Workshop Recap: Understanding and Monitoring Orchard Irrigation Systems
Fruit Growers Victoria, with the support of Agriculture Victoria’s Drought Support Package, hosted a successful workshop on Thursday, 19 March 2025 at Tatura Smart Farm. The event brought together fruit growers, industry professionals, and government representatives to explore best practices in orchard irrigation management and water use efficiency.
The workshop featured presentations from Nick O’Halloran and Joe Braden (Agriculture Victoria), who guided participants through understanding irrigation systems, including how much water is being applied and the factors affecting system performance. Topics covered included emitter types and specifications and their impact on discharge rate, measuring emitter pressure and discharge, and understanding the influence of system design on application variability.
In addition, the presenters provided practical guidance on understanding soil water holding capacity, estimating Readily Available Water (RAW), and calculating maximum runtime for irrigation events. These sessions encouraged participants to engage in meaningful conversations around water use efficiency, system optimisation, and strategies to improve orchard productivity.
Following the presentations, attendees took part in a field walk at Montague Farms, where they gained hands-on experience in monitoring pressures, flow rates, and uniformity in real orchard systems.
Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of the workshop. We look forward to welcoming you to future FGV events and workshops.
