Improving Water Use Efficiency in Conventional and Organic Almonds through Data Driven Irrigation

View the project final report

• 2016 annual report

Commodities

• Nuts: almonds

Practices

• Crop Production: irrigation

Project Title: Improving Water Use Efficiency in Conventional and Organic Almonds through Data Driven Irrigation Subject Matter: Improvement of yield per amount of water in self-pollinating and cross-pollinating almond trees Project Duration: 2 years: 2016 and 2017 seasons; we are uniquely able to start the project this year, 2016, as we have detailed water records for all of 2015 as baseline data. Project Details: The purpose of this two-year project is to compare advanced irrigation practices on two Fresno County almond orchards under organic and conventional management practices. In particular, the blocks include self-pollinating trees (e.g., Independence) and cross-pollinating trees (e.g., Nonpareil). The orchards are managed by PR Farms. They will be able to complete this study in 2 years by virtue of having historical water and energy data in 2015 from PowWow’s Pump Monitor. Using 2015 as a base year and tracking yield data, PR Farms will be able to implement advanced irrigation practices in 2016 and 2017, and assess the impact on its operation across organic and conventional fields. PR Farms will implement two irrigation schedules: (1) ET-based irrigation with soil moisture monitoring (ET-SMM); (2) partial ET irrigation using Regulated Deficit Irrigation at key times of the year (partial ET). Both irrigation schedules will be managed under the same management platform (PowWow’s Irrigation Advisor), which will facilitate the deployment for the ranch crew comparison thanks to text messages and weekly emails. Yield data and water use efficiency will be tracked in 2016 and 2017 against 2015. Pat Ricchiuti

Objectives: The project will take place in two almond orchards managed by PR Farms: Ranch 12 Block 7 and R12 Block 8. The orchards are located in Fresno County near Raisin City. They include 84 acres of conventionally grown trees planted in 2008 (2/3 Nonpareil, 1/6 Wood Colony, and 1/6 Avalon), 17 acres of conventionally grown trees planted in 2009 (2/3 Nonpareil, 1/6 Wood Colony, and 1/6 Avalon), 62 acres of conventionally grown trees planted in 2011 (2/3 Nonpareil, 1/6 Wood Colony, and 1/6 Avalon), and 78 acres of organically grown trees planted in 2011 (Independence). A map of the ranch is provided in the appendix. Our project will demonstrate the effectiveness of ET and partial ET irrigation scheduling at different stages of growth. The project will include three phases: (1) Benchmarking of the irrigation infrastructure including the energy efficiency of the pumps, and the uniformity of the field; (2) Optimization of the irrigation schedule based on soil conditions, data from spatial CIMIs, crop models from ANR, and aerial images; (3) tracking the evolution of yield, water use efficiency, and energy efficiency for the fields under the program. Our goal is to demonstrate and quantify the economic value (yield per amount of water) and environmental impact (energy and water savings resulting in reduction of greenhouse gas emissions) of advanced irrigation strategies as a means to increase the sustainability of almond farming operations that rely heavily on access to clean water. We also expect to add unique insights on organic vs. conventional conditions and self-pollinating vs. cross-pollinating trees. The project will include education and outreach. Field days are planned at both fields during years one and two. Also planned are presentations for the annual December Almond Board Conference (ABC) and an article in Ag Alert. SARE surveys will be distributed at each field day, and self-assessments before and at the end of the project will indicate the level of adoption of advanced irrigation practices