Avocados in Precision Agriculture

At Pollen Systems, we are always excited to apply our PrecisionView™ approach to the crops we know and love. One fruit we keep returning to at work (and in our favorite recipes) is the beloved avocado.

Adapted to rainforests by nature, avocados grow vigorously and will develop a dense canopy in a relatively short time. This growth habit is a challenge unique to cultivating avocados, as each tree also bears two overlapping years of fruit at a time: new shoots for the current year emerge even as the previous season’s mature fruit approach their harvest date.

RGB color and NDVI imagery of avocados in Chile. NDVI statistics quantify the differences between stressed and vigorous vegetation and help identify priority management areas.

To balance the well-being of fruit on both lower and upper branches (and optimize yield) pruning is a critical factor. With aerial imagery, it is easier to identify areas of unwanted canopy closure and adjust pruning strategies accordingly.

Some foliar disease symptoms can also become visible from the air, such as leaf yellowing or necrosis due to Persea mite or Phytopthora root rot. Additionally, irrigation issues can be identified by observing highly stressed or vigorous plants nearby.

Walking large orchards to identify this array of symptoms, especially in high avocado canopies, presents an obstacle that data-driven agricultural methods like ours can address.

Using drones or fixed-wing aircraft, entire fields can be regularly monitored to make pesticide applications, fertilizer use, and irrigation more efficient.

After each flight, a dedicated agronomist discusses our reports with you and helps to convert them into actionable insight. If you are curious about how this approach could apply to your crops, contact us at info@pollensystems.com. Remember to keep learning and keep growing!