Station Identification:

Physical Location: 1373 Caffey Road, Rayne, LA 70578

Distance/Context: Approximately 77 miles west of LSU Main Campus, Baton Rouge, LA

Contacts:

Resident Coordinator: Adam Famoso; (337) 788-7531 ; afamoso@agcenter.lsu.edu

Assistant Resident Coordinator: Kurt Guidry; (337) 788-7531 ; kmguidry@agcenter.lsu.edu

Farm Manager: Brent Theunissen; (337) 788-7531 ; btheunissen@agcenter.lsu.edu

Station Overview:

The H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station (HRCRRS) serves as Louisiana’s primary center for rice-focused research, with a mission centered on strengthening the competitiveness, sustainability, and long-term viability of the Louisiana rice industry while contributing knowledge relevant to rice production across the United States.

Key Commodities and Production Systems Served:

While the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station’s primary focus is on research on all aspects of rice production, the station also is also a participating location for the LSU AgCenter’s variety testing programs for soybeans, wheat, and grain sorghum. In addition, the HRCRRS maintains crawfish production ponds for verification and demonstration of best management practices and for application into applied crawfish research.

Research Programs and Disciplines:

The H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station have active research projects devoted to rice research in the following areas:

• Breeding and Variety Development
• Agronomy
• Plant Pathology
• Entomology
• Weed Science

In addition to these core research areas, the HRCRRS have Molecular Marker and Quantitative Genetics programs that directly add to the Breeding and Variety Development program by incorporating cutting edge technology and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the program.

Physical Resources and Infrastructure:

The infrastructure and resources at the HRCRRS is critical for the station to meet its mission of serving the Louisiana Rice Industry and to be able to quickly address critical industry issues as they arise.

Acreage for Field Research:

North Farm – 538 acres

o Devoted to rice research and foundation seed production

South Farm – 289 acres

o Devoted to rice research, crawfish demonstration and applied research, and variety testing.

Station Infrastructure:

• Breeding and Variety Development Lab – includes lab space with climate controlled rooms for breeder and foundation seed storage and a shop/storage area for equipment and supply storage. Total square footage is 5,000 sq ft.
• Biotechnology Lab – includes lab space with incubators, refrigerators and freezers (including -20° C and -80° C units), benchtop centrifuges, water baths and conductivity meters, analytical balances, micropipettes and pipette controllers, fume hood, drying oven, spectrophotometer, PCR thermocycler, and sample grinders and homogenizers. Total square footage is 1,900 sq ft.
• Agronomy Lab – includes lab space with gas chromograph, flow injection analyzer, digestion block/sample preparator, protein and carbon analyzer, analytical scale, seed counter, plant sample grinder, mechanical oven and a shop/storage area for equipment and supply storage. Total square footage is 4,000 sq ft.
• Pathology Lab – includes lab space with compound microscope, stereo microscope, laminar flow hood, precision scales, autoclave, fume hood, laboratory grade rice mill, hyperspectral bench camera , bench drier, incubators, germination incubator, dew chamber, desktop tower with dedicated GPU for image analysis, and a shop/storage area for equipment and supply storage. Total square footage is 3,600 sq ft.
• Entomology Lab – includes lab space and a shop/storage area for equipment and supply storage. Total square footage is 1,900 sq ft.
• Molecular Marker Lab – includes lab space with LGC Hydrocycler, 3CR Bio Hydrocycler, PHEAstar BGM Labtech (1536 well plate scanner), 3CR Bio Scanner (385 PCR plate scanning) LGC Meridian 1(1536 well plate liquid dispenser), 3CR Bio Arrayer (384 PCR plate liquid dispensing and plate sealing), Fusion3 (well plate sealer), Apricot FluidX (liquid handling machine), Three Dry Bath used for DNA extraction with 96 well adapters, Nextinstrument SeedCount (image analysis system), Rapid Visco Analyzer (grain quality traits measurement), benchtop centrifuge, fume hood, lab ovens, incubator, pH and conductivity meters, analytical balances, seed dryer, refrigerators and freezers (including -20° C and -80° C units), and a shop/storage area for equipment and supply storage. Total square footage is 5,500 sq ft.
• Quantitative Genetics Lab – includes lab space and a shop/storage area for equipment and supply storage. Total square footage is 2,400 sq ft.
• Weed Science Lab - includes lab space with refrigerators and freezers, scales, vortex mixers, concrete mixer for seed treatment, CO2 tanks, and a shop/storage area for equipment and supply storage. Total square footage is 2,700 sq ft.
• Aquaculture Lab – includes lab space including a temperature controlled culture room, a cold storage room, a crawfish cleaning and purging system and a shop/storage area for equipment and supply storage. Total square footage is 2,000 sq ft. Also has eight (8) outdoor tanks (12 feet diameter) for replicated environments.
• Milling Lab – includes lab space with laboratory grade rice mills, a cold storage room, and a shop/storage area for equipment and supply storage. Lab space is currently occupied through a private/public cooperative agreement with Horizon Ag. Total square footage is 4,000 sq ft.

Analysis Capabilities and Impact:

The resources, personnel, and infrastructure at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station provide a strong capacity to address many of the most critical challenges facing the rice industry. Faculty and research staff at the station develop new and improved rice varieties using advanced breeding technologies, including molecular marker–assisted breeding and quantitative genetics, to enhance yield potential, grain quality, and resistance to pests and environmental stresses. Extensive research is also conducted on environmentally sound and sustainable production practices, including evaluations of land preparation methods, planting dates and seeding rates, crop management strategies, and optimized water and nutrient management systems that balance productivity with long-term resource conservation. In addition, research efforts focus on the development of effective integrated pest management strategies for weeds, insects, and diseases, combining cultural practices with targeted chemical controls to minimize environmental impacts while maximizing economic returns for rice producers.

Agricultural Applications:

The H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station is recognized as one of the leading rice research institutions both nationally and internationally. Over the years, the station has released more than 64 rice varieties serving a wide range of market segments. The station has been a national leader in the development of herbicide-resistant rice varieties, which have played a critical role in managing some of the most challenging weed species affecting rice production. In addition, the station has been at the forefront of identifying genetic markers and developing varieties with resistance to key rice diseases, improving disease management while reducing reliance on chemical controls. The widespread acceptance and impact of the station’s research are demonstrated by the fact that more than 70 percent of Louisiana’s commercial rice acreage is currently planted with varieties developed at the Rice Research Station. Furthermore, varieties and advanced breeding lines developed at the station have been incorporated into breeding programs across the United States, contributing to improved productivity in other public and private breeding efforts. Research conducted at the Rice Research Station has also established best management practices for rice producers in Louisiana and has advanced the adoption of climate-smart rice production by identifying management strategies that reduce water use, lower chemical inputs, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining productivity and profitability.

Advancing Agricultural Science:

The H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station will continue to advance its mission by pursuing research efforts that strengthen the sustainability and profitability of the Louisiana rice industry while generating far‑reaching impacts for rice research and production worldwide. Ongoing research will focus on the development of new and improved rice varieties that enhance productivity and meet the specific performance and quality requirements of diverse domestic and international market segments. These efforts will continue to incorporate emerging advances in crop breeding technologies, including the use of big data and artificial intelligence, to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness of traditional breeding methods. The station will also expand its use of emerging precision agriculture and analytical technologies to refine rice production management strategies that increase profitability while reducing the environmental footprint of rice production. In addition, research efforts will continue to evaluate opportunities to integrate additional genetic resistance into rice production systems to address major pests, while developing innovative approaches to manage new and emerging pest threats, all in support of the long‑term economic viability and sustainability of the rice industry. Finally, the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station will continue to build upon and leverage existing public and private partnerships to expand research capacity, enhance technology transfer, and further strengthen its role as one of the nation’s leaders in rice research and innovation.

Collaboration and Partnerships:

To expand research capacity both at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station and across the broader rice industry, the station maintains a combination of formal and informal collaborations spanning all levels of the rice value chain, from producers to rice mills and buyers, and all segments in between. The station works closely with the Louisiana Rice Research Board, an organization composed of rice producers, to help identify research priorities and address emerging challenges facing rice production. In addition to providing strategic guidance, the Louisiana Rice Research Board supplies critical funding that supports the breadth and depth of research conducted at the station. Research faculty from within the LSU AgCenter, as well as collaborating scientists from universities across the country, conduct research at the Rice Research Station through partnerships with station faculty, helping to address issues that are not only unique to Louisiana but also relevant throughout the broader rice‑growing region. Finally, the station has been fortunate to establish formal collaborations with multiple private sector partners that provide research funding and share technical expertise and resources, strengthening the station’s research capabilities and enabling more innovative, meaningful, and impactful outcomes for the rice industry.