PrintDrought takes toll on 2015 California almond crop
For example, in Manteca, almond grower Nick Gatzman of Travaille and Phippen, Inc. uses electric soil moisture monitors at different depths throughout the soil profile to get real-time data on soil moisture status transmitted to his cell phone every 15 minutes.
This information helps Gatzman decide how long to irrigate to fill the soil profile. He also uses daily calculations of evapotranspiration rates to schedule irrigation for the following week.
Like most growers, Gatzman combines those data points with the experience and knowledge of his orchards to make an educated decision about how often and how long to irrigate.
But Gatzman is also looking at newer technologies to improve to make even better decisions. This year, he is experimenting with remote aerial imaging to isolate areas of stress in orchards. An additional filter on the aerial images provides a chlorophyll signature that may allow Gatzman to identify areas of early stress before it visibly appears in the orchard.
