As part of the MPI Sustainable Farming Fund “Smart Tools to Improve Orchard Drainage” project co-funded by New Zealand Apples and Pears Inc., we have been modelling drainage on case study orchards in Hawke’s Bay and Nelson.
Aerial images can show orchard canopy differences and indicate where tree growth is slowed or trees have died. This can be the result of poor drainage.
Aerial image of Illawarra orchard in Gisborne showing visible areas of missing and sparse canopy
We obtained LiDAR elevation data from the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Gisborne District Council which allowed us to create very detailed contour plans in ArcGIS – provided to us by ESRI and Eagle Technologies. An example is shown here, using LiDAR from Gisborne.
Detailed contour map of apple block at Illawarra in Gisborne, created from LiDAR data provided by Gisborne District Council
We can see that the block should drain from the high left (brown) corner to the low right (blue) corner. But when we examine the ground profile along the rows, we see the grade is not even.
Uneven grade along the inter-rows stops surface drainage, keeping soil wet for longer and creating conditions for pugging and wheel-track rutting.
A similar story is seen in the Hawke’s Bay case study orchard. Using HBRC LiDAR data, another contour map was made.
Detailed contour map of apple block at Evenden in Twyford, created from LiDAR data provided by HBRC
Again, inspecting the ground profile shows areas where surface drainage is held up, keeping soils wetter for longer.
Profile of inter-row showing areas where surface drainage is held by rising contour.
Our next step is to survey blocks with high accuracy RTK-GPS, measuring the profiles on the ground. We can use these profiles to design new inter-row profiles, and determine what cut and fill will be needed to ensure the rows can drain effectively. We will mount the GPS antenna as high as we can to avoid trees blocking the satellite signals.
A GPS antenna mounted on a 2 m mast to avoid signal obstruction. We have a 3 m mast option for larger, older orchards. The aerial connects the rover GPS on the quad, to a base station that determines and corrects for signal shift to give best possible accuracy
Many thanks to all the people at Illawarra Orchard, T&G Orchards, Bostock Orchards and to GPS Control Systems for your continuing support with this project.
Herbicide resistant weeds are a real and increasing issue globally and evident in New Zealand. Herbicide resistant ryegrass is for example, a problem in both arable farms and vineyards.
Atrazine resistant Amaranthus (Trevor James photo)
We are working with Trevor James
and AgResearch in a project focused on improved weed control and
vegetation management to minimise future herbicide resistance. The
project is funded through the Ministry of Business, Innovation and
Employment (MBIE) and major co-funder, the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR).
The project has four main work areas:
A Lincoln University team is seeking to identify the weeds most likely to develop herbicide resistance in new regions. Outputs will be a risk index that indicates weeds with a history of herbicide resistance, herbicide resistant weeds that pose the greatest risk if introduced and weeds that have a high likelihood of becoming resistant.
An AgResearch team seeks to identify and describe the drivers of on- and off-farm herbicide practices to more successfully address factors across the supply/value chain that increase the risk of herbicide resistance.
Grasslands and Massey University researchers will develop genotyping and seed bioassays to create ‘quick tests’ for resistance in key weed species. They will also model spread scenarios for resistance genes to determine the greatest risk of resistance i.e. from resistance developing on-site or from dispersal of resistant weeds. They are starting with perennial ryegrass before adding other species for screening.
We are in a team led by Trevor James looking to develop new non-herbicidal interventions (e.g. robotic weeders, abrasion technologies and smart cultivators) and the use of cover crops (in collaboration with FAR) for both managing existing and avoiding new instances of herbicide resistance.
Included in this section is ‘rediscovering’ Māori management practices such as traditional strategic resting and natural pathogenic organisms to target the soil weed seed bank. While virtually all our problem weeds are introduced from Europe and the Americas, the holistic approaches typical in Māoridom seem fully relevant to a systems based approach to weed management. A second group in this team is to isolate and evaluate natural pathogenic fungi and bacteria for their ability and efficacy to kill weed seeds.
LandWISE members are well-aware of the risks of herbicide resistance. It has been an aspect of LandWISE projects since the early 2000s when we began promoting strip tillage and no-till systems to maintain soil quality and reduce energy inputs. The extra pressure on herbicide controls when physical cultivation is reduced saw us publish charts of herbicide groups for different crops. Maybe it is time that work was brought up to date!
We’ve made a good start on the orchard drainage project, visiting sites in Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Nelson.
Many thanks to Illawarra Orchard, T&G Global, MrApple, Bostocks NZ, KONO Horticulture and Waimea West for your active involvement.
The sites confirm the need to address drainage and the consequent track rutting and associated problems in each of the regions. We have begun our survey of sites and regions, aiming to get some objective assessment of the amount and severity of problems, where they most occur and what solutions may be applied. We already see there will not be a one-fix-for-all!
The Gisborne site that initiated the project looks better than it did after harvest 2017. But the issues remain, and we’ll be surveying and planning how to reshape inter-rows to allow surface drainage.
Gisborne orchard after harvest 2017
In Motueka, our preliminary site visit saw the same problems and similar severity. The solution will not be the same, as the land contour is very different and the are no clear exit points for water once it does leave the tree blocks.
Severe rutting in Motueka Orchard
The orchard team has been applying a range of drainage remedies with varying success.
A drainage sump installed in Moteuka. Sumps widely used in low spots, but prone to blocking after a short time.
We visited a number of Hawke’s Bay sites on different soil types. One block in Twyford is being replanted, and pre-plant levelling was carried out. We are looking to trial inter-row levelling in established blocks, with surface water moved to tiles installed at the end of rows.
Installing novaflow in Twyford orchard – pea metal fill to ground level to facilitate entry of surface drainage for inter-rows
Two project establishment meetings were held, one in Levin at Te Takere and one in Gisborne at Gisborne District Council. At both there was a strong presence of growers and regional council representatives.
The Levin meeting also brought together science support providers from Landcare Research, Plant and Food Research and Groundtruth, and other stakeholders including the Foundation for Arable Research, Ballance AgriNutrients and Potatoes New Zealand.
Levin project establishment meeting
The strong engagement and commitment from all parties to collaborate highlights the importance of the project’s aims; reducing nitrate losses from intensive vegetable production.
Visit to Woodhaven Gardens and site of proposed wetland to reduce nitrates and sediment in drainage water
A presentation by Groundtruth at the Levin meeting showed their work in the Wairarapa, aimed at reducing surface water nitrates by installing wetlands. This helped raise interest and potential for use in Arawhata.
We also presented the Future Proofing Vegetable Production project in Gisborne as part of a Council meeting outlining to growers the requirements of Farm Environment Plans.
Good grower attendance at Gisborne meeting introducing Farm Environment Plans for horticulture and cropping
Follow-up “grower only” meetings were held in Levin and Gisborne to further work through project ambitions and activities and to enable growers to ask direct questions and give unconstrained opinion. Both meetings were very positive and confirmed engagement and a desire to genuinely review farm practices. The need to have good practices that can realistically be applied within the many operational constraints that growers face was reinforced. There are many operations to complete and often very tight weather and crop development windows in which to act.
Arawhata workshop on common pool resource management
The concept of common pool resource management was introduced at the establishment meetings. Using Elinor Ostrom principles, it involves all stakeholders taking responsibility and determining how to collaboratively manage the resource fairly and sustainably. In the context of this project the common resource could be contributions to the catchment’s nitrate load.
A second Levin meeting readdressed the topic and considered two potential management approaches.
Pooling nitrate leaching allocations and managing them to maintain the overall catchment losses to be within targets.
This approach acknowledges that some places may more easily limit nitrate losses and their savings could be transferred to help another area where losses are higher. It would in effect be a “cap and trade” model. Fresh vegetable growers did not think there would be great scope for this as their operations are too similar. However, they did note that within any individual property there are still areas where no nitrates are applied and cut and carry cropping may provide a net benefit.
Intercepting and removing nitrate from drainage water.
Surface water can be passed through wetlands and anaerobic zones to both absorb nitrates and to convert nitrate to N2 gas. Subsurface drainage flows can be intercepted and treated through high carbon woodchip bioreactors to convert nitrate to N2 gas. In both cases the N2 is harmlessly released to atmosphere. Levin growers support trials of both approaches. Three wetland sites were offered, and planning is underway for their design and development. A woodchip bioreactor site was offered and subject to further research will be used as a trial.
A key of common pool resource management is understanding that resource. Growers are keen to establish baselines, not only of grower good practice, but of the ecosystem. That includes developing our understanding of nitrates in surface water as they move through the catchment, and if possible, improving our knowledge of nitrates in drainage and ground water.
Grower Good Practice Survey completed Levin and Gisborne
The Good Practice Survey has covered most of the cropped area in each region. In both regions, it was resolved to base the survey on information farmers are required for farm environment plans. While the two councils have adopted different templates, there is considerable similarity.
Growers note the management practices do not apply solely to nitrates. Both growers and councils have expressed interest in extending the project’s breadth to consider phosphate and sediment management.
Groups and farmers supported to build capacity and capability
To date the focus has been on establishing the project, ensuring common understanding of its aims and objectives and readying for work starting over the spring and summer period.
Nitrate test strips to assess available soil nitrate have been distributed to project farms in Levin and Gisborne and farmers have been trying them out. All the required resources for farmers to undertake testing themselves have been brought together as a “Test Kit” containing test strips, extract solution, test tubes and soil sieves. We will be running workshops as required to ensure appropriate sampling strategies, sample processing and nitrate calculations are understood and test results are valid.
Each farmer is being encouraged to undertake some form of trial comparing a “new” management practice with current practice. A number of sites have been identified.
Woodhaven Gardens in Levin has made a 4 ha site available for any trials the group wishes to run and other growers wish to collaborate. In Gisborne, growers are also keen to participate, and we are working through which catchments and operations provide best opportunities to effectively reduce nitrate impacts.
A number of potential trials are being evaluated. Common to many is using the Nitrate QuickTest to assess available soil nitrate and modify fertiliser prescriptions. Others include assessing new fertiliser products that are designed to minimise losses, reducing base application rates, and testing biological products that are showing increased growth and reduced leaching in pastoral systems.
We will help growers design the trials, support trial establishment and monitoring and help with harvest and data analysis. Our aim is to increase the knowledge of successful farm trialling which will have legacy benefits when farmers have other questions they want to test or when reviewing information given to them by sales people.
Horizons Regional Council and Massey University have appointed a PhD candidate to undertake a study in the Arawhata Catchment in parallel with our project. The working title of the research is, “The capacity of grower management to reduce nitrogen losses to Lake Horowhenua”. The intent is for the PhD research to independently monitor the effectiveness of the different management strategies trialled.
Sites for nitrate mitigation trials identified
In both regions, farmers are keen to include testing of waterways that pass through farmed areas. We have obtained quick test strips for nitrates in drainage water. These are ten times more sensitive than those used for the soil nitrate testing. At present, we are identifying sub-catchments and drainage networks that can be monitored and developing protocols for data collection. We are planning to follow key drains from above cropped areas, monitoring above and below each farm and at regional monitoring sites where available. Both Councils have indicated support for this initiative.
As noted, three potential wetland sites and one woodchip bioreactor site have been identified and these are being evaluated. Landcare Research will be involved in bioreactor design.
A visit to two potential wetland sites in the Arawhata Catchment was made with Horizons’ Wetland coordinator and plans are being developed.
Inspecting a site for wetland establishment
We are keeping in communication with Massey University’s researchers investigating a bioreactor in sand country in Bulls.
We are also involved with a Queensland group testing different bioreactor designs in a range of environments and aim to increase our collaboration as our own work progresses. They have a planned study group and tour of sites in November.
With an increased work load, we’re looking for a self-motivated person to join us. You’ll be curious about transforming agricultural practices, keen on technology and pragmatic. You’ll enjoy working with growers, researchers and tech folk.
We’re not quite sure what to call the job: coordinator, advisor, officer? We know it offers diverse activities and needs excellent communication skills and practical knowledge of horticulture and technology. For the right person, this is a role with considerable potential to grow.
Your role will be to help run trials and extension activities and be part of identifying opportunities to improve economic and environmental performance in horticultural production.
We’ve just started new projects.
Our “Future Proofing Vegetable Production” project has a significant element of on-farm monitoring and field trials to help assess the realistic approaches fresh vegetable growers can take to reducing the loss of nitrates. It includes using new techniques to monitor soil nitrate levels, running on-farm trials to test new approaches, calibrating fertiliser application and irrigation equipment and testing new nitrate mitigation techniques.
Our “Smart tools to improve Orchard Drainage” project is using high accuracy GPS to map and model orchard drainage, and control land shaping equipment to ensure surface water can flow off during heavy rain events.
The LandWISE MicroFarm has just been land levelled and we are monitoring the effect of that, while we wait for a new series of cropping trials over coming years. In the past we’ve tried manipulating peas, changing bean planting arrangements, and mapping onions from satellites, UAVs and tractors. Now we’ve got a list of public and private trials in waiting.
Previous LandWISE projects include precision mapping vineyards to increase juice quality,
testing a small autonomous weeding robot,
the impact of banding fertiliser rather than broadcasting it, and how changing irrigation nozzles can affect application uniformity.
We prepared guidelines and calculators to calibrate fertiliser spreaders,led work on soil quality, novel crop canopy assessment technologies and tested satellite-augmented GPS positioning.
And of course, we helped introduce RTK-GPS and Autosteer, pioneered strip tillage and worked to prevent wind erosion and improve soil resilience by adopting minimum tillage techniques.
If you think this is the job for you, please send us your CV and a letter explaining why you’re the perfect candidate. Applications close very soon on Thursday 20th September 2018. We look forward to hearing from you!
This project is investigating potential improvements in GNSS positioning accuracy using satellite based augmentation (SBAS) in various farming environments in NZ.
Put simply, SBAS is a system with a network of known land-based control points that provides correction signals to GPS units via satellite. The US equivalent is WAAS, the European equivalent is EGNOS.
The project focuses on testing the SBAS Technology, comparing it with commercial systems currently available (at different levels of accuracy). Through insights gained from growers, the economic benefit SBAS could bring are being assessed.
Vegetable growers view RTK-GPS as the Gold Standard and use it where precise positioning has value. Uncorrected signals are suitable for some applications but sub-metre is preferred. Handheld devices are often tried and generally rejected after disappointment, losing potential benefits of better management if better location data were available.
High accuracy RTK-GPS on both tractor and implement keeps weeders in correct position
Apple growers appear slower to adopt GPS technologies because they identify a gap between very expensive and unwarranted RTK-GPS and cheap inadequate alternatives. Part of the reason is trouble getting good signals when working in large trees. The SBAS technology offers fit-for-purpose guidance and logging that could change the way growers use positioning technologies to enhance management and profitability.
A number of growers have tried SBAS technologies for both static point location and kinematic guidance. Static location is beneficial for recording points of interest such as diseased plants, weeds and harvest bin location. Kinematic guidance allows growers to track operations such as spraying, ensuring no missed or double ups.
We tested a few systems at the MicroFarm. Rings at RTK-GPS points, blue and white lines are runs using our Arrow100 with SBAS , yellow line is a Bad Elf with SBAS and the green line a smartphone GPS.The project is one of a number being funded under a joint Australia/New Zealand government initiative through the Australian CRC for Spatial Information and LINZ.
The team supporting LandWISE in this project includes
Inadequate orchard drainage, highlighted during the 2017 autumn harvest period, is an extreme expression of a common problem that can occur anytime of the year. Muddy conditions increase disease, increase labour costs and hazards and increase storage fruit rots. Despite numerous attempts to rectify puddles and mud, the problem remains.
LandWISE has joined with New Zealand Apples and Pears Inc in a project which has gained support from the MPI Sustainable Farming Fund. Over the next three years, this project will draw on experience from other sectors and access to new precision agriculture technologies to address the problem through precision surface drainage, particularly in established orchards where it is especially difficult.
Orchard inspections have shown infrastructural factors are limiting surface drainage on at least 25% of the inspected orchard blocks. The microtopography in orchards creates ponding areas that stay wetter for longer. When sprayers and other traffic pass through, the surface is damage and soil smeared. This further reduces natural drainage and the problem spreads.
This project will adapt and pilot use of precision technologies to survey, design and implement surface drainage plans that minimise ponding risk and reduce these negative impacts. These will be supported by guidelines for wheel track management to provide a secure base for harvest traffic. This will become even more critical as the industry automation with picking platforms and robotic harvesters.
As well as designing effective drainage, we will determine the degree of compaction on orchard blocks and assess root development under the permanent wheel tracks. We will develop ways to restore a good working surface in the inter-row that has strength to carry traffic without unduly compromising root development.
For more information, contact Rachel Kilmister Rachel Kilmister Rachel at applesandpears.nz or Dan Bloomer at LandWISE.org.nz
Future proofing vegetable production requires ongoing rapid change in farm practice to meet cost pressures and increasingly stringent demands from regulators and markets for enhanced environmental performance and water quality.
It will not be easy but with support from the MPI Sustainable Farming Fund, industry and regional councils, we’re about to start the journey.
LandWISE is partnering with growers and our funders to develop and test new production and nitrogen mitigation techniques. The project draws on and supplements recent and current research to develop new generation good management practices.
We have four main areas of focus:
precise nutrient prescription (how much is required)
Test strip used to determine available N in a soil sample
precise application (is it going where it is needed when it is needed)
Ensuring the prescribed rate of fertiliser is applied
maximising retention (ensuring leaching is minimised)
recapturing nitrates that move beyond the root zone (constructed wetlands and wood-chip bioreactors)
Installing a wood-chip bioreactor (Lincoln Agritech image)
The research side will be supported with considerable extension and training. We are aware that numerous computer based decision support tools have been developed, but we have identified that many growers need considerable support and upskilling to have the knowledge, skills and experience to effectively use them.
We are absolutely delighted at the calibre of speakers coming together for LandWISE 2018 – Technologies for Timely Actions. They have a wide range of backgrounds, work in a range of different sectors looking at a wide range of different things.
We’ve put information about the speakers on our discussion (blog) posts. Here, they are presented as a list with links so you can follow as you please.
We are grateful for the support of AGMARDT, McCain Foods and Heinz-Watties for helping bring our international speakers to New Zealand.
The story began four years ago when we had a crop of onions at the MicroFarm. To get a good look at the crop LandWISE Manager, Dan Bloomer climbed up the irrigator.
“The view when you get 7m up in the air and look down is very different to what you see walking around, and I saw massive variability throughout the crop,” he said.
Wide variation within the area new to onions does not follow artificial rain or topographic drainage patterns.
“I could understand some of it but a lot more I couldn’t explain. A colleague was playing around with imaging and smart phones and he made an application where we could drive up and down the rows and map the percentage canopy cover. I talked about it with Onions NZ Research Manager Jane Adams who thought it would be quite useful and could lead to greater understanding of variability in onion crops.”
We then partnered with Plant and Food Research with support from Onions New Zealand and the Sustainable Farming Fund to do a project aimed at studying that variability.
Bruce Searle, crop scientist with Plant & Food Research, designed a research approach to get the data we needed to make some practical applications.
“We wanted to figure out where the variability comes from and how much of it is something that a grower can control. So we looked at the different factors that might influence variability and worked through the contribution of each to the overall variability,” he says.
“A lot of it comes down to individual plants growing at different rates – something that the grower can’t do a lot about. However, factors that influence getting good crop establishment are critical to reducing variability, and once the crop is up you can look at poor performing areas within in the crop. The tool that Dan has been working on captures that information so that you can map the field and make some decisions.”
Bruce showing Richard the Quick Test for Soil Nitrate
We have done items with Showdown Productions before and have enormous respect for their work. You can see the result of the onion interviews on Rural Delivery, TVNZ1.
The survey used was based very strongly on the 
testing a small autonomous weeding robot,
the impact of banding fertiliser rather than broadcasting it, 
and how changing irrigation nozzles can affect application uniformity.
led work on soil quality, novel crop canopy assessment technologies and tested satellite-augmented GPS positioning.
The project is one of a number being funded under a joint Australia/New Zealand government initiative through the Australian CRC for Spatial Information and LINZ.
