- Author: Ben Faber
REGISTER TODAY!What?: Airblast Sprayer Calibration TrainingWhen?:November 18, 2022Where?:UC Kearney Ag Center, Parlier, CA |
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The Airblast Sprayer Calibration Training is a 4-hour hands-on sprayer calibration training involving classroom and field exercises. It will cover sprayer calibration steps, methods, and calculations with worked examples, including use of a decision support tool. This training will focus on axial airblast sprayer applications directed to citrus (and other tree and vine) canopies; no herbicide boom sprayer applications. |
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Agenda
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Continuing Education Units (CEUs) |
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3.5 of 'Other' CEUs approved by California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). |
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Registration |
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Open to the public, but registration is required, and space is limited. |
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Contacts for More Information |
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- Author: Ben Faber
Wow. Lots of information on-line at the Citrus Research Board website, covering the latest on such topics as Citrus Leprosis, Asian Citrus Psyllid, Scions, Rootstocks and more
- Author: Saoimanu Sope
San Diego County used to be home to nearly 25,000 acres of avocado trees but today there are about 14,000. The drastic decrease is largely due to rising costs associated with avocado production, namely the cost of water.
On September 28, avocado growers gathered at the San Diego County Farm Bureau offices for an Avocado Irrigation Workshop facilitated by Ali Montazar, University of California Cooperative Extension irrigation and water management advisor for Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties.
“All of our information being developed right now is focused on [irrigation] efficiency. Growers want to know how much water they need and what tools they should use to be more efficient,” explained Montazar.
Workshop attendee John Burr, who has been growing avocados for 15 years, confirmed that irrigation represents over half of his annual production costs and that meeting the needs of his trees is a constant challenge.
“The sophisticated research in avocado irrigation that Dr. Ali Montazar is conducting is the first of its kind that the University of California has carried out specifically in avocados. His presentation allowed us attendees the opportunity to see and learn about the technology he is employing – from soil moisture sensors to the California Irrigation Management Information System level equipped station.”
Burr is hopeful that Montazar's research will help avocado growers accurately determine the evapotranspiration in an avocado grove or water use specific to avocados, critical parts of how growers select tools to determine irrigation runtimes.
“His presentation that showed his research finding of the avocado Kc (crop coefficient), while very early into his project, was really interesting. It indicates the possibility that we may need to vary the Kc for different times in the growing season, but he is just beginning a two-to-three-year project that will hopefully deliver solid data on what the Kc for avocados is,” said Burr.
Colorado River uncertainty looms
San Diego's avocado production is primarily managed by small farms. According to Montazar, this adds a level of complexity to water management because there is a greater emphasis on irrigation tools and strategies being user-friendly and cost-efficient.
“We don't know the future,” said Montazar. “But we need to be prepared for all consequences. The Colorado River is experiencing a significant water shortage, and this could impact the water supply source for San Diego County from the Imperial Irrigation District Transfer in the future. It is wise to consider enhancing irrigation efficiency as the most viable tool to manage limited water supplies in Southern California.”
Water has always been an issue. In the 1970s, California's water program paved a way for an additional 98,000 acres of agricultural land.
According to a 1970 study analyzing the cost of avocado production in San Diego County, water costs “averaged 3½ acre feet per acre at $60 an acre foot,” which came with the assumption that water costs would remain relatively low and affordable for a long time.
Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. The county of San Diego gets the majority of its water from the Colorado River, which is concerning given five-year projections of the river reaching critically low reservoir levels by 2027.
In fact, beginning in 2023, the San Diego County Water Authority will be raising the rates for water, prompting growers to invest in more efficient irrigation practices (Table 1).
Table 1. Cost for untreated and treated water in San Diego County in 2022 and 2023.
NOTE: An acre-foot is about 325,900 gallons of water.
Training growers on irrigation a top priority
There are no loopholes or short cuts when it comes to irrigation because irrigation is the key to tree health. Ben Faber, Cooperative Extension subtropical crops advisor for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, points out that tree health is how growers stay in business.
“You can mess up your fertilization program, and you can mess up your pesticide program, but if you mess up your irrigation program, you're out of business,” he said.
According to Faber, efficient irrigation requires a strong grasp on salt management.
“We import water that has a lot of salt in it. So, you've got to figure out how to put the right amount of water on the root zone without causing root health problems,” said Faber.
This process requires meticulous care, as anything that gets below the root zone can cause groundwater contamination – something growers do not want to be responsible for.
While the latest irrigation technology, such as smart controllers, could help growers, Faber said that training and educating farm managers should be the priority.
As Faber puts it, managing irrigation should be “like brushing your teeth” – something that growers do naturally and competently. Many growers are over-irrigating or wasting time trying to resuscitate dying trees. It's important to learn the needs of the tree and, in some cases, it might be best to stop watering all together.
The first step to water efficiency is acquiring knowledge and identifying needs. Because an over-irrigated tree looks just like an under-irrigated tree, it's crucial that growers learn to recognize the difference and plan accordingly.
This is where Cooperative Extension advisors and researchers come in. Opportunities like the Avocado Irrigation Workshop are ideal for growers looking for answers or support.
For more information and to learn about future workshops in San Diego County, visit https://cesandiego.ucanr.edu/.
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- Author: Ben Faber
Pruning is a difficult topic to discuss and describe and to arrive at a consistent approach from year to year.
And now Simon Newett, Bridie Carr and Renata Grunennvaldt have put together a survey of what avocado growers worldwide are doing to control vegetative growth. The survey was conducted through an avocado industry extension project funded by Australian grower levies, Hort Innovation Ltd (Australia) and the Queensland governments (Hort Innovation Limited & DAF). Thank them for their efforts.
Obviously the methods and results reported in the survey will vary according to the characteristics of the orchard and the environment in which the trees are grown. And whether a plant growth regulator is used, such as uniconazole or propiconazole, to retard growth.
The most interesting findings were the popularity of selective limb removal, the younger tree age in which pruning is now commenced, the smaller tree size being aimed for and the fact that most people try to remove about 20% of the canopy each year.
Check out what other growers are doing in their orchards by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page.
- Author: Hung Kim Doan
California continues to face escalating drought conditions and as a result, Control Section 11.85 of the Budget Act of 2021 allocated $5 million for direct drought relief funds which will be administered through the CUSP (California Underserved and Small Producers) program partner organizations throughout 2022. The grant is provided by the California Department of Food and Agriculture and funds small-scale farmers of color, immigrant farmers, and undocumented farmers directly impacted by the drought.
Covered Expenses:
- Increased electric utility bills of 50% or more due to increased electricity rates
- Surface water costs if increase from year prior
- Cost of hauling water for livestock
- Lowering ag well pumps if a primary source of water is lost
- Emergency upgrades to irrigation system (paired with conservation) if not covered through CDFA OEFI programs or USDA programs and for other emergency scenarios.
- Decreased crop yields/crop loss due to less water available or having to fallow land
Not Covered:
- Drilling new well
- Upgrading pump to a larger size which would draw more water
How can farmers apply?
Farmers who have received a COVID relief grant will be eligible for drought relief funds one calendar year (12 months) after applying for economic relief funds.
For more information, please contact Hung Doan (hkdoan@ucanr.edu; (951) 455-5726 )