Assessing the Safety of a Water Distribution System

Josh McGill Irrigation, Regulation, Tip of the Week

By Taylor O’Bannon, Matt Krug and Michelle Danyluk The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently proposed changes to the pre-harvest Agricultural Water (Subpart E) section of the Food Safety Modernization Act Produce Safety Rule (PSR). Removing the annual water distribution system inspection is not one of the proposed changes. Rather, water testing for generic E. coli and developing a microbial …

Achieving Water and Nutrient Efficiency

Josh McGill Irrigation, Nutrition, Research

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers emphasized the importance of efficient irrigation and nutrient management at a workshop earlier this month at the Citrus Research and Education Center in Lake Alfred. In Florida, the citrus industry accounts for about 30% of irrigated cropland acreage, reported UF/IFAS researcher Alisheikh Atta. Worldwide, the agriculture industry consumes about …

Workshop to Focus on Irrigation and Nutrition

Josh McGill Education, Irrigation, Nutrition

Citrus growers depend on the latest information about best irrigation and nutrition strategies for growing productive trees. University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) researchers will share recent results regarding optimal crop management at a workshop and field visit opportunity on Feb. 8 at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Davie Kadyampakeni, assistant …

Irrigation and Nutrient Management BMPs

Ernie Neff BMPs, Irrigation, Nutrition

A Citrus Expo presentation about best management practices (BMPs) focused on what growers should be doing now in their irrigation and nutrient management programs. The presentation noted that current BMPs were developed prior to HLB’s discovery in Florida in 2005, and that studies are underway to revise the citrus BMPs for nitrogen and phosphorus. The presentation was created by University …

Irrigation Aided by Thermal Imaging

Ernie Neff Irrigation

Scientists in Brazil and Florida found that the direct examination of plant canopy temperature can assist in optimizing citrus irrigation management in greenhouses. The researchers were Gustavo Haddad Souza Vieira with the Federal Institute of Espírito Santo in Brazil and Rhuanito “Johnny” Ferrarezi with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Their study aimed to develop a …

Dundee CUPS Project Awarded

Ernie Neff Awards, CUPS, Irrigation

A citrus under protective screen (CUPS) project in Dundee, Florida, has received the 2021 Vanguard Award from the Irrigation Association (IA). The award honors an innovative project in the irrigation industry executed by a team of individuals, companies, organizations or other group entities. Projects chosen for the award exemplify the IA’s mission of promoting efficient irrigation.   The partners in …

Inspect Your Irrigation System Regularly

Tacy Callies Irrigation, Tip of the Week

By Ajia Paolillo Throughout the year, it is a good practice to check your irrigation system for leaks, wear, corrosion and other physical damage that can limit the efficiency of the system. Proper irrigation provides the tree with the water it needs, especially during periods of drought and during the important stages of flowering, fruit set and enlargement, and leaf …

Optimizing Irrigation and Young Tree Management

Tacy Callies Irrigation

By Davie Kadyampakeni and Sandra Guzmán Young citrus trees require optimal irrigation management for vigorous vegetative growth, leaf flushing and the establishment of a dense canopy. Poor practices such as infrequent irrigation or not using irrigation scheduling tools could be costly. Young tree growth also could be impacted by excessive water and nutrient losses. Crop water stress in young trees …

Keep Citrus Trees Hydrated

Tacy Callies Irrigation, Tip of the Week

Frequent irrigation with good quality water can improve fruit growth and development and overall productivity. By Tripti Vashisth HLB-affected citrus trees have small and weak root systems. Though the roots are efficient in taking up water and nutrients, there are not sufficient roots to support the tree’s canopy requirement. Therefore, the trees often experience water and nutrient deficit. Not all …

Updates on Irrigation and Nutrient Management

Ashley Robinson Irrigation, soil

Proper irrigation and nutrient management are necessary to maximize root density and tree health, especially in trees infected with HLB. Davie Kadyampakeni, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant professor, shared a few irrigation and nutrient research updates during the March episode of the All In For Citrus podcast. IRRIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS Young citrus trees require optimal …

Soil Moisture Sensor Q&A

Tacy Callies Irrigation

By Sandra Guzman Understanding how to obtain and interpret data from soil moisture sensor (SMS) systems is crucial for efficient irrigation management. These systems help create an efficient and informed irrigation schedule based on soil moisture readings collected from the field. Below are answers to some common questions about managing SMS systems, including how to view SMS data on a …

Irrigation and Nutrition Management in the Era of HLB

Ashley Robinson Irrigation, Nutrition

A solid nutrition and irrigation program can enhance the productivity of HLB-affected trees and improve citrus tree health, potentially making production profitable even under HLB conditions. This was the subject of Davie Kadyampakeni’s talk during a March 9 OJ Break virtual meeting held for citrus growers. Kadyampakeni is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) assistant …

Advice for Using Soil Moisture Sensors

Tacy Callies Irrigation, Technology

Proper irrigation management is key to optimize water use and increase crop yield. Water is a limiting factor in Florida citrus production during most of the year due to extremely sandy soils with low water-holding capacity and non-uniform distribution of rainfall. Soil moisture sensor systems may provide the most reliable data for effective citrus irrigation scheduling under these conditions. Rad …

Irrigation Management With Artificial Intelligence

Tacy Callies Irrigation

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be an overwhelming topic, but Sandra Guzmán says it is easier to swallow when it helps growers. Guzmán, an agricultural engineering assistant professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center, has been working directly with growers to integrate the benefits of in-field technology. The influx …

production

Irrigating Young Trees in High-Density Plantings

Tacy Callies Irrigation

Florida citrus yields have declined by almost 56 percent since 2005. With such a large decrease, growers have been forced to replant trees at much higher densities to counter-balance tree loss. In November 2017, researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) initiated a study to determine how …

Irrigation Problem Prevention

Tacy Callies Irrigation, Tip of the Week

By Ajia Paolillo To keep your irrigation system running efficiently, it is important to perform routine maintenance throughout the year. There are many types of issues that can affect your irrigation system, causing it to run poorly. Poly tubing and emitters can become clogged. Emitters can be blocked by weeds or broken through normal wear and tear. When these issues …

irrigation

Irrigation Scheduling to Optimize Tree Performance

Tacy Callies Irrigation, Tip of the Week

By Davie Kadyampakeni Proper irrigation scheduling applies an appropriate volume of water to a citrus grove at the appropriate time based on tree need, soil properties and weather conditions. Applying water in the right amount, right quantity and at the right time is very important for getting the best out of citrus trees. Several tools are available for determining when …

Reusing Oilfield Produced Water for Irrigation

Tacy Callies California Corner, Irrigation

California citrus growers and other farmers in the Bakersfield area may feel vindicated with the result of a new study by researchers at Duke University and RTI International. As reported in the California Department of Food and Agriculture Planting Seeds blog, the study finds that reusing oilfield water that’s been mixed with surface water to irrigate farms in the Cawelo …

Irrigation Scheduling Methods Affect Water Use

Tacy Callies Irrigation

By Sandra M. Guzman and Rhuanito S. Ferrarezi Irrigation scheduling has been one of the most important management practices to improve crop production. For citrus, there are multiple options to schedule irrigation, including evapotranspiration-, plant- and soil-based methods. These methods can provide different water requirement estimates based on environmental variables, plant uptake or water content in the soil. Although each …

How to Keep Your Irrigation System Properly Maintained

Tacy Callies Irrigation

By Davie Kadyampakeni and Arnold Schumann Irrigation system maintenance is critical for proper and efficient delivery of water in citrus and other irrigated crops. A well maintained and functional irrigation system will deliver the required amounts of water to the root zone when needed and help growers optimize crop production. If an irrigation system is not working optimally, crops can …