The almond tree is a member of the rose family and is native to the Middle East. Almonds are very popular because they are high in vitamin E and low in saturated fat. It is a tree with many similarities to the peach tree. Like the peach tree, the blossom is formed around the vegetative buds and it can reach up to 6 metres in height and diameters of up to 4 metres. The world’s largest producers are the United States, Spain, Italy, Iran and Morocco (source: FAO).
It is a fruit tree that grows in warm areas and is very sensitive to humidity, so it is not very tolerant to cold and does not grow in humid climates. It responds very well to water shortages.
Being a hardy species, it is able to grow in all types of soils, even those that are shallow and calcareous. The optimum pH is 7.0 to 8.0 and the best soils are loose and sandy, although these tress also grow on loam. It does not favour water-saturated and waterlogged soils as it does not tolerate root asphyxia.
The planting distance varies according to ecological and soil conditions, variety and rootstock, type of mechanisation, type of harvesting and whether the plantation is dry or irrigated.
The most commonly used frames are: 7 x 5 and 6 x 4. For less vigorous varieties, planting frames of 6 x 6 or 6 x 5 can be used.
Almond trees are usually rainfed, although the new crops are drip irrigated. The most important time when the kernel should be irrigated is during kernel filling in spring as this will later influence future production. Watering 15-20 days before harvesting favours the detachment of the kernel shells.
Emitter pipe selection: A wide range of products to ensure the right choice of emitter pipe. The combination of emitter model, unit flow rate and spacing between them not only guarantees the supply of the planned allocations in the irrigation strategy, but also ensures a large volume of moist soil available for root development in both localised surface irrigation and SDI.
Digital Farming: Together with the appropriate selection of the emitter pipe, the use of AZUD QGROW equipment for the precise management of water and nutrient inputs, with the information coming from soil, plant and climate sensors allows:
Good root system development in the early stages of the crop and proper irrigation practice after crop production begins.
Avoid high soil moisture contents, to which almond trees are highly sensitive.
Guarantee water and nutrient inputs that, under the existing soil and climatic conditions, enable high production and a high yield (percentage of kernels contained in a sample of almonds in shell).
Carry out specific irrigation practices autonomously conditioned by the type of irrigation (localised surface irrigation or SDI) and by situations of reduced water availability (back-up irrigation, Controlled Deficit Irrigation, …).
