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Examine by UCCE advisor in Imperial County additionally exhibits 5% enhance in yield
A brand new research means that drip irrigation for candy corn can considerably preserve water, cut back fertilizer use and increase crop yield within the low desert of California – and certain in different areas of the state with comparable circumstances.
Though Imperial County is California’s high candy corn-producing county, with about 8,000 acres planted on common every year, irrigation strategies for this crop have been not often studied on this area (or wherever else within the state), in line with Ali Montazar, UC Cooperative Extension irrigation and water administration advisor for Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties.
A drip-irrigated candy corn trial subject in Westmorland, Imperial County. Photograph by Ali Montazar
Montazar performed a research within the Imperial Valley over two crop seasons, 2020-21 and 2021-22, to exhibit and quantify the potential advantages of switching to drip irrigation from the extra frequent furrow irrigation methodology. The research, obtainable in a latest problem of UC Agriculture and Pure Sources’ Agricultural Briefs, can be revealed in a future problem of Greens West.
“I am hoping with this mission we will encourage growers to undertake it, as a result of it appears very promising,” mentioned Montazar, noting that drip irrigation is a “new observe” for candy corn in California.
Among the many 11 industrial candy corn fields within the research over the 2021-22 season, the six that had been underneath drip irrigation used, on common, 37% much less water than the 5 underneath furrow irrigation. In absolute phrases, the drip-irrigated fields noticed a median water financial savings of two.2 acre-feet per acre; for Montazar, who has studied drip for a wide range of crops within the Imperial Valley, that was an astonishing end result.
“I’ve labored with drip on processed onions, lettuce, alfalfa, spinach … we have by no means seen a determine like 2.2 acre-feet per acre, that is enormous,” he mentioned, attributing the dramatic drop-off to the excessive quantity of water required to furrow-irrigate the sandy soil within the Imperial Valley.
Filtration is essential in drip irrigation, because it removes sediment and different particles that may clog the system. Photograph by Ali Montazar
Extra environment friendly irrigation additionally means much less fertilizer is required – a boon to the setting and Salton Sea water high quality, in addition to growers’ backside line. With fertilizer costs persevering with to rise, candy corn growers utilizing drip might see a considerable 25% value financial savings on fertilizer bills – about $150 per acre much less – in comparison with furrow irrigation, in line with Montazar’s research.
And by relieving vegetation of the stress from over- and under-irrigated circumstances, drip irrigation helps hold soil moisture at its “candy spot” – leading to a 5% enhance in marketable crop yield for candy corn within the research.
“When we’ve a greater, extra environment friendly irrigation system, we will preserve soil moisture at a desired stage, over time and area,” Montazar defined.
As a result of the advantages of drip look like linked to soil circumstances (sandy loam, and different gentle soils), Montazar believes that this irrigation observe might ship comparatively comparable water and fertilizer financial savings and improved crop yield in different areas throughout California, no matter climactic variations.
“When you use drip in any a part of the state, you might have the advantages of drip – extra uniform water utility, extra uniform fertilizer – that is not associated to the desert,” he mentioned. “That is a part of the system’s potential.”
Montazar plans to observe up on his preliminary research with extra analysis on candy corn and drip irrigation through the 2022-23 crop season.
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