This makes them good soils for growing rice but not suitable for other crops. Crop rotation is not an economically viable option for many rice growers. Rice yields in California are the highest in the world. This is due, in part, to the use of semi-dwarf rice varieties with high harvest indexes, input of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and precision land leveling. The conventional rice system is water-seeded with chemical control for pests.
Aquatic weeds are the key pests in California rice fields.
An increase in herbicide resistant weed populations accounted for the recent downward trend in use of these two compounds. Compared to many other crops, rice production is a small user of insecticides. Synthetic N fertilizers represent significant chemical inputs. The imminent ban on rice straw burning due to health concerns resulted in unexpected operational costs associated with the straw incorporation. The rising cost of herbicides and their reduced efficacy, loss of crop subsidies, the implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act, and international competition necessitates the use of cost effective sustainable production strategies.