June 16 2023

Troubleshooting for Missing Irrigations

Are irrigation events not appearing on your Tule dashboard? This blog post will go over how to troubleshoot.

The two most common reasons for missing irrigations are:

1. The in-line pressure switch is not connected.

2. There is low water pressure in the irrigation line.

If irrigation events do not appear on the Tule dashboard, visit the Tule sensor during an irrigation event and complete these two steps:

1. Confirm that the pressure switch is connected.

The pressure switch is connected to the drip line via a spaghetti tube. Ensure a proper connection.

It’s connected to the Tule box via an electrical cord. On the bottom of the Tule box, there is a plastic barrel connector that connects the electrical cord to the Tule box. Make sure the barrel connection is tight.

Important: take photos or a video to show the pressure switch is connected to the irrigation line and to the Tule box.

2. Confirm there is ample water pressure.

The Tule pressure switch is activated at 4 PSI. If the water pressure in your irrigation line is less than 4 PSI, the pressure switch will not activate. More importantly, if the water pressure in your line is less than 4 PSI, you might not have enough water pressure to irrigate properly.

To check water pressure, detach the spaghetti tube from the pressure switch using pliers. There should be a steady stream of water flowing out of the spaghetti tube.

Important: take a video (preferred) or photo that shows the water coming out of the spaghetti tube.

Watch the Video

What happens next?

If the pressure switch was disconnected upon arrival and there is ample water pressure, re-secure the connections. Then check your Tule app or log in to the Tule web dashboard. The most recent irrigation should appear.

If the pressure switch was connected upon arrival and there is ample water pressure, send an email to support.tule@cropx.com and include any photos/videos. Or call Tule support at (530) 574-0479 so we can schedule a technician visit.

If you have any additional questions, please reach out. Tule has a dedicated support team that is here to help!

June 2 2023

Unleashing the Potential of Your Orchards with Tule Sensors

kendall Uncategorized

As a Tule customer, I’m delighted to contribute a guest blog post on the Tule website. I would like to share with you my journey and insights on harnessing the power of Tule sensors to optimize irrigation practices on our family farm. In this blog post, I will highlight our short-term and long-term wins with Tule, discuss my approach to utilizing the Tule data, and include a few cases where Tule data helped us identify and address issues in the orchards.

The Short Term and Long Term Benefits of Using Tule Sensors

At Nichols Farms, Tule sensors helped us with some small wins in the first year of use, but they’ve also achieved greater results over time.

During our first year using Tule sensors, they took the guesswork out of when and how much to irrigate so we had more time to spend in the field on other tasks. We could focus on “problem fields” that didn’t respond to water applications as we’d expected and scout them more. We were able to strategically irrigate to advance our harvest dates, reducing our pistachios’ vulnerability to navel orangeworm pressure. Our quality improved the first year as we irrigated to our trees’ water needs.

Over a few years, we were able to really dial in our efforts to irrigate to Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa). We’ve found that this practice has improved the overall plant health of our orchards. We’ve noticed better nutrient uptake by the root system, lower risk and outbreak of certain pests & diseases, and overall better quality and yields. Precision irrigation has also lead to improved predictability. With multiple years of ETa data, water budgeting becomes based on data versus guesswork. As SGMA regulations ensue, becoming more finite with irrigation management is necessary.

The Significance of Actual ET for Effective Water Management

The Actual Evapotranspiration value from the Tule sensor is the most important piece of information for our irrigation management. Through years of experience, I have noticed a consistent pattern: orchards with higher ETa values tend to be the most productive. A higher ETa value indicates that our orchards effectively utilize applied water, leading to increased nutrient uptake and increased photosynthesis. Consequently, we witness enhanced growth and higher yields.

Reference ET (i.e., CIMIS) and Crop Coefficients are not enough. You need Actual ET data. Irrigating an orchard with a disease based on University of California Crop Coefficient (Kc) values may exacerbate the problem. From my experience, the orchard with the highest ETa is not necessarily the orchard that received the most applied water. In one of our Tulare blocks, we irrigated using the published Kc values and struggled with Alternaria for many years. We installed a Tule sensor in 2020, which helped inform our decision to reduce irrigation going into August. We saw a beneficial response in disease mitigation.

Weekly Insights on the Tule Dashboard

On the Tule dashboard, I look at the inches applied relative to how much water the trees used (i.e., the ETa). In addition, I look at the FieldStat value, which is an evapotranspiration-based way to show the water stress of the trees. FieldStat tells me if the trees are using all the water they could use (i.e., FieldStat is 100%), or if the trees are thirsty and regulating their water use (i.e., FieldStat is less than 100%).

In the example above, all three pistachio blocks were recently harvested. Before harvest, we dried out the blocks with deficit irrigation and the FieldStat values were in the 60% range (i.e., more water stress than the current level). After harvest, we have applied more water and FieldStat has bounced back to 75-90%. Note that the trees are using less water than what we’ve applied. The trees are still recovering from the water deficits before harvest and we are intentionally adding moisture back to the soil.

Examples of Irrigation Decisions Based on Actual ET and FieldStat

Let’s dig deeper into one of the blocks, AKE C3,C4, which was one of our better-yielding blocks this year. We were aiming to delay hill split as long as we could to minimize splits from navel orangeworm. Around the week of July 11, we intentionally stressed the trees to induce hull split and limit hull rot. After the non-pareil harvest, the low FieldStat values told us that the trees could use more water than they currently were using. We irrigated more than the Actual ET to improve the plant water status and bring up soil moisture. The trees responded well to those applications and the FieldStat and ETa values jumped back up.

At a different ranch, we struggle with water infiltration, so trying to “catch up” is not an option for us. That is, once the trees become water stressed and the soil dries down, we cannot get water back into the soil quickly enough for the trees to recover. Because we can’t catch up from water deficits, we make sure to replace the Actual ET (i.e., the tree water use) with applied irrigation each week. In the month prior to harvest, you can see in the FieldStat data above that we successfully staved off water stress. In the FieldStat data, you can also see that we don’t get much of a response to applied water due to the water infiltration issues.

Get In Touch with Tule

Harnessing the power of Tule sensors has revolutionized our irrigation practices on our family farm. The insights provided by the Actual Evapotranspiration data have been crucial for effective water management. By focusing on the ETa values, we have gained insights into issues affecting orchard productivity and we have increased yields. I encourage you to get in touch with the Tule team so you can see similar gains at your operation. Click here to speak to someone at Tule.

April 27 2023

An Introduction to FieldStat

Tom Shapland, PhD Uncategorized

As a grower, you know that irrigation management is your highest leverage tool for influencing your crop value. Water stress significantly impacts your crop yield and quality. That’s where Tule’s FieldStat comes in. FieldStat is a revolutionary technology that measures crop water status directly in your field, giving you crucial insights into the water stress of your plants daily, remotely, and without the hassle of using a pressure bomb. In this post, we’ll discuss the science of FieldStat and how you can use it to optimize your crop yields.

Factors that Influence Plant Water Use

The amount of water a plant can use, or Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa), is influenced by three main factors.

1.) Weather. Plants use more water on warm, sunny days than on cool, overcast days. Reference ET (ETo) tells us about the weather.

2.) The size of the plant. A larger plant with more sunlit leaf area uses more water than a smaller plant with less sunlit leaf area. The Crop Coefficent (Kc) tells us about the canopy size.

3.) Water stress. When plants encounter water deficits, they regulate their water use and use less water. The Water Stress Coefficient (Ks), or as we call it, FieldStat, tells us about water stress.

What is FieldStat and How Does it Work?

FieldStat, also known as the Water Stress Coefficient or Ks, is a measure of the actual water use of the plants compared to their potential water use. If the plants are not using as much water as they could be using, then they are water-stressed. To calculate the Water Stress Coefficient (Ks), we need to know Actual ET, weather (ETo), and canopy size (Kc).

Tule places sensors in farm fields to measure the actual water use of the plants. To calculate the potential water use of the field, Tule uses remote sensing models to obtain the Reference ET (i.e., the influence of the weather). In addition, Tule uses the same method to determine the Crop Coefficient (i.e., Kc) that research scientists use to determine the standard, generalized Crop Coefficients.

FieldStat correlates with leaf water potential, which is typically measured using a pressure chamber. This has been demonstrated in numerous academic studies by university researchers, such as this winegrape study (see chart below) and this almond study. Unlike the pressure chamber, which only tells you about the water status of one plant, FieldStat measures the water status of a one to ten-acre area. This gives you a powerful tool to see the water stress of every field, every day, from anywhere, over many plants at a time.

Note that the Water Stress Coefficient (i.e., FieldStat) for monitoring plant water stress has been studied and validated for sixty years. FieldStat is an established science. In fact, it was first introduced in FAO 56 Evapotranspiration manual, which was written in the 1960s, ten years before the invention of the pressure chamber!

The above figure shows the relationship between the pressure chamber readings (i.e., leaf water potential) and the Water Stress Coefficient (i.e., FieldStat). In this paper, the authors omitted the Crop Coefficient term. Because the Crop Coefficient is a constant for any given field, omitting the Crop Coefficient shifts the curve up or down but does not influence the linear slope between pressure chamber readings and the Water Stress Coefficient.

Visualizing FieldStat Over Time

The chart below from an almond orchard shows how FieldStat changes over time. The horizontal black line is the weekly average value for FieldStat. The vertical blue lines are the irrigation applications.

Tule places sensors in farm fields to measure the actual water use of the plants. To calculate the potential water use of the field, Tule uses remote sensing models to obtain the Reference ET (i.e., the influence of the weather). In addition, Tule uses the same method to determine the Crop Coefficient (i.e., Kc) that research scientists use to determine the standard, generalized Crop Coefficients.

FieldStat correlates with leaf water potential, which is typically measured using a pressure chamber. This has been demonstrated in numerous academic studies by university researchers, such as this winegrape study (see chart below) and this almond study. Unlike the pressure chamber, which only tells you about the water status of one plant, FieldStat measures the water status of a one to ten-acre area. This gives you a powerful tool to see the water stress of every field, every day, from anywhere, over many plants at a time.

Note that the Water Stress Coefficient (i.e., FieldStat) for monitoring plant water stress has been studied and validated for sixty years. FieldStat is an established science. In fact, it was first introduced in FAO 56 Evapotranspiration manual, which was written in the 1960s, ten years before the invention of the pressure chamber!

At the beginning of the season, FieldStat is 100%, which tells us the plants are using as much water as they could use. Starting in late June, the grower cuts back on the irrigation amount for hull split. We can see that the plants become more stressed each day as they go from around 100% FieldStat to about 80% FieldStat. In September, the water has been cut off to facilitate harvest operations, so FieldStat falls to around 40%. In October, the grower applies water to the orchard again, the plants start using more water compared to what they potentially could use, and FieldStat rises back up to around 80%.

How to Use FieldStat

To use FieldStat, all you need to do is place a Tule sensor in your field. On our web and mobile apps, you will see daily FieldStat readings from the sensor. The sensor will tell you the water use of your field compared to the potential water use (i.e., the Water Stress Coefficient, or FieldStat).

Once you have this information, you can use it to make informed decisions about your irrigation practices. You can quickly see which blocks are showing more stress than your target stress level and which blocks are on track. If your FieldStat readings show that your plants are more stressed than your target, follow the Tule irrigation suggestions to get them back on track. Conversely, if your FieldStat readings show that your plants are less stressed than your target, then you may be able to delay your next irrigation.

Conclusion

FieldStat is a powerful tool that allows you to measure crop water status directly in your field, remotely, and without the hassle of using a pressure bomb. It is based on established science that predates the pressure chamber. With FieldStat, you can see the water stress of every field, every day, from anywhere.

Interested in learning more about Tule sensors for your farming operation? Click here to schedule a quick demo!

March 8 2023

What Does ET Mean to You?

kendall Uncategorized

Hopefully, the term “ET” doesn’t make you think of a friendly, homesick extra-terrestrial.

Do you know the importance of ET in your field? Did you know that not all “ET” values are created equal?

What is ET?

Evapotranspiration (ET) is the process of evaporation from plant and soil surfaces and transpiration from within plant tissues. In most modern agricultural systems, ET is the dominant process of water loss from a field.

There are many different platforms and products in the industry that offer growers ET numbers. But what kind of ET is it? Is it reliable?

Are there different types of “ET”?

Based on the source you’re using, the term “ET” can actually mean different things.

ETo is Reference Evapotranspiration. When most people mention “ET” in our industry, they mean Reference ET. This is the type of ET reported by sources like CIMIS. Reference ET is the ET of a well-watered lawn.

ETc refers to Crop Evapotranspiration. ETc incorporates Reference ET and some sort of crop coefficient to guess the water use of your field. ETc assumes your plants never experience water stress. ETc is included in subscriptions to some weather stations and crop models. But every field has a different canopy size and most fields experience some water stress. Simply put, ETc is a shot in the dark.

ETa is Actual Evapotranspiration. This is the real, exact, and measured evapotranspiration rate of a specific field. It’s how much water your field is using. And Tule is the only commercially available technology that measures it.

Why is ETa important?

Consistently irrigating to ETa can improve yields. This ensures your plants get precisely the amount of water they need, exactly when they need it.

Irrigating to crop water needs has many benefits. The most immediate value we see with our growers is that they find they’ve been irrigating too much. Adapting irrigation practices lowers both water and energy bills on the farm. Avoiding over-irrigation can also help reduce disease and improve efficient nutrient uptake by plants. Lower disease risk, better nutrient uptake, and precise irrigation all contribute to better quality and/or higher yields!

In the graph below, you’ll see that Nichols Farms increased their yields by irrigating to ETa year after year. Yields were less than 3,000 pounds in a year when total irrigation was 8 inches off ETa. They grew to nearly 6,000 pounds when irrigation was off by less than an inch.

What makes Tule different?

Unless it comes from Tule, the ET information you’re getting is an estimate, not a measurement. ET estimates can be wildly off for your field because a) your climate is different than the CIMIS station climate, b) your canopy is different than the one-size-fits-all crop coefficient, and c) your crop’s water status may not always be the same as a wet lawn.

Tule sensors offer ETa measurements in real time each day, daily crop water stress reports, irrigation monitoring, and irrigation suggestions.

Knowing ETa means you know the water use of your field – not the water use of a lawn fifty miles from your field.

February 28 2023

Spring Water Budget Report 2023

Tom Shapland, PhD Uncategorized

Great growers start irrigation planning now!

Tule sensors measure the soil water budget in hundreds of fields throughout California for our customers. At the start of each water year (October 1), we measure the water inputs (i.e., irrigation and rain) and subtract the water outputs (i.e., field-scale orchard water use measured with Tule sensors, runoff, and deep percolation).

The Spring Water Budget Report tells growers the amount of water in inches that they can expect to have in their soils as of February 28. Every year, our customers rave about how much they appreciate and rely on the report.

“With every winter seeming to be so different with how much rain we get and when we get it, the spring water budget has allowed us to have a better idea of irrigating before we have canopy growth.” said David Ilsley of Shafer Vineyards. “It’s allowed us to delay irrigations that gut instinct and weather reports would have triggered an irrigation in the past. Now, by having data, we can see that yes, we do need to irrigate or no, we can let it ride a few more days and that’s helped us save water.”

The data from our sensors also provides interesting insights into the “State of the Soil” of California’s fields. Here’s a look at the average soil water budget in orchards, vineyards, and other fields in different growing regions:

At Tule, we’re optimistic that 2023 will be a great year for California growers. But to get there, they will have to irrigate to the water needs of their crops. Our Actual ET sensors provide the most important information you need to maximize your production. Don’t take it from us. Here is what our customers say.

“Tule makes me a better grower because I am able to validate my irrigation schedule with actual tree water usage,” said James Nichols, VP of Farming Operations at Nichols Farms.

Good luck with the farming season!

Tom and Team Tule

January 31 2023

Tule Acquired by CropX!

Tom Shapland, PhD Uncategorized

I’m excited to announce that Tule has been acquired by CropX Technologies! CropX is an Ag Tech company with about 100 employees, including a deep bench of agronomic, product development, and engineering talent. The hardware and software development team at CropX is about 35 people! The CropX system offers its users real-time mobile and desktop insights and advice on irrigation, disease control, nutrient management, and more, based on above-ground crop sensing data and below-ground soil monitoring. Although CropX has a robust set of agronomic decision support tools and offices worldwide, CropX is very similar to Tule. Both companies are veteran agriculture businesses that have thrived by staying focused on supporting their customers and building simple, science-based products.

Tule and CropX combined offer everything there is to love about Tule and more. We will continue to support and improve Tule’s products. In addition, we will integrate soil moisture sensing and evapotranspiration monitoring into one platform. CropX’s other capabilities, including their disease management tool, will also be available in their complete agronomic farm management platform. I will continue as the leader of the Tule business unit within CropX while working to build upon our existing product offerings and expand globally.

Ten years ago, I started Tule as a spin-out of my research at UC Davis. At the time, I had thought nothing could be more rewarding than to see a fundamental science innovation out of the lab and in production agriculture. How naive of me that I thought productizing my research would be the most meaningful part! The most rewarding part of my journey at Tule has been getting to know and work with many growers I admire and consider my friends. I look forward to embarking on the next stage of the Tule journey!

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions. As always, we love hearing from you!

Tom Shapland, PhD
CEO
Tule, a part of CropX

January 3 2023

Why We Love SWEEP

kendall Uncategorized

At Tule, we love SWEEP.

Get that image of Cinderella with a broom out of your head! It’s not that kind of sweep. We’re not sweeping any tree nuts into windrows, either.

When we say SWEEP, we mean the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program from the California Department of Food and Agriculture. It’s a grant program designed to help growers implement new tools to save water and conserve energy on the farm. SWEEP isn’t the only grant available to California growers, but it’s our favorite. Mostly because it doesn’t require any grower fund matching.

According to the CDFA’s website, 1,130 projects have been funded by SWEEP so far for a total value of more than $123 million. Projects have reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 93,000 tons and saved 144,000 acre-feet of water per year! These grants ease the financial burden of on-farm upgrades, have a positive environmental impact, and help save money on future utility bills, too. That’s what we call a win-win-win!

Whether it’s installing solar panels, adopting pump automation, or, of course, utilizing Tule sensors to make irrigation decisions that can save water, there are many projects you can fund through SWEEP grants. It’s truly a smorgasbord of opportunities!

And we’ve got great news – the CDFA has $110 Million to fund SWEEP projects this year! The program’s getting started a little later than we’d anticipated, but better late than never with a budget like that! Because they’re working with unprecedented funds, CDFA is facing unique administrative challenges.

To help, they’re allocating $40M to test out a new block grant pilot program. Block grant recipients will accept grower applications through their own programs probably through the end of April 2023. Once the pilot program is complete, CDFA will accept traditional SWEEP grant solicitations most likely in the summer of 2023. The remaining SWEEP funds will be allocated to grower projects this way.

Whether you apply through a block grant recipient or wait until you can go directly through CDFA, it’s best to start preparing as early as possible. Either method may well be more first-come-first-served than competitive in nature. If that’s the case, there’s plenty you can do now to ensure a smooth and timely application.

We’ve been encouraging growers to get started by testing pumps, organizing records, and gathering quotes early. We even partnered with Innovative Ag Services and HotSpot AG to host a summer workshop series to help growers learn how to prepare. If you missed it, don’t worry! There’s a helpful webinar recording here.

Don’t think you have time to fill out a SWEEP grant application? Think of it this way: it usually takes about 30 hours to complete an application. And each award can be up to $200,000. Does making $6,700 an hour seem worth it to you? If you’re really in a pickle and want to give yourself the best chance of success, contact us at info@tuletechnologies.com. We’ll put you in touch with a professional grant writer who specializes in SWEEP. Be sure to tell them Tule sent you!

Take a look at CDFA’s website, start pulling some pump records, and be sure to let us know if you have any questions. Happy SWEEP-ing!

November 10 2022

Tule’s Four Deliverables

Tom Shapland, PhD Uncategorized

Tule sensors offer growers four main deliverables:

1 Daily Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa) of your field

2 Daily water stress measurements of your field

3 Real-time irrigation monitoring in your field

4 Irrigation suggestions for your field

Let’s take a deeper dive into each of these deliverables so you know exactly the type of information you’ll get as a Tule customer.

1 Daily Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa) of your field

Evapotranspiration (ET) is the process of evaporation from plant and soil surfaces and from within plant tissues. In most modern agricultural systems, ET is the dominant process of water loss from a field.

Tule sensors are a UC Davis research-based innovation for directly measuring the Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa) of your field. I developed the technology during my PhD work. Understanding the Actual Evapotranspiration of a given field can serve as an excellent tool when making important irrigation decisions.

Knowing the ETa means you know the water use of your field – not just one point in the soil or just one plant.

Measuring ETa shows you how much water is being used by your crop. That helps you understand how much you should irrigate to replace water lost and achieve optimal plant water stress.

ETa will decrease when there is an inadequate supply of water in the soil. If the daily ETa decreases, it’s time to irrigate!

Having daily ETa records tell you how your crop is responding to your irrigation decisions, providing feedback on your irrigation strategy.

2 Daily Water Stress Measurements

In addition to measuring Actual Evapotranspiration (ETa) every day, Tule sensors also measure the daily water stress of your crop. We show water stress in a graph that we call FieldStat. With FieldStat, a grower knows the status of all of their fields – at any time, from any place, and with confidence.

Before Tule, scientists measured ETa with lysimeters, which are basically giant pots on a buried truck scale. Using ETa data collected with lysimeters, scientists developed the water stress coefficient over fifty years ago. The water stress coefficient is a measure of the amount of water the plants are using (i.e., ETa) compared to the amount of water they could use, given the size of the plants and the current weather conditions. In other words, if the plant is using less water than it could use, then it’s water stressed.

Researchers have demonstrated in numerous peer-reviewed articles that the water stress coefficient, which we call FieldStat, correlates with crop yield, as well as various other measurements of plant water stress like leaf water potential (i.e., pressure bomb readings). But unlike the bomb, which only tells you about one plant, FieldStat measures the plant water status for a 1- to 10-acre area. As your crop becomes more water stressed, FieldStat decreases (as seen in the graph below).

3 Real-time Irrigation Monitoring

Each Tule sensor comes with a pressure switch that monitors irrigation applications. The irrigation data is reported and tracked on the Tule app and web dashboard. We use your irrigation data and sensor-based Actual ET measurements to build our irrigation suggestions.

With the pressure switch, you can see exactly when water turned on and off within minutes of it happening. Not only can you check irrigation events using the Tule app or web dashboard, but you can also now receive notifications to your phone! Extra peace of mind, right in your pocket.

4 Irrigation Suggestions

So you have a Tule sensor that measures the water use and water stress of your crop. And you have the pressure switch that tracks your irrigations.

Now what? What are you supposed to do with this information?

We’ve got you covered! Using the data collected by your Tule sensor and pressure switch along with contextual information about your field, we suggest the amount of water to apply to achieve your targeted level of water stress. For example, if you want to maximize yield, then we suggest the amount of water to apply to keep your plants experiencing water stress.

You can easily access your Tule information on the Tule web dashboard, email reports, or iPhone app. Suggestions are reported in hours as well as inches or gallons per vine, depending on your crop type.

Tule’s Four Main Deliverables

There you have it! Those are our four main deliverables! Our customers use our Actual ET, water stress, irrigation monitoring, and irrigation suggestions to make irrigation decisions. If you’re ready to learn more, please reach out to us!

November 10 2022

The Importance of Distribution Uniformity

Tom Shapland, PhD Uncategorized

Distribution uniformity values most growers consider “good enough” could still be costing $700 per acre.

This fall, Team Tule was pleased to join the Almond Board of California on their Irrigation Workshop Series. We spoke to growers all over the state about the differences between Reference Evapotranspiration (i.e., the water use of a lawn) and Actual Evapotranspiration (i.e., the water use of your crop field) and the importance of irrigating to Actual Evapotranspiration.

I enjoyed learning from the other speakers at the ABC workshops. My favorite was the presentation by the Almond Board’s Tom Devol called, “Importance of Distribution Uniformity and Cost of Leaks.” In the presentation, ABC’s Field Outreach & Education Senior Manager discusses the hidden cost of poor distribution uniformity.

At Tule, we’ve long touted the importance of monitoring and improving distribution uniformity along with measuring and irrigating to Actual Evapotranspiration. They’re both important tools when it comes to irrigating efficiently and maximizing the profitability of your operation.

Putting a Number on Issues

Missing Sprinkler

.87 GPH

52.2 GPH

46,771 gallons in a season of irrigation.

Improper Repair

.21 GPH

12.6 GPH

11,290 gallons in a season of irrigation.

Leaks at Filter

.61 GPH

36.6 GPH

20,773 gallons in a season of irrigation.

Clogged Screens

Lose of 12 PSI in system pressure.

Source: ABC Presentation Uniformity and Leaks Presentation

What’s more, if you’re using an in-line pressure switch to monitor irrigation applications, like the one on the Tule sensor, having good distribution uniformity is key to getting the most from the data.

Take a look at Tom Devol’s Distribution Uniformity presentation here.

A leak here and a leak there can add up to significant water costs and crop loss. But did you know that poor distribution uniformity can cause overall over-irrigation to overcompensate for under-irrigated areas? That can lead to excess water bills, pumping costs, and nutrient leaching.

In one of Tom’s examples, he shows that a distribution uniformity reduction from 100% to 85% in a 100-acre almond orchard can cost a grower up to $70k in a year. And that’s where water is cheap! And not including ineffective nutrient applications!

Simple Math on 100 Acres

Lost Yield

$655.00 per Acre x 100 Acres…..$65,500.00

Additional Water Applied

$36.00 per Acre x 100 Acres………..$3600.00

__________________________________________

TOTAL……………………………………………..$69,100.00

Source: ABC Presentation Uniformity and Leaks Presentation

Tom Devol’s presentation is geared toward almond growers, but the pitfalls of low distribution uniformity plague any irrigated crop. Now is a great time to conduct a distribution uniformity test on your ranch! Need help monitoring your distribution uniformity? Many Resource Conservation Districts conduct DU tests for free! Contact your local RCD here or contact Meras Water Solutions.

October 24 2022

What should my FieldStat targets be?

Tom Shapland, PhD Uncategorized

Tule’s best growers use the Season Summary Report to guide their decision.

The Tule 2022 Season Summary Reports are live! I love the reports for their agronomic overview of the annual cropping cycle. But did you know you can also use the Season Summary Reports to answer that perennial question: “What should my FieldStat targets be?”

FieldStat is Tule’s evapotranspiration-based water stress measurement. Growers set target levels of water stress for each irrigation block. FieldStat tells the grower if the block has too little water stress, too much water stress, or the desired amount of water stress.

Many of our customers ask us what water stress level is right for their blocks. Generally, we advise that it’s best to start with the business model for the block. If quality doesn’t nudge the crop price and yield is king, then growers should set the FieldStat targets to no stress or very low levels of stress. If the crop can fetch a better price with increased quality, like we see in some winegrape vineyards, then there is some amount of stress the grower wants the plants to experience.

But how much stress is the correct amount? And when is the right phenological window for the water stress? We tell growers the general range we see for their crop, production goal, and region. But farming is site-specific. General ranges can only go so far.

Our most agronomically sophisticated customers use their Season Summary Reports to set their targets. They set aside time each winter to plan their irrigation strategies for the next year. They review how their blocks performed with response to yield, quality, and response to heat events. Then, they examine the FieldStat chart on the Season Summary Report.

Did some of the crop get sunburned during the late summer heat wave? Consider setting your targets to less stress in the period running up to harvest.

Did my berry weights come in higher than expected? Consider lowering your FieldStat targets (i.e., aim for more stress) and drive more quality.

Were my kernel weights less than they’ve been in previous years? Consider raising the lower threshold of my FieldStat targets so the trees experience less water stress.

In this winegrape vineyard, the winemaker wanted smaller berries. For next season, the grower will decrease the FieldStat targets (i.e., aim for more water stress) to achieve lower berry weights.

There is a trove of other valuable agronomic information in the Season Summary Reports. You’ll find a historical review of your canopy size, summaries of your block’s Actual Evapotranspiration and irrigation applications, a comparison between your irrigation regime and the timing and amount of irrigation at similar fields in your area, winter soil water budgets, and more. At Tule, we provide our customers with valuable information for every stage of the annual cropping cycle.

Each fall when the reports are ready, our customers receive an email with directions for downloading them. Customers can access the report for last season and for previous seasons on the Web app. Watch this video to learn how to download the reports

We’re excited to share the latest Season Summary Reports with you!