The state of Georgia is one of the states leading in pecan production in the U.S. However, the seminal papers on water management using state-of-art techniques like eddy-covariance system and micro lysimeters are far and few. Much of the information available on water-use efficiency arises from earlier studies done in the Southwest. However, crop varieties, Georgia soils, and rainfall, when coupled with a long, hot and humid climate of the Southeast, lead to contrasting water management practices from that of the Southwest. The present paper addresses the water needs of pecans in trees six to ten-year old throughout different physiological stages of the orchard in Georgia using the current irrigation schedule. Several record-breaking temperatures and the shifting rainfall patterns have had an important impact on pecan production. This precipitation variability further exacerbates the needs to tailor water-use efficiency to these new normal conditions. Along with the in situ meteorological data and soil moisture information, an eddy-covariance system is installed in Hawkinsville, Georgia. This poster shows how southeastern pecan orchards have different water requirements for optimum yield. This paper focuses on the differences between the current schedule, irrigation application at the farm and water-use data from the present study. Such results obtained likely for the first time will help to devise water management practices, optimize irrigation scheduling leading to increased water conservation and yield. Keywords: water-use efficiency, production, climate change
