Dr. Nelson Honored for His Work in Efficient Citrus


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Dr. Nelson Honored for His Work in Efficient Citrus Irrigation W ritten by : J ohanna A rendt

The ag industry in Texas often gets a bad rap when it comes to water conservation and irrigation efficiency. But many growers, researchers and irrigation districts in the Rio Grande Valley and around the state are actively conserving through daily decisions, changes in farming practices, and investment in new technologies or infrastructure. Each year, the Water Conservation Advisory Council recognizes leaders in ag water conservation and efficiency in Texas through their Blue Legacy Award. These annual awards recognize groups or individuals whose work increases water conservation in agriculture.

pared traditional flood irrigation with narrow border flood (NBF). NBFirrigated plots have raised berms between the trees, or down the middle of each citrus row. The study found that NBF allows water to be channeled faster down the citrus row, flowing only underneath the tree canopy, applying water where the tree roots can absorb it more quickly. Water meters were used to determine the total amount of water applied to each plot, and the findings were substantial.

NBF used about 35 percent less water than large-pan flood irrigation.

On March 26, 2015 at the State Capitol, a Blue Legacy Award for Agriculture was awarded to Dr. Shad Nelson of Texas &M University – Kingsville. While the Valley has seen water supplies stretched thin, Dr. Nelson has been working to help farmers irrigate more efficiently without compromising the yield or quality of their produce.

These results complement previous findings and suggest that NBF irrigation may actually use less water than micro-jet spray and drip irrigation. In addition, economic analyses of NBF show these practices are not only water-efficient, but also economically sound for citrus producers, generating high-quality yields and higher net cash farm income.

Citrus orchards in the Valley primarily use traditional large-pan flood irrigation, but Dr. Nelson has shown through on-the-ground demonstrations that by restricting the flooding to just the areas where the trees need it most, a significant amount of water can be saved. His research has focused not only on which irrigation practices are the most efficient, but also which are the easiest to implement and the most cost effective. Testing these methods in the unique South Texas environment on crops commonly grown in the area has allowed him to identify the most helpful techniques for local growers.

Dr. Nelson is a professor of horticulture and soil sciences at Texas A&M University-Kinsgville, where he also serves as the Chair of the Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness and Environmental Sciences. Much of the research described above was done as part of the Texas Project for Ag Water Efficiency (Texas AWE), which is funded by the Texas Water Development Board and has involved the efforts of the Harlingen Irrigation District, South Texas agricultural producers, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, and Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

In one major study, Dr. Nelson com-

Dr. Nelson has also contributed his

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The Water Conservation Advisory Council commended Dr. Nelson’s commitment to finding workable solutions, and to putting these technologies in the hands of farmers who can use them. His leadership in ag water efficiency is helping to create a blue legacy for the farmers and cities of the Rio Grande Valley, as well as keeping the world fed with delicious RGV citrus.Thank you, Shad!

expertise to outreach efforts in the Lower Rio Grande Valley to promote the adoption of water-saving irrigation practices. He worked with Texas AWE to develop a widely-distributed factsheet on Narrow Border Flood irrigation, and a video on the same topic. Both the factsheet and video are available on Texas AWE’s website

(texasawe.org).

Dr. Nelson has also collaborated with Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension to publish and disseminate results in peer-reviewed journals and extension publications, newsletters, and videos. He has presented at professional meetings, invited seminars, field days and tours aimed at current and future agricultural growers and leaders, highlighting the benefits of implementing these irrigation strategies.