David Goldhamer
Irrigation Management Specialist
Ph.D., University of California, Davis, 1980

Phone (559) 646-6575     FAX (559) 6593
E-mail:  dagoldhamer@ucdavis.edu

Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources
University of California, Davis

Area of Specialty:
Irrigation Management

Research Statement
There continues to be high demand for information on optimizing irrigation for California's tree fruit and nut orchards. It's clear that while weather-induced droughts will continue to be a periodic problem for tree and vine growers, institutional-related droughts due to demand from municipal and environmental interests must also be addressed. My applied research program deals with developing information on regulated deficit irrigation and I've focused on educating growers about this new approach to water conservation. Since the bulk of my applied research deals with tree response to water, my extension program concentrates on extending this information. My approach is 3-fold; to educate farm advisors and consultants so they can assist their local growers, to speak at grower and industry meetings that I or the farm advisors organize, and to quickly disseminate useful popular publications on the subject.

My applied research and extension education program in irrigation and water management is primarily in the San Joaquin Valley. Research focus is on plant water relations and innovative techniques to improve water use efficiency. Current research projects include regulated deficit irrigation on almonds, pistachios, peaches, olives, wine grapes, and irrigation/disease relations of figs.

Selected Publications

2006.  Goldhamer, D.A., M. Viveros, and M. Salinas.  Regulated deficit irrigation in almonds: Effects of variations in applied water and stress timing on yield and yield components.  Irrigation Science 24:101-114.

2004. Goldhamer, D.A. and E. Fereres. Irrigation scheduling of almond trees with trunk diameter sensors. Irrigation Science 23:11-19.

2004. Goldhamer, D. A. and R.H. Beede. Regulated deficit irrigation effects on yield, nut quality and water-use efficiency of mature pistachio trees. J. Hort. Sci. and Biotech. 79(4):538-545.

2003. Goldhamer, D.A. Irrigation Scheduling with Plant Indicators: Field Applications in Encyclopedia of Water Science. Marcel Dekker, Inc. pp. 512-518.

2003. Goldhamer, D.A. Irrigation Scheduling with Plant Indicators: Measurement in Encyclopedia of Water Science. Marcel Dekker, Inc. pp. 519-522.

2003. Fereres, E., D. A. Goldhamer, L. R. Parsons. Irrigation water management of horticultural crops. HortSci. 38(5): 1036-1042.