Updating Crop Water Use and Crop Coefficients of Mature Pistachio Orchards in the San Joaquin Valley, California

Descrição

Little information is available to growers on evapotranspiration (ET) by pistachio orchards grown under current irrigation practices and on salt-affected soils, where the canopy development, orchard's water use and production may be adversely affected by the high soil osmotic potential. This project will develop updated information on water use by mature pistachio orchards grown on non-salt-affected and salt-affected commercial soils under micro-irrigation. The Regents of the University of California, Davis and collaborating researchers will conduct field measurements of actual ET and crop coefficient (Kc) in four commercial pistachio orchards, and investigate impacts of increasing levels of soil-water salinity on canopy growth and crop ET. The expected outcomes are information of practical use by pistachio growers in making informed decisions on irrigation management and leaching practices, which could have a significant impact on pistachio production in the San Joaquin Valley. A hybrid method will also be developed combining ground and remote sensing measurements to estimate actual ET in orchards.