Pine Tree Field Day: Crop Coefficient Updates and GEM Spacing Trial

The California Avocado Commission will host a field day at Pine Tree Ranch — located at 19455 E Telegraph Rd, Santa Paula, CA — on Wednesday June 5, from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. The session will focus on the new California avocado crop coefficient research, using a crop coefficient for irrigation purposes and the GEM spacing trial.

Dr. Ali Montazar, Irrigation and Water Management Farm Advisor, will discuss preliminary results from his CAC-funded research to develop an updated crop coefficient for avocados. The crop coefficient is used to calculate the water needs of crops based on various environmental factors. The current crop coefficient for avocados in California was adapted from citrus and this is the first study to develop an avocado specific crop coefficient. 

Andre Biscaro, Irrigation and Water Resources Farm Advisor, will discuss how to utilize crop coefficient data to correctly calculate irrigation water needs. Although the development of an accurate crop coefficient for avocados is important to determining trees' water needs, it's important for growers to understand how to use the crop coefficient to correctly calculate irrigation needs. 

Dr. Ben Faber, soils/water/subtropical crops farm advisor, will walk growers through a GEM spacing trial at Pine Tree Ranch. The GEM spacing trial was planted in 2021 and consists of trees planted at three different spacings. The first crop was harvested in 2024 and Dr. Faber will share the results to date with attendees.