Clearfield rice variety CL 142-AR will be widely available from BASF in 2012

CL 142-AR rice was available in 2011 and will be more widely available to growers in 2012, said Karen Moldenhauer, rice breeder for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

CL 142-AR is a Clearfield rice developed by Moldenhauer from CL 161 provided by BASF, which trademarks the Clearfield brand. Moldenhauer, said CL 142-AR was bred as a Clearfield rice adapted to growing conditions in Arkansas.

Moldenhauer said that once CL 142-AR was ready for release to BASF, which had the seed increased by Horizon Ag for sale to rice producers.

CL 142-AR is a very high-yielding, short to mid-season, long-grain, Clearfield rice cultivar with maturity similar to Wells and CL161, Moldenhauer said. The rough rice grain yield potential of CL 142-AR is very similar to rice cultivars Francis and Wells in the Arkansas Rice Performance Trials.

Moldenhauer said weather conditions had an impact on performance trials in 2011, causing a lot of fluctuation in yields for all included varieties. Even with those fluctuations, she said CL 142-AR topped 190 bushels per acre in some fields.

As with all Clearfield rice varieties, Moldenhauer said, CL 142-AR is herbicide tolerant, allowing it to be used with Newpath, Clearpath and Beyond.

In performance trials, CL 142-AR has shown moderate susceptibility to sheath blight and straighthead. It is susceptible to blast, bacterial panicle blight, narrow brown leaf spot, stem rot, kernel smut, false smut and black sheath rot. It is rated as moderately susceptible to lodging.