of digital agriculture.
Breaking down yield: where does it really come from?
Rice yield is determined by a combination of soil conditions, water availability, field layout, crop genetics, seasonal factors and management practices.
Yield is built step-by-step, starting with plant establishment and tillering, then moving through panicle development, grain set and finally grain filling. Key indicators include plant population, crop biomass production, Harvest Index (grain yield divided by total biomass), number of tillers, panicle size, number of grains per panicle, how many of those grains fill and grain weight.
Crop Sampling Instructions
This resource outlines the process for completing an accurate NIR Rice PI Tissue Test including sample collection, preparation and how to understand the report.
Tips for collecting yield data
Yield data can be used to determine where better management, economic decision and planning could be improved for the future. If your looking to get the best out of your header and use yield data than download checklist from Precison Ag prior to harvest
Managing nitrogen in rice
Nitrogen (N) is an important nutrient required to achieve high rice grain yields. It is also a major input cost. Few rice farming systems in southern NSW now contain legumes, so there is a strong reliance on N fertiliser to maximise grain yield, water productivity and profitability.
Rice Key Steps - Steps to achieving a high yielding rice crop
Rice key steps is an industry driven initiative that’s aimed at providing growers with information to achieving high yields. Key steps is essentially a check list designed to help growers hit management milestones across the growing season.
Case Study 05 2021 - V071 - New variety leading the way for an industry step change
V071 is a semi-dwarf, bold, medium grain rice variety with high yielding potential. It has superior grain yield, cold tolerance, and less shattering than Reiziq.
Weed ID Pocket Guide
This booklet aims to help growers and agronomist to accurately identify weeds in rice crops. For more information on herbicide options to manage weeds in rice see the NSW DPI Rice crop protection guide.
Identifying panicle initiation in rice
Panicle initiation (PI) is a growth stage that represents the start of the reproductive phase in rice development. It is when the actual panicle (terminal flowering head) begins to form in the base of the stem.
Management of drill sown rice
Drill sowing rice provides several advantages over aerial sowing while still maintaining a high grain yield potential. This factsheet includes information on layouts, land preparation, seed placement, sowing rate, row spacing, fertiliser management, weed control and irrigation management.
Applying nitrogen to rice in a wet year
Applying nitrogen to rice is normally straightforward, drill it into the soil prior to filling for aerially sown crops or broadcast it onto dry soil prior to applying permanent water in drill sown crops. This year however, the excessively wet conditions have caused complications which may require alternative approaches to be considered.
Precision agriculture in Rice Production - Implementation and insights, Andrew Whitlock
Precision agriculture (PA) is a broad term used to describe the rapidly developing practices using spatial technologies to measure and strategically manage farming systems from the whole farm to within paddock perspective. The ultimate aim is to deliver economic, management and environmental benefits.
NIR Rice Tissue Test - Collecting & processing samples
Making use of the NIR tissue test is a key check in the Ricecheck Nitrogen Management Program. In this video, Andrew Schipp, NSW DPI District Agronomist at Hay shows you how to collect rice plant samples for the nitrogen test and how to process those samples in the field.