When is the best time to irrigate pistachio trees?

The water required for pistachio trees in the flood method is about 4,000 cubic meters per hectare per year for 4- to 5-year-old seedlings, and the same amount is recommended for irrigating one-year-old seedlings. It has been transferred and does not have much root development, so it's real need is much less than 4,000 cubic meters, and even less than a thousand cubic meters per hectare in the first year, which can only be measured by modern systems or the same system under pressure. This is not possible with the flood method.

In most cases, farmers provide at least 4 to 6 irrigation sessions during the production period in light, well-drained soils. The usual irrigation pattern involves watering young trees in the winter, immediately after planting. Then 8 times during the first growing season until autumn.

In subsequent years, irrigation is applied from spring to autumn during 4 to 8 irrigation sessions.

There are some things to keep in mind in watering time. Based on the experience gained over the years, growers are well aware that pistachio trees need different amounts of water each season.

They also know that the quality and quantity of the product depends on the proper amount of water supply. Usually in the flowering season and mid-summer, the trees need the maximum amount of water.

Therefore, we usually irrigate every 24 days. However, in winter the trees need less water. Therefore, watering every 45 days is enough. Do not irrigate for two weeks before harvest because fruits are more at risk for insects and aflatoxins.

High humidity increases the risk of aflatoxins, so irrigation is very dangerous at this time of year.

The amount of water required for pistachio trees for different irrigation methods in cubic meters per hectare

Surface and flood irrigation: 9,000 cubic meters per hectare per year

Irrigation of Babol: 7,000 cubic meters per hectare per year

Drip irrigation: 5,000 cubic meters per hectare per year

The most sensitive period of irrigation of pistachio trees is in July and when the pistachio kernel is full.

• The most important water for open mouth pistachio seeds is the last water before the seeds are getting fully ripe and harvesting is in late August or early September.
• Maximum plot area in surface irrigation for soils with heavy texture: one thousand two hundred and fifty square meters or fifty huts
• The most suitable irrigation period for medium texture soils in surface irrigation method: thirty-five to forty days
• The most suitable irrigation period for medium texture soils in Bubbler irrigation method is twenty days
• The most suitable irrigation period for medium texture soils in drip irrigation method is ten days and if the water be saline, six to seven days
• The mentioned periods are in average and as far as possible in the hot months of the year it should be less than this amount and for the cold months of the year it should be considered more than this amount.

Types of pistachio irrigation methods

Surface irrigation:

1. A) strip irrigation (Crete):

This method requires relatively flat ground (slope less than 1%) and water with high flow. The length and width of these strips depend on the slope, soil texture and amount of water. The field efficiency of this irrigation method is between 40 and 80%. If a runoff collection system is available at the end of the strips, the efficiency will increase.

1. B) Groove irrigation (atmospheric and ridge)

The grooves are made in different shapes to direct the water down the slope. This method is usually used in lands which slope does not exceed 2%, in more slopes, soil erosion will be a serious problem.

1. C) Bubbler irrigation method:

   This method is actually a kind of surface irrigation in which water is transferred to the foot of the tree through polyethylene pipes and water is transferred into a plot, pond or pond by a plastic fountain (bubbler). In this method, it is better to create a pan with a diameter of one meter and a maximum diameter of tree crowns under each tree and to irrigate it.

Regional (point) irrigation system:

This irrigation method includes drip irrigation (Trickle or drip) on land and underground drip irrigation, underground irrigation with ceramic pipes or porous pipes (permeable polyethylene), micro-irrigation or micro-jet irrigation.

In this method, a small amount of water is permanently given to a limited volume of soil through a narrow tube or other mechanical device called an emitter. The volume of soil wetted around the trees by this method is less than the soil wetted by other methods.

    It has been suggested that fertile and old trees need 40 to 60% (or more) of the soil volume as a wet surface. This amount is 5-10% for young trees. If the permeability of the soil or the capillary movement of water in the soil is low or not good, it is necessary to increase the number of wetting agents or water outlets (drippers or emitters) to reach the required wet volume.

    Larger, older trees may need more than 6-8 in a loamy soil, and younger trees may need a dropper.

important points:

   It is better to irrigate pistachio orchards (over 12 years old) at least once every 30 days. This period is suitable for orchards whose soil has a medium texture. If possible, in warmer months, it is better to reduce the irrigation period by about 10 days. If the texture is heavy, the irrigation cycle of the cold months (April to June, September and October) and the warm months (July and August) can be increased by 5 to 10 days. (Depending on whether the texture is relatively clayey or completely clayey). The water required for pistachio seedlings will be about 4,000 cubic meters per hectare per year for 4 to 5 year old seedlings, but in the present collection the same number is recommended for irrigating annual seedlings and because the pistachio plant is new to the main place in the first year. It has been transferred and does not have much root development, so it's real need is much less than 4,000 cubic meters and even less than 1000 cubic meters per hectare in the first year. Because this amount can not be given to the ground by flooding method, so a higher number that fits this method is mentioned

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