Guidelines for irrigation management for apple and pear growers

November 2008 | Developed for the Australian apple and pear industry by RMCG with APAL and Horticulture Australia Limited | Irrigation management guidelines

Water management is a core production and risk-management issue in Australian orchards. These guidelines were developed to help growers improve water-use efficiency in both average seasons and periods of restricted supply, bringing together existing research and practical orchard experience in a form intended for day-to-day use.

The publication explains how irrigation demand changes through critical growth stages, why rooting depth and rootstock influence water requirements, and how different irrigation systems suit different soils and orchard layouts. It also covers irrigation scheduling using soil-moisture information and plant response, with an emphasis on matching application rates to soil type to reduce runoff, drainage losses, waterlogging and salinity risk.

A major practical focus is water budgeting: estimating seasonal demand, understanding where the orchard is using water most effectively, and identifying where management changes can save water without compromising tree performance. The resource is particularly useful as a framework for checking whether irrigation hardware, scheduling and monitoring are aligned with crop demand.