8/6/2019 Almond Irrigation-Fertility Field Day - Belridge Ranch

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UC Cooperative Extension Almond Field Meeting June 16, 2011

Almond Irrigation, Nutrition for High Yields & StewardshipParamount Farming Co. Belridge Ranch 3360B ( mile north of office)

Co-sponsored by Paramount Farming Company and the Almond Board of California

Increasing almond yields have been a bright spot in CA agriculture in recent years. A 2,400 lb/ac kernel

yield was a goldmine 20 years ago, but now is just the Kern County average and just barely pays the bills.

In recent years, weve all heard of the occasional 4,000 to 5,000 lb/ac yield. Canopy density research by

Bruce Lampinen has shown that almonds do indeed have this potential. In addition to optimizing yields

and production efficiency, the almond industry is striving to meet the highest environmental standards and

land stewardship for a sustainable future.What does it take to make all this happen? Since February 2008 an intensive, 12 treatment fertility /

irrigation trial coupled with other research projects has been conducted in western Kern County to try and

answer that question. With a multitude of research personnel from UC Davis to NASA to Kern we have

been tracking nitrogen and water use efficiency, spring to fall nutrient critical tissue levels, the need for

potassium and the use of multi-spectral aerial imagery for remote reconnaissance of water and nutrient

status. We dont have all the answers yet, but we do have consistent 3,600 to 4,300 lb/ac kernel yields for

the optimal fertility treatments. Come see what weve found out to date and enjoy lunch. (For lunch

RSVP to Debye Hunter, see below).

8:00-8:20 SIGN-IN (3 HOURS CCA CREDITS APPLIED FOR)

INTRODUCTION: PROJECT CONCEPT & DESIGN; FIELD DAY ORIENTATION

8:20-8:40 CONCEPT, ALMOND FERTILITY MANAGEMENT, ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP &

FUTURE REGULATIONS Patrick Brown, Pomology UC Davis

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COOPERATORS AND FUNDING SOURCES

BREAKOUT SESSION TOPICS: 8:40-11:30 (The below sessions will be repeated every 20 minutes at

individual shade tents to allow for smaller groups of growers to interact with researchers. A break will be held at

10:00-10:30.)

1. Nutrient budgets, fertilizer materials and rate responses Patrick Brown, Saiful Muhammad, UCD

2. Early season sampling and new critical values Brown, Sebastian Saa Silva, UCD

3. Nitrogen management & fate: Greenhouse gases, root distribution and irrigation impacts Dave Smart,Daniel Schellenberg, Andres Olivos, UCD

4. Almond water use (ET) and plant stress guidelines Blake Sanden (Kern UCCE), Ken Shackel, UCD

5. Spur development, light and canopy potential Bruce Lampinen, UCCE Davis

6. Remote sensing and spectral imagery as future tools Mike Whiting, Susan Ustin, UCD

7. Learn to use the pressure chamber, hands on exercise Peggy Schrader, Kern UCCE

COOPERATORS & INDUSTRY SUPPORTER DISPLAYS: 8:40-12:30

Kern C o unty 1 0 3 1 S . Mt . Vernon A v e Bakersfie ld CA 93307 Telephone: (661) 868-6218

JUNE 2011

8/6/2019 Almond Irrigation-Fertility Field Day - Belridge Ranch

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Paramount Farming is the grower cooperator on this comprehensive project, with the Almond Board of California

along with many other agencies providing research funding. We have generous support from the following

companies, who will have staff and information available: Fertilizer Companies: Yara, Great Salt Lake Minerals,

Tessenderlo-Kerley, Compass, Haifa, Mosaic, SQM, Potassium Nitrate Association. Equipment / Service

providers: PureSense, Grundfos Pumps, Bowsmith, Toro Irrigation, Irrometer, Britz, Soil Technologies Inc.

BBQ LUNCH: 11:30-12:30

The Paramount Farming BBQ bunch, led by Brigadier Burger Flipper Rob Baker, is providing lunch.RSVP Debye Hunter, Almond Board of CA: 209-343-3230 or e-mail dhunter@almondboard.com.

NEW CONTINUOUS FERTIGATION TRIAL, FANJETS & DOUBLE-LINE DRIP: 12:30-1:15

This is a special session for those hardy souls wanting to stay after lunch to preview a new spoon-feed trial

comparing continuous fertigation with the more conventional 4 times/year injection in both microsprinkler and

double-line drip irrigation. This trial will also provide the first field data on tissue critical levels and water use in

Monterey. We will discuss fertigation/irrigation systems and filter station management options.

Lost Hills

Lost Hills

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childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital

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directed to the Affirmative Action/Staff Personnel Services Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1111 Franklin Street, 6th Floor, Oakland, CA

94607, (510) 987-0096.

Blake SandenIrrigation & Agronomy Advisor

blsanden@ucdavis.edu

mailto:dhunter@almondboard.commailto:dhunter@almondboard.com