Drought water management: an Australian perspective

Essentially all temperate orchards and vineyards in Australia are irrigated and the majority rely on surface water runoff that is captured in reservoirs.
During the Millennium Drought in southeast Australia (2001-2009) growers were faced with unprecedented irrigation restrictions due to very low levels in these reservoirs.
To cope with irrigation restrictions, growers had the option to purchase seasonal water (‘temporary’ water for use in the current season) relinquished by the grazing or fodder industries.
However, strong demand resulted in the price of temporary water exceeding the value of many horticulture crops.
In some situations, growers took the opportunity to remove less profitable cultivars and re-direct irrigation water to more valuable blocks.
Often they could not afford to pull out trees or vines so they simply abandoned orchard or vineyard blocks.
Alternatively, growers adopted various irrigation saving technologies and strategies including: de-branching and canopy hedging to reduce transpiration; regular irrigation system maintenance; the conversion of flood, sprinkler and microjet irrigated orchards and vineyards to drip systems; the control of understorey weeds and cover crops; the application of mulch to reduce soil evaporation; and the implementation of deficit irrigation strategies.
This paper reviews the irrigation savings from these techniques and presents results from a program of research on spatial management, deficit irrigation and severe water deficits that was initiated during the Millennium Drought to compliment these grower practices.

VIII International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops

I. Goodwin, M.G. O¿Connell

irrigation, orchards, vineyards, evapotranspiration, deficit irrigation, drip, microjet, spatial management

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1150.31