Protecting kiwi orchards from climate hazards with precision irrigation

When innovation meets arboricultural performance

In southwestern France, Les Vergers du Ticol embodies a modern and committed vision of arboriculture. Taken over by Laurent Capayrou, the farm has grown from 28 to 110 hectares in just a few years, with a clear ambition: to produce high-quality fruit while protecting crops from climate hazards.

Kiwis occupy a strategic place among the farm’s flagship products. Currently grown on 6 hectares, the orchard continues to expand with an additional 3 hectares replanted, proof of a constantly evolving project.

Arboriculture: building, observing, and improving, year after year

“The advantage of our profession is that we start from scratch,” explains Laurent Capayrou. Planting, supporting plant growth, observing thinning, analyzing fruit quality, and progressing season after season: arboriculture is a job that requires precision and patience.

But these demands come with significant constraints, particularly in the face of increasing climate risks: spring frost, hail, intense summer heat… All threats that can have a serious impact on yields and crop quality.

Frost protection and net protection: choosing Rondo over foliage

To protect its kiwi orchards, Les Vergers du Ticol opted for Rivulis’ Rondo canopy irrigation system, installed under netting.

This strategic choice addresses several challenges simultaneously:

• Protection against frost and hail
• Ability to deploy netting without constraints
• Irrigation and antifreeze under the structure, without risk of damage

Installed in each row, Rondo ensures even water distribution, which is key to the effectiveness of the antifreeze. Unlike traditional sprinkler systems, where large drops take time to cover the entire surface, Rondo acts instantly and uniformly.

A versatile system that performs well all year round

Beyond frost protection, Rondo has another major advantage: its usefulness in the summer.

During hot weather, the system lowers the temperature of the orchard and the plants, limiting water and heat stress on the kiwi plants.

This versatility makes it a complete solution, designed to support cultivation throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions.

Controlled irrigation and fertigation with the AquaSmart 2002 microjet

For daily irrigation under the canopy, the farm uses Rivulis’ AquaSmart 2002 microjet, a self-regulating system that allows for extremely precise control of water supply.

Thanks to hygrometric sensors installed throughout the farm, irrigation is controlled as closely as possible to the actual needs of the plot.

“We regulate it down to the millimeter,” emphasizes Laurent Capayrou, thus ensuring optimal water and fertigation management.

High-performance filtration to secure the installations

The water used comes from the Tarn, a natural resource but one that is loaded with particles and algae. To protect the irrigation equipment and ensure its longevity, Les Vergers du Ticol has chosen Rivulis sand filters F2400 (8×48 inches). This fine filtration system is essential for:

• Avoiding any risk of clogging,
• Secure any critical phases, particularly during the operation of the anti-frost system,
• Ensuring optimal operation of microjets and Rondo.

Customized technical support with Rivulis

To make the right technical choices, Laurent Capayrou was able to count on the support of a Rivulis distributor, who was in direct contact with the Rivulis technicians. Together, they worked on:

• The spacing between sprinklers,
• The flow rate per hectare, an essential parameter for ensuring the effectiveness of the antifreeze system,
• The selection/choice of different sprinklers.

This on-site support made it possible to design a system perfectly suited to the specific needs of the orchard.

Clear objectives: yield, quality, and sustainability

For Laurent Capayrou, the objectives are clear: ensure impeccable fruit quality, obtain a uniform yield, maintain healthy and homogeneous orchards, and control irrigation and fertigation in a sustainable manner.

With the support of Rivulis solutions and on-the-ground technical expertise, Les Vergers du Ticol turns innovation into a concrete tool to strengthen orchard resilience and secure a solid future for its kiwi production.