Objective:
1) Develop or adapt methods and models to detect and predict interactions between irrigation and nutrient applications and pests in economically important crop systems to minimize inputs and costs; 2) determine the influence of spatial and temporal variation within and among fields in landscapes on specialty crop growth, insect responses, and overall system performance; and 3) develop production management strategies to improve water use efficiency, reduce environmental impacts and increase water conservation through reuse for economically important crops grown in sub-tropical regions.

Approach:
Quantify and model relationships between water, soil properties, pest dynamics, and plant properties with the aim of improving crop yield, quality and economic return on sub-tropical crops. Biochemical and physical sensor technologies will be developed and evaluated as gauges of system responses to water availability and other inputs. Remote sensing technologies will be developed or adapted to evaluate effects of field- and watershed-scale spatial and temporal variabilities on water use efficiency and input management strategies. Resulting knowledge will be integrated into novel management practices that improve water use efficiency, crop productivity, environmental servicing, and profitability of sub-tropical farming enterprises.