January 27, 2017
CapitalPress.com
Subscribe to our weekly California email
newsletter at CapitalPress.com/newsletters
11
California
Technologies bolster water management in orchards
By TIM HEARDEN
Capital Press
RED BLUFF, Calif. — For
the last few years, University
of California researchers have
been promoting new devices
called pressure bombs for
determining an orchard’s
water needs.
But rapid advances in
technology have made the
pressure bombs — which are
also called pressure cham-
bers — almost obsolete, a
UC Cooperative Extension
adviser said.
Tree monitors and weath-
er gauges connected to on-
line data systems and new
advances in aerial imagery
are alternatives that may
gain popularity, said Allan
Fulton, an irrigation and
water resources adviser
in the UCCE’s Red Bluff
office.
“What we’ve been look-
ing for are alternatives to the
pressure chamber,” Fulton
told walnut growers during a
Jan. 20 workshop.
Tim Hearden/Capital Press
Allan Fulton, a University of California Cooperative Extension irrigation and water resources adviser,
tells growers to take advantage of emerging technologies in water management.
While relatively inexpen-
sive, costing growers about
$10 an acre, using pressure
chambers can be labor-inten-
sive, he said.
“You have to go to the
orchard, and if you don’t get
there you have no informa-
tion,” Fulton said. “Also,
it’s just a snapshot. ... I’ve
always been encouraging
growers to look for tools that
The University of Idaho 4-H Youth Development program reached
52,272 youths in 2016 with the help of 3,209 volunteers across the state.
In all, Idaho 4-H’ers completed more than 25,000 animal science
projects in 2015-16 ranging from beef and birds to sheep and swine.
Idaho 4-H members will find more consistent animal science lesson
plans awaiting them in 2017. Animal science projects continue to be the
most popular 4-H projects in Idaho, but lesson plans and requirements
varied across the state.
A Meat Animal Task Force created by the University of Idaho 4-H
Youth Development Program set goals for animal science education. The
effort follows national 4-H mission mandates to provide youth programs
focused on science, healthy living and citizenship.
The task force goals included setting educational topic areas and lesson
plans that drew on research-based information. Idaho 4-H adopted the
Ohio Resource Handbooks for beef, sheep, swine and goats to promote
consistency across the state.
The task force divided lesson topics into three levels to tailor them to
4-H’ers of different ages. Topics range from facilities management,
reproduction, and marketing to record keeping and quality assurance.
Idaho 4-H posted 38 level 1 lessons on its website and plans to add
level 2 and 3 lessons as they are completed. Lessons reflect the
experience-based focus of 4-H and its emphasis on doing, then reflecting
and applying the principles learned.
4-H members and leaders can access lessons and associated handouts
on the web, then track those completed and identify skills learned.
Lessons are online at www.uidaho.edu/extension/4h/projects.
University of Idaho 4-H Youth Development recently introduced Level
1 Animal Science lesson plans for use by Idaho 4-H members and
volunteers. Thirty-eight Level 1 lessons are currently accessible on the
Idaho 4-H website. Level 2 and Level 3 lessons will be used once they
have completed the necessary publication process.
Clinics help 4-H members learn about their animals.
will give you a continuous
picture.”
Pressure chambers are
like blood-pressure tests for
tree leaves. UC-Davis has
been using them to measure
plant water stress since the
early 1990s, but they be-
came popular with growers
in recent years as drought
has led to drastic surface wa-
ter restrictions.
About two years ago,
the UC-Davis Fruit and Nut
Center launched a website to
help growers interpret their
readings from the devices to
determine how much water
their trees need. The exten-
sion has weather stations po-
sitioned throughout the state
to tell growers how hard
their trees should normally
be working to pull water un-
der the temperature and hu-
midity for that day.
Recently, private compa-
nies have introduced devices
and systems to give farms an
ongoing, automated report
on their trees’ needs, and
Fulton has been testing them
for accuracy.
One such option is den-
drometers, which are normal-
ly used to monitor the growth
of trees but can also measure
minute daily expansions and
contractions of tree trunks
to provide clues about water
stress.
Another system developed
by San Francisco-based start-
up Tule Technologies uses
sensors installed above the
crop canopy to tell growers
how much water their plants
are using and even when and
how much to apply.
Finally, flyovers can give
growers enhanced aerial im-
ages of their entire orchards
and measure such things as
temperature, Fulton said.
Higher canopy temperatures
are a sign of tree stress, he
said.
“One of the values of the
flyover system is it’s pretty
good at troubleshooting prob-
lems in your irrigation sys-
tem,” Fulton said.
“The pressure chamber
is still a good tool, but there
are some options now and
it’s kind of exciting,” he said.
“There’s a lot of good talent
out there and I would expect
these things to get better over
time.”
4-H livestock events are judged by experts in the field.
888-877-7665
Proud Sponsor
Of 4-H
4-H members learn to appreciate their animals.
4-H offers members the chance to show their animals.
48-1/#13
4-1/#13