Jay Thomas

How did you become interested in this feld of study?
I’m interested in water conservation and fguring out ways to protect and conserve such a valuable and important resource.

What is the title of the ARI project you are working on?
“Measuring What Matters: Point-To-Pixel Exploration of Plant Water Stress From an Almond Variety Trial in California, USA”

Why are you interested in this project?
Water is an essential part of the agriculture of Northern California and using it to irrigate plants as effciently as possible will maximize crop production while conserving water resources for other use. I am interested in this project because it gives me a chance to familiarize myself with these old and new technologies and fgure out ways to manage, analyze and draw conclusions from the huge amount of data that is generated, but is necessary, when measuring water use.

Describe your role as you’ve conducted research in this ARI project.
My role has been to install new technologies in almond orchards at Chico State Farm. I have also been taking regular stem water potential measurements. My biggest role has been to fgure out how to manage and analyze a huge amount of data.

What do you hope to learn, or have you learned, through your involvement with this ARI project?
The ARI project has given me a chance to explore plant physiology and some of the mechanics of photosynthesis. I think that with better understanding of how plants react during times of water shortage, new technology can allow growers to apply just the right amount of water exactly when needed. This will allow them to maintain or increase yields while using less water.

Briefy describe your project and why it is important to California agriculture or natural resources.
We will be using new plant and soil moisture sensing technologies to determine their usefulness to monitor crop water status. By comparing crop water use measurements created using older, industry standard technology to new technologies that include remote sensing, we can determine if there are improvements in measuring crop water use. It is hoped that this new technology will assist growers in scheduling irrigation events so that they know exactly when to apply water and exactly how much to apply. In this way, water can be more effciently applied to crops.

What do you want to do after graduation, and how will working on this ARI project help you to achieve that goal?
I would like to continue to work with crop water measurement and develop a technology and process that is easy for farmers to use and that also increases effciency of their irrigation application.

Is there anything else you would like to share with us regarding your background and interests?
I became a pandemic brewer and I have been able to brew some fantastic beer.

What did you fnd most rewarding about the ARI program?
The ARI program has offered me the chance to work with some incredible people. It has also helped me gain access to some technologies that I had never imagined existed. I am really enjoying my work on this project as an opportunity to increase my knowledge of data management and organization.