Growing Beyond in
Israel

Meeting blueberry consumption demand: advanced technology integration, Mevo Horon, Israel

Sitting at the helm of superfoods, blueberry consumption continues to rise around the world, and so do plantings. This 23-hectare blueberry project in Mevo Horon, Israel, showcases the most advanced integration of best-in-class irrigation technology, fertigation technology, and water recycling. Producing only the very premium export quality fruit.

Designed with the crop in mind, blueberries shallow roots are susceptible to water stress, and they need low pH for optimal yields. The Mevo Horon turnkey project has considered everything to make sure this farm reaches its full potential year after year. Using the most innovative automation technology, recycled water is collected and run through supplemented filters, to qualify as irrigation water. The treated water is combined with regular water and then mixed with the right concentration of nutrient solutions, which is sent directly to the plants by drip irrigation.

It was a large, challenging, and complex system to design, that required the best in engineering and strategic planning.  Rivulis worked with precise elevation lines (2.5% slope) and provided driplines with the online drippers already attached as an assembled set. The combined solution includes a no-drain dripline and dripper, with long lines, that function under relatively high pressure, ensuring irrigation is evenly distributed in each pot. It also includes a pressure fogging system that receives commands from climate control sensors to reduce temperature throughout the facility.

Mevo Horon is a sterling example of the fruits of maximal planning aimed at saving labor. Wide spacing allows easy access to mechanical equipment, drip irrigation ensures crop uniformity, and the automated irrigation and fertilization system constantly auto-corrects itself. A truly rewarding and remarkable project.