CLM05, a new, higher-yielding Clearfield medium grain variety from Horizon Ag, available for 2025 season

Southern rice farmers will have a new, higher-yielding Clearfield^® medium grain variety available for planting next season.

New CLM05, developed in the University of Arkansas rice breeding program, will be available from Horizon Ag seed retailers for 2025.

″We are very excited about the yield potential this new medium grain cultivar brings to the market,″ says Dr. Tim Walker, Horizon Ag CEO. ″In multi-year testing in the region, it has proven to consistently outperform popular commercial medium grain varieties like CLM04 and Jupiter in grain yield, disease resistance and lodging resistance. And as a Clearfield system variety, CLM05 offers tremendous value by providing growers with excellent grass and red rice control.″

The release of CLM05 was one of the hot topics at the recent Horizon Ag Arkansas Field Day in Harrisburg, an area of the state where medium grain rice is planted on a significant acreage each year. The new Clearfield line is expected to build on the success of Horizon Ag’s CLM04 variety while also keeping up with the highest-yielding conventional medium-grain types.

″This is an opportunity for a significant yield bump on the Clearfield medium grain side,″ said Dr. Jarrod Hardke, Arkansas Extension rice agronomist, speaking at the Horizon Ag field day. ″Its yield potential is considerably better than CLM04’s performance has been the past couple of years. There’s a fair amount of excitement about CLM05. We are getting a new, solid player for the Clearfield medium grain market.″

CLM05 averaged 192 bushels per acre over two years in statewide trials before this season, while also providing excellent grain quality. It has a similar disease package to CLM04, including improved blast resistance compared to Jupiter.

″Horizon Ag is very excited to bring CLM05, the next-generation medium grain rice, to our farmer customers,″ says Dr. Walker. ″With each new variety, Horizon raises the bar for yield potential. In pre-commercial trials in Arkansas and Louisiana, CLM05 yielded right with our best-in-class Clearfield varieties CLL16 and CLL18. Just as important, in a medium grain market dominated by conventional varieties, CLM05 provides superior grass and red rice control while providing excellent yield potential.″

CLM05 is susceptible to sheath blight and leaf blast. It is moderately susceptible to neck blast, bacterial panicle blight and false smut. The new variety is moderately resistant to narrow brown leaf spot, a disease that has intensified in recent years.

The maturity days to 50% heading is 90 days, which is similar to other popular varieties. The plant’s height averaged about 35 inches during testing, about 2 inches taller than Jupiter but 3 inches shorter than CLM04. CLM05 provides improved lodging resistance over both Jupiter and CLM04.

Clearfield^® is a registered trademark of BASF.