NOVAGRIC Projects
Irrigation of super-intensive hedge almond trees
This project is being carried out on a large farm dedicated to super-intensive hedge almond cultivation, with an ambitious production approach and water resources that allow for high yield targets.
The farm is in its third year of production, with an initial estimate of around 700 kg/ha of kernels, and a target of between 2,000 and 2,500 kg/ha/year, always under criteria of efficiency and agronomic control.
Hydraulic and agronomic design
One of the main design criteria in this type of farm is to ensure total hydraulic balance. The aim is for the entire farm to be irrigated evenly, with:
- The same pressures
- The same flow rates
- An even distribution of water and fertiliser
This prevents vegetative and productive imbalances between sectors, which is critical in large-scale farms.
In addition to the hydraulic design, the project has been designed to ensure agronomic balance, so that water and nutrients are supplied evenly to all sectors at all stages of the crop cycle.
Technical challenges of the project
Uneven terrain on the farm
One of the main challenges of this installation is the terrain, with differences in elevation of up to 200 metres within the farm itself. This directly affects:
- The location of the irrigation head
- The sizing of pipes
- The selection of control and safety elements
The correct location of the head has been key to minimising differences in elevation and facilitating stable operation of the installation.
Number of irrigation lines
In super-intensive almond cultivation, the technical trend is to work with a single hose per line, as opposed to intensive systems where two are used. In this project, a single line has been chosen, adapted to the hydraulic and topographical conditions of the farm.
Fertigation system and irrigation head control
The irrigation head is equipped with a multi-injection fertigation system, managed by a smart controller.
At Novagric, we regularly work with Venturi systems, which allow several fertilisers to be injected simultaneously, control pH and conductivity, and avoid antagonisms between nutrients
The system allows three fertilisation methods to be used:
- By time, distributing the fertiliser throughout the irrigation cycle
- By conductivity, setting a target value
- By volume, considered the most accurate method from an agronomic point of view
In the latter case, the exact litres of fertiliser to be applied are programmed using fertiliser meters to ensure that the dose is distributed correctly throughout the irrigation process.
Water management and storage
The farm has a 30,000 m³ reservoir lined with polyethylene sheeting, a key solution to prevent losses due to infiltration, waterlogging and damage to nearby trees.
Pump system.
The pumping system uses floating pumps, supported by floats, which keep the pump at a constant height, draw water from the middle of the reservoir and ensure stability and continuity of supply.
Safety and control elements of the installation
Given the complexity of the terrain, the project incorporates various hydraulic safety elements, which are essential to ensure uniformity and prevent breakdowns:
- Sector valves with solenoid
- Single-cable control system
- Micropiles to equalise pressure
- Suction cups in high areas and depressions
- Shut-off valves for maintenance without disabling sectors
These elements enable safe, flexible and easily maintainable operation.
Some pictures of our project in Talavera de la Reina (Toledo, Spain)
Project details
Type
Localised irrigation and fertigation in woody crops
Location
Talavera de la Reina (Toledo, Spain)
Cultivation
Almond hedge (Penta variety)
Surface
280 ha in total. 180 ha in super-intensive system
- Localized irrigation system for almond trees in hedgerows
- Irrigation head with Venturi multi-injection
- Smart irrigation and fertigation controller
- Fertilizer meters per injection line
- 30,000 m³ waterproof reservoir
- Floating collection pumps
- Hydraulic valves with solenoid
- Single-cable control system
- Safety suction cups
- Shut-off valves for maintenance
- Comprehensive hydraulic design of the farm
- Irrigation system sizing
- Fertigation system design
- Agronomic advice on fertilization strategies
- Implementation of control and safety systems
- Commissioning of the installation
- Adaptation of the irrigation system to slopes of up to 200 meters, maintaining uniform pressure and flow throughout the farm.
- Hydraulic and agronomic uniformity across 180 ha of super-intensive almond hedgerows, ensuring the same distribution of water and fertilizer in all sectors.
- Precise fertigation using a Venturi multi-injection system, with simultaneous pH and conductivity control to avoid antagonisms between nutrients.
- Volume-controlled fertilizer application, ensuring the exact dosage of each fertilizer throughout the irrigation process using specific meters.
- Optimization of water storage with a 30,000 m³ waterproof reservoir, preventing losses due to infiltration and waterlogging problems in the crop.
- Stable water collection using floating pumps, ensuring constant water intake from an average reservoir level.
- Irrigation system designed with hydraulic safety features, such as suction cups, micropiles, and sectorized valves, to reduce the risk of breakdowns.
- Installation designed for easy maintenance, allowing for specific replacements without rendering entire irrigation sectors unusable.
- Solid technical basis for achieving between 2,000 and 2,500 kg/ha/year, always under criteria of efficiency and agronomic control.
Company