Tag: UC Davis

10 Tips To Help Maximize Water Use Efficiency

Posted on by

Daniele Zaccaria, assistant cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Land, Air and Water Resources at the University of California-Davis, offers some tips to help you get the most from your irrigation water:

1. Consult with farm advisers in your area. They are usually a good source of information for irrigation management practices.

2. Plan for crop planting timing strategically, as early or late planting may help growers avoid the highest water-demanding periods, or reduce the length of the crop cycle, thus requiring less water to achieve profitable yields.

Continue reading

Subsurface Drip Irrigation Shines at Alfalfa Field Day

Posted on by

On May 15, UC Davis held its annual Alfalfa Field Day to discuss a number of topics, including pest management, varietal trials, and irrigation management. However, the highlight of the field day was the discussion on subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) for alfalfa.

UC Davis Extension agronomist and forage specialist, Dan Putnam, provided the benefits and disadvantages of alfalfa on SDI and introduced a three year project that is currently looking at the water use, yield opportunities, and rodent management strategies associated with SDI. As part of this effort, UC Davis will launch an online sharing group to allow grower collaboration for SDI on alfalfa. More information can be found at http://alfalfa.ucdavis.edu/.

Continue reading