Micro Irrigation for Peach GrowersPresented by
Inge Bisconer, Technical Marketing and Sales Manager, Toro Micro-Irrigation
Presented at the Ontario Canada Fruit and Vegetable Conference
February 23, 2017
Agenda
Toro Irrigation SolutionsPrecise. Efficient. Practical.
Toro Irrigation Solutions
Precise. Efficient. Practical.
1. Introduction2. Agronomic
Considerations3. Micro-Irrigation for
Peaches4. What’s Next?5. Resources
The Toro Company / Micro-Irrigation Division
The Toro Company1. Founded 102 years ago in July 20142. World headquarters in Bloomington, MN3. NYSE listed, $6.4 billion market cap4. 17 locations worldwide, active in 80 countries5. 5,200 employees
Toro Irrigation/Micro-Irrigation1. Residential/Commercial headquarters in
Riverside, CA2. Agricultural drip headquarters in El Cajon, CA
Inge Bisconer Background
Inge Bisconer, MBA, CIDTechnical Marketing and Sales Manager,Toro Micro-Irrigation
• California farm background• B.S. from UC Davis• MBA from University of Phoenix• 35 years in irrigation/water industry• Past president, California Irrigation Institute • Past chair, Irrigation Association Drip/Micro CIG• Member, California Ag Irrigation Association • Associate Faculty, MiraCosta College• Author, Toro Micro-Irrigation Owner’s Manual• Presenter, The Grange Network Webinars• Co-host, The Water Zone radio show• Recipient of IA’s 2016 Industry Achievement Award
Introduction
Introduction
Benefits of Drip
Irrigation
Benefits of Drip
Irrigation
Maximize Water Use
Efficiency
Maximize Water Use
Efficiency Reduce Energy
Use
Reduce Energy
Use
Reduce Labor Costs
Reduce Labor Costs
Reduce Fertilizer
Use
Reduce Fertilizer
Use
Reduce Pesticide
Use
Reduce Pesticide
UseImprove the EnvironmentImprove the Environment
Improve FlexibilityImprove Flexibility
Reduce Risk
Reduce Risk
Improve Crop
Quality and Uniformity
Improve Crop
Quality and Uniformity
Increase Yields
Increase Yields
Maximize Water Use
Efficiency
Maximize Water Use
Efficiency Reduce Energy
Use
Reduce Energy
Use
Reduce Labor Costs
Reduce Labor Costs
Reduce Fertilizer
Use
Reduce Fertilizer
Use
Reduce Pesticide
Use
Reduce Pesticide
UseImprove the EnvironmentImprove the Environment
Improve FlexibilityImprove Flexibility
Reduce Risk
Reduce Risk
Increase Yields
Increase Yields
Income Quality
Uniformity
WaterEnergyLaborFertilizerPesticide
Introduction
Introduction
Water Use Efficiency = Yield / Water Input
Water Use Efficiency, WUE
WUE =
Resource Use Efficiency, RUE
RUE =
Resource Use Efficiency = Yield / All Farm Inputs
PRECISE APPLICATIONS OF WATER IS CRITICAL TO:
1. General Growth 2. Vegetative Shoot Growth3. Growth of Roots4. Flower Bud Formation, Bloom and Fruit Set5. Fruit Growth and Quality6. Prevention of Stress, Diseases and Pests
Adapted from Western Fertilizer Handbook
BMP’s for Peach Irrigation
1. Consumptive Use: 36”/year 2. Peak ET: 0.20”/day (35-40 gals/day)3. Micro-Irrigated (90% EU) trees need
1.5”/week; overhead sprinkler (60% EU) irrigated trees need 2.3”/week
4. Irrigation is crucial during last 30 daysAdapted from Rutgers “Best Management Practices for Irrigating Peach Trees” (Jerome Frecon)
BMP’s for Peach Irrigation
5. Damage from lack of moisture is permanent6. Rootzone is 24” deep but 80-90% of feeder
roots are in top foot where 70% of moisture is extracted.
7. Micro-irrigation should wet 25-60% of the root zone
8. Irrigation increases yields by about 25% due to fruit size
Adapted from Rutgers “Best Management Practices for Irrigating Peach Trees” (Jerome Frecon)
Drip/Micro for Permanent Crops
Dripline
Hose and On-Line Emitters
Jets/sprays
Micro-Sprinklers
Dripline: Single or Dual
Dripline: Subsurface Drip Irrigation, SDI
Micro-Sprinklers
Jets
Jets vs. Dual Dripline
Jets vs. Dual Dripline
What’s Next?
21st Century Orchard project Kevin R. Day, Theodore M. DeJong, Rebecca C. Phene, and Claude J. PheneUniversity of California, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension (KARE)
1. Primary Goal: • Compare convention height trees (12-13' tall) with pedestrian height (6-7') trees at
4’ to 8’ tree spacing grown on UC-developed size reducing rootstocks. • Plant two cultivars of peach/nectarine, one ripening in June and one in August
2. Secondary Goal:• Compare conventional micro-sprinkler irrigation of conventional height trees vs.
subsurface drip irrigation in the pedestrian trees.
Two varieties (an early ripening and late ripening) of peaches are planted on three rootstocks. One rootstock is repeated on two planting configurations:
The 'conventional' treatment = Nemaguard rootstock, planted 8 ft x 18 ft, will be topped at 12-13 ft tall; has both varieties. Irrigated with microsprinklers.
Size controlling rootstock, C9 ("90" % of the vigor of Nemaguard rootstock), planted 8 ft x 15 ft, will be topped at 6-7 ft tall; has both varieties. Irrigated with SDI.
Size controlling rootstock, C6 ("60" % of the vigor of Nemaguard rootstock), planted 8 ft x 15 ft, will be topped at 6-7 ft tall; has both varieties. Irrigated with SDI.
Size controlling rootstock, C6 ("60" % of the vigor of Nemaguard rootstock), planted 4 ft x 15 ft, will be topped at 6-7 ft tall; has both varieties. Irrigated with SDI.
21st Century Orchard Project Details
Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler – World Ag Expo, Tulare, CA
Driptips.toro.com
