— 31 IREC Farmers' Newsletter No. 200 — Spring 2018 Implication of results The results obtained from each season’s experiments are combined with results from previous seasons to update and improve variety recommendations. Seedling vigour, plant number, PI date, PI nitrogen uptake, flowering and maturity dates, grain yield, floret sterility, plant height, lodging scores (Table 2) and other measurements are used to update the “Rice Variety Guide” each season and develop individual variety growing guides for current and new varieties. Information is also presented to growers and agronomists at field days and pre-season meetings. The data collected on plant growth stage is also being combined with temperature data to develop more accurate models for predicting PI date for aerial, dry broadcast, Drill and DPW sowing methods. The development of models to predict flowering and maturity (22% grain moisture) dates is also planned and will use this data. This data is also the basis for sowing date recommendations, which have been modified considerably over the last three seasons. Variety Yield potential % of Reiziq Maturity days different to flower than Reiziq Seedling vigour 1 = weak 5 = strong Height (cm) Lodging score (the higher number, the more prone to lodging) Reiziq 100 Standard 4 80 1 Sherpa 105 -3 3 83 1 Opus 100 +2 3 81 2 Langi 95 -2 3 86 2 Topaz 85 +1 1 81 1 Illlabong 105 +4 2 86 2 Doongara 95 +1 3 75 1 Koshihakari 80 +4 3 91 6 Viand 95 -9 4 85 3 YRK5 85 -9 4 93 6 Table 2. Rice variety yield, maturity, seedling vigour, height and lodging score characteristics Aerial photo of the water management experiment at Leeton Field Station. — 31 IREC Farmers' Newsletter No. 200 — Spring 2018 Best practice for new rice varieties