Research effort seeks irrigation data for avocados By JacquelineCovey
sons between growing areas near the Mexico border with hotter climates wi th more temperate zones to the north, and semi-arid to frost-risk areas mixed in between. San Diego County, for example, has rolling hills, with some slopes on a 50% downgrade. Varying soil types can also affect howavocados retainwater or need to be irrigated. “We consider all those components to develop more accurate crop co-efficient and more accurate es- timation of how much water the crop needs under different circumstances,” Montazar said. In SouthernCalifornia, the average av- ocadoorchard is 15 acres, withmore than 50%of operations on fewer than 10 acres and orchards larger than 20 acres repre- senting about 25% of planted acres, the Hass Avocado Board reported in a recent California market profile. In San Diego and Riverside counties, avocados make up about 20,000 acres of the 50,000 acres of planted orchards. California leads in domestic sales of avocados, with Ventura and San Diego counties the top producers in the state. According to its 2020 crop report, San Diego County’s avocado yield was val- ued at nearly $153 million, up from $140 million in 2019. In Riverside and San Diego counties,
Three counties inSouthernCalifornia’s avocado belt are a part of a state-funded research project intended to assist grow- ers in adapting irrigation methods to increase profits and sustain production. A l i Mon t a z a r, a Un i v e r s i t y o f California Cooperative Extension irri- gation and water management advisor, has commenced trials on six commer- cial avocado orchards in San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties through a California Department of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant of more than $430,000. Montazar is conducting field tests to determine the optimal irrigation for avo- cados over the next two and a half years. Growers in the testing region face unique management issues sometimes necessitating hands-on attention and expert consulting. For years, Montazar has taken phone calls and field trips to assist avocado growers with individu- alized irrigation and salinity manage- ment methods. Montazar said he realized growers need region-specific data to overcome water conservation challenges. Th i s mon t h , t he U. S . Dr ough t Monitor listed San Diego County as having moderate drought conditions. That’s an improvement from severe conditions last summer, when much
A University of California Cooperative Extension monitoring station is set up in an avocado orchard. It is part of a comparative irrigation management study in three Southern California counties.
of California was listed in extreme or exceptional drought levels. But con- ditions are expected to worsen across the state unless there is significant rain this spring. Montazar said local growers face sig- nificant challenges and are having to adapt to rising costs of water, and increas- ingly warm and dry conditions. “The immediate need for growers is information,” he said.
Among the counties in the avocado study region, San Diego and Riverside pu l l key wat er supp l i es f rom the Colorado River, while Orange County depends on groundwater. “The Colorado River has high chloride (levels), and avocados are very sensitive to chloride,” Montazar said. “So, this is another concern growers have.” Data will be collected between the three count ies, drawing compar i -
See AVOCADOS, Page 23
10 Ag Alert March 23, 2022
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