Effect of microsprinkler location on tree performance in citrus

The current location of microsprinklers in citrus orchards in the San Joaquin Valley of California is between the trees in the row.
This location results in damage to the sprinklers during harvest (by hand) operations.
Detecting and replacing damaged emitters is an ongoing task in order to maintain an efficient irrigation system for tree vigor, fruit production and operation during the frost season.
Moving the sprinklers under the tree canopy would reduce the damage.
There has been concern within the industry for some time that placing sprinklers under the tree canopy would have a negative effect on fruit production and, or fruit quality.
In addition there has been concern that locating the sprinklers under the canopy would prevent monitoring the performance of the sprinklers during operation of the irrigation system.
The results from this experiment demonstrate that monitoring of the emitters under the canopy is possible and that there were no significant differences in fruit production or quality between the two locations of the microsprinklers.

XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014): International Symposia on Water, Eco-Efficiency and Transformation of Organic Waste in Horticultural Production

N. O¿Connell, L. Schwankl

citrus, microsprinkler location, low volume irrigation, citrus irrigation

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1112.17