- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
The 2014 Experiment Station Section Excellence in Multistate Research Award presented by the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy on Nov. 2 recognizes the universities' exceptional collaboration on a multistate research project.
Patrick Brown, professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis, Jan Hopmans, professor in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources at UC Davis, Larry Schwankl, UC Cooperative Extension specialist emeritus, and Ken Shackel, professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis, are the UC researchers participating in the project “Microirrigation for Sustainable Water Use.”
"The Multistate Research Program is one of the best kept secrets of the land-grant university system, and this award recognizes outstanding interdependent efforts of researchers and extension specialists that have come together to tackle a priority issue that no one institution can address on their own,” said H. Michael Harrington, executive director of the Western Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors. “This microirrigation project was selected out of more than 300 multistate projects because, since 1972, the group has made major advances in sustainable agriculture and water conservation.”
Using more precise irrigation management, California growers have increased water use efficiency on processing tomatoes by 54 percent and on almonds by 33 percent since 1990.
Conventional irrigation systems that apply high volumes of water over wide areas can lose a lot of water through runoff, wind, or evaporation. As a result, conventional irrigation systems often over water or under water plants. Instead, microirrigation, or drip, systems use special timers, sensors, and a network of narrow tubes to deliver the right amount of water at the right time.
In the last five years, the group's research has led to new microirrigation equipment and tools that are easier to install, more durable, and more precise. These advances, along with engagement with farmers, have encouraged adoption of microirrigation systems, which has led to significant economic and environmental impacts.
“As director of USDA-NIFA, my goal is to ensure the science we invest in leads to solutions to today's most pressing challenges,” said Sonny Ramaswamy. “One of those challenges is finding ways to feed the growing population while minimally impacting the environment. A safe, reliable supply of water is inextricably linked to food security. The five-fold increase in irrigated acres that took place during the 20th century cannot be repeated in the 21st century — there isn't the space. Instead, we must increase efficiency of the irrigated farmland we have, and that is what this project is doing.”
In addition to UC, other participating land-grant institutions include Auburn University, University of Arizona, Colorado State University, University of Florida, University of Hawaii, University of Idaho, Iowa State University, Kansas State University, Mississippi State University, University of Nebraska, New Mexico State University, Cornell University, Oregon State University, University of Puerto Rico, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, University of the Virgin Islands, Washington State University, and University of Wyoming. The universities collaborated with the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service and Agricultural Research Service.
The award was presented by ESCOP chair Bob Shulstad and Ramaswamy at the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
The project's name will be added to a plaque at the USDA Waterfront Centre in Washington, D.C., and the group will receive $15,000 to support their ongoing work. The group's continued efforts are more critical than ever as the U.S. continues to experience extreme droughts that threaten water supplies and crops that depend on irrigation.
These efforts are supported, in part, through USDA-NIFA by the Multistate Research Fund, established in 1998 by the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act (an amendment to the Hatch Act of 1888) to encourage and enhance multistate, multidisciplinary agricultural research on critical issues. Additional funds were provided by contracts and grants to participating scientists. For more information about the microirrigation project, visit http://www.cropinfo.net/MI.
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
The California drought has ranchers desperate for inexpensive livestock feed. Air quality protection regulations that limit rice straw burning leave the rice industry with an abundance of typically low-quality straw to unload. Though it has rarely been done, Nader believes special treatment of rice straw will make it a nutritious cattle food. Two problems solved.
Nader will introduce producers to this new way to get through the drought at a meeting from 9 a.m. to 12 noon July 29 at the Veterans Memorial Hall, 525 W. Sycamore St., Willows, Calif.
When rice straw dries, its value as a forage declines dramatically. For 15 years, UC researchers have been trying to figure out why, but the reason for the significant change is not understood at this time.
“At one time, we thought the problem was silica in the straw,” Nader said. “We grew silica-free rice. That didn't work. We thought it was the crystallinity of molecules in the straw. We parsed apart the plant, and we still don't know.”
Ultimately, it was a rancher who suggested the scientists to put aside their desire to know why quality declines when rice straw dries and look for practical ways to get around it. Nader postponed his retirement to comply.
Normally, rice growers bale the straw two to four days after harvest. Nader and his colleagues instead baled the straw immediately after it exited the grain harvester. They stacked the green straw bales and covered them with a tarp to retain moisture and prevent spontaneous combustion. The result is a product they named “strawlage.” One worry is mold. The researchers found that treating the straw with propionic acid prevents fungus growth.
“We haven't figured everything out, but with the drought conditions as serious as they are, we feel the time is right to share our research with growers,” Nader said. “We invite producers to come to the meeting to see if this will work for their operations. Several producers who have already fed strawlage to their cattle will speak at the meeting about their experiences.”
Nader believes the UC research into using rice straw for livestock feed will be helpful throughout the world.
Asian farmers produce rice straw in great abundance and their livestock would benefit significantly if the farmers worked to maintain the plant's moisture until it reaches cattle feeding troughs.
The July 29 meeting will cover:
- Nutritional advantages of strawlage over rice straw
- The challenges of baling the straw at 50 to 60 percent moisture
- Additives to prevent mold
- How to stake and tarp strawlage
- The costs associated with the practice
- How cows that ate strawlage last year fared
“Our goal is to give producers information that will allow them to make rice strawlage during this fall's harvest,” Nader said. “Both cattle and rice producers are encouraged to attend.”
- Author: Alec Rosenberg
Given that reality, the state needs to start making smart choices now about how to get the most out of every drop of rainfall, University of California experts said Friday during a daylong summit in the state Capitol to discuss impacts and implications of one the most severe droughts on record.
“We will not be able to drought-proof California,” said Jay Lund, director of the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, which organized the UC Drought Science, Policy and Management Summit, attended by a standing-room-only crowd of about 300 people. “We will have to live with droughts.”
The daylong summit featured speakers from across the UC system – including eight campuses, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the Office of the President and Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources – along with experts from other agencies, organizations and universities. The panelists put California's current drought into perspective; discussed the challenges and opportunities it has created for agriculture, cities, the environment and government; and addressed the consequences for the economy, endangered species and state policy.
The summit was timely: 2013 was California's driest year in recorded history, dating back to the Gold Rush. Stretching into 2014, this has been California's third driest “rainy season” in 119 years while also the warmest. Gov. Jerry Brown, who in January declared a drought state of emergency, issued another executive order Friday calling on Californians to redouble their efforts to conserve water.
UC has been leading by example. In January, President Janet Napolitano announced a goal of reducing per capita water use by 20 percent throughout the UC system by the year 2020. Meanwhile, UC has put its expertise to work, hosting dozens of drought workshops for farmers, ranchers and homeowners. UC also is serving as a resource to policy leaders at a state level, such as at Friday's drought summit, and at a national level, hosting a drought briefing May 6 in Washington, D.C.
“We can't make it rain, but we're doing everything we can to respond to the drought,” said Barbara Allen-Diaz, UC vice president for agriculture and natural resources.
Drought prone
California is susceptible to droughts. While the state is in the midst of a 15-year dry period, previous droughts have lasted even longer. Tree ring studies going back 1,000 years show that California had a 50-year drought in the 12th century, said Glen MacDonald of UCLA.
“These drought episodes can last much longer than we anticipated,” MacDonald said.
California probably will remain in a precipitation deficit next year, said Daniel Cayan of UC San Diego. While an El Niño is likely to develop, that can bring a range of results – “several El Niño years were dry,” Cayan noted.
California depends upon a few large storms for the bulk of its precipitation. It's a narrow window that could get narrower. With climate change, the number of wet days is projected to decrease while the intensity of the wettest days is expected to increase, Cayan said.
Crisis brings opportunity
“California has suffered worse droughts in the past and will suffer worse droughts in the future,” said Peter Moyle of UC Davis. “Climate change will accelerate the decline of native fishes.”
This crisis brings the opportunity to make changes, panelists said.
“We need to do a much better job of getting more ecological pop per drop,” said Joshua Viers of UC Merced.
Just as UC innovations have laid the groundwork for advances in industry and quality of life, so too can the university help address a complex problem such as the drought, said David Sedlak of UC Berkeley.
Tapping into groundwater
A key issue will be groundwater. As surface water has declined, users have increasingly turned to groundwater to meet demands. But the groundwater supply is limited and regulation is lacking.
“We cannot continue to live the way we have for the last 40 years,” said Thomas Harter of UC Davis, who expects a push for groundwater management this year. “Clearly, we will have to change how we manage groundwater.”
Without groundwater management, oversight and enforcement, “we will run out of groundwater,” said Jay Famiglietti, UC Irvine professor of earth system science and civil and environmental engineering and director of the UC Center for Hydrologic Modeling, which uses satellite remote sensing to track water availability and groundwater depletion. “I think that we're poised for a huge run on groundwater.”
California should consider replenishing its groundwater supplies during wet years, said Ruth Langridge of UC Santa Cruz, who is conducting a study to develop local groundwater reserves in Sonoma, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
“The time to plan for drought is when it's raining,” Langridge said.
Finding efficiencies
A multipronged approach is needed, according to panelists. “There is no silver bullet,” Lund said.
One Southern California water district has reduced water use by 15 percent over three years by using a tiered pricing structure that promotes conservation, said Kenneth Baerenklau of UC Riverside.
Better communication can help. By providing customers with comparative consumption data and offering water-saving tips, the East Bay Municipal Utility District, serving Alameda and Contra Costa counties, cut residential water use by 5 percent, said Katrina Jessoe of UC Davis.
Better forest management can help, too. Some Sierra forests are more than 10 times denser than a century ago – “a train wreck” making them more susceptible to mortality from drought and fire while also impacting water resources, said Scott Stephens of UC Berkeley.
Farm factor
Much of California's water goes to agriculture – about 80 percent of the state's developed water supply (40 percent of its dedicated water supply when larger environmental uses are taken into account).
There still is room to improve irrigation efficiency, but not much room, as farmers have been increasing drip irrigation, said Samuel Sandoval Solis of UC Davis.
Also, improved farm irrigation efficiencies tend to lead to higher crop yields, not lower consumption, said Charles Burt of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Economic impacts
California's economy has diversified over the decades, becoming more resilient to droughts. The impacts will be biggest on agriculture, particularly in the Central Valley, said Daniel Sumner, director of the UC Agricultural Issues Center and professor of agricultural and resource economics at UC Davis.
“This drought is a big deal to California agriculture,” Sumner said.
The solutions will require difficult choices. Panelists discussed a range of ideas for buffering the impacts of drought. While noting that desalination has been costly and time consuming, they expressed hope for other efforts such as increased storage, urban conservation, water transfers and small-scale reclamation (including wastewater).
In short: “Use less water,” said Phil Isenberg, vice chair of the Delta Stewardship Council.
/h3>/h3>/h3>/h3>/h3>/h3>- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
To mark its centennial anniversary, UCCE is hosting a Day of Science and Service to engage all Californians in creating an extensive statewide dataset on pollinators, food and water. Farmers may attend any of the myriad public celebrations on May 8. Computers will be available at the events for participation in the citizen science project. Or, if their schedules do not permit, they can quickly link in on their own computers or smart phones to record their efforts.
To participate, farmers can open http://beascientist.ucanr.edu. Click on the icon for water and find the farm on the map or search by address. The survey is set up for all California residents to record their water-saving in the household, garden and landscape. Farmers can click on the boxes that reflect their agriculture operations' water-saving strategies:
o Using drip/micro irrigation
o Scheduling irrigation efficiently
o Changing to drought-tolerant crops
o Using deficit irrigation
o Managing the soil
o Other
The system also allows users to upload a related photo. The whole process takes about a minute. No registration is necessary and the system doesn't collect email addresses. Twitter users can tweet about their participation in the Day of Science and Service using the hashtag #beascientist.
In addition to providing a better understanding of ongoing water-saving efforts, the Day of Science and Service aims to raise awareness about water conservation on farms and in households. Given the size of California, small savings across the board add up to a significant amount of water.
“Right now California is experiencing one of the worst droughts on record,” said Darren Haver, UCCE advisor in Orange County. “Some communities may run out of water in the next 10 years. If everyone in the state saves at least 10 gallons a month, we will be able to save over four and a half billion gallons a year.”
- Author: Diane Nelson
“The website helps growers interpret what their trees and vines are trying to tell them,” said Brooke Jacobs, associate director of the Fruit and Nut Center. “It lets them easily see whether their plants' water-stress levels are normal, or whether they are starting to get thirsty.”
Good water management is vital to crop production, as growers struggle to conserve water, control weeds and make sure nutrients like nitrogen don't get washed away from the orchards they feed. Most growers irrigate when it's hot outside and the soil is dry, which can lead to overwatering.
“Just because the soil is dry, doesn't mean plants are suffering,” explained UC Davis plant physiology professor Ken Shackel, whose research led to routine use of pressure chambers to measure plant water stress in the early 1990s.
Pressure chambers directly measure a plant's water needs by gauging how hard the plant is working to pull moisture from the soil. Researchers and industry leaders promote the use of pressure chambers, and growers who use them often sing their praises.
“Pressure chambers are a fantastic tool for making sure you're watering your trees only when they need it,” said Jerry Sneed, field representative for Crain Ranch, a walnut producing and processing operation in Los Molinas, Calif. “I have total faith in them. They've never steered us wrong.”
“They're great,” agreed Rob Baker, ranch manager at Paramount Farming Co. in Bakersfield, Calif., the world's largest grower and processor of almonds and pistachios. “We've been using them for about 20 years, and we believe they provide the most accurate reading for when to irrigate.”
Still, less than one-third of California growers use pressure chambers to schedule irrigation. As the drought wears on, more growers are making the $1,200 to $3,000 investment in pressure chambers, but some of those new users are having trouble interpreting the water-stress readings.
“All plants will register some level of stress, even when they are fully watered and happy,” said Jacobs, who built the site — “Irrigation Scheduling Using Stem Water Potential Measurements” — along with Shackel and Charlie Turner at UC Davis Academic Technology Systems. “So it can be confusing if you don't know what is considered ‘normal' stress for your plant under similar conditions.”
That's where the website comes in.
As Shackel explained, “Measuring water stress, or what we call stem water potential, at midday is like taking a blood pressure reading during exercise. When the weather is hot and dry, it's normal for the plant to be working harder to pull water, even if the soil is wet. The website calculates stem water potential expected for a plant in wet soil, under the weather conditions for that day. We call that the ‘baseline' value.
“If your tree's stem water potential is close to the baseline value,” Shackel continued, “adding water to the soil won't change how your tree is feeling.”
Another thing: Baseline values vary among species because different plants can handle different levels of stress. “Normal” stress readings for almonds would be considered severe stress for grapes and deadly for walnuts.
To understand all the variables, UC Cooperative Extension advisors provide training and reference charts. This website provides an additional, interactive tool.
“When you enter the date, the time, and the closest weather station, you get a baseline water-stress reading for a similar crop under similar conditions,” Jacobs said. “It takes out all the guesswork, because you can see how thirsty your trees and vines are compared to those in fully wet-soil conditions.”
The new site is good news for growers like Bill Chandler, owner of Chandler Farms in Selma, Calif. He just purchased a pressure chamber to help manage irrigation on his 250 acres of nectarines, plums, grapes and almonds.
“I was always an old-fashioned guy who liked to go out with my shovel and test the dryness of the soil with my hands,” Chandler said. “But if a pressure chamber can improve water management, why not give it a try?”
The website currently provides baseline values for almonds, walnuts, prunes and grapes. With further research, baseline values for other crops may be developed, as well.
Want to see how a pressure chamber works? Here's a video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G9DjQxFkkY
You can read more about how pressure chambers operate here: http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu/pressure_chamber/
The new website is located at this link: http://informatics.plantsciences.ucdavis.edu/Brooke_Jacobs/index.php
For more information, contact the UC Davis Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center at 530-754-9708 or fruitsandnuts@ucdavis.edu
Media contacts:
- Diane Nelson, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, 530-752-1969, denelson@ucdavis.edu
- Brooke Jacobs, UC Davis Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center, 530-754-9708, fruitsandnuts@ucdavis.edu