Straighthead in Australian rice crops

Summary

Straighthead is a physiological disorder of rice that causes floret sterility and reduced grain yield. The symptoms are only obvious at panicle emergence, and it is often confused with cold-induced sterility, particularly in less severe cases.

Although there is no known cause of straighthead, it is thought to be related to soil conditions induced by permanent flooding. It is not seed-borne or transmitted around the farm. Drying the soil mid-season allows the soil to change from an anaerobic to an aerobic state, which has been shown to reduce straighthead.

Topics include:

  • identifying straighthead
  • why is straighthead important
  • where does straighthead occur
  • options to manage straighthead



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Primefact 1346 Third Edition

Published: Jul 2023