Testing a Moleaer Aeration System at Maricopa Orchards
An orchard sprayer at Maricopa Orchards.
M
oleaer has created a novel aeration system that injects water with miniscule bubbles thousands of times smaller than a grain of salt, allowing the water to provide higher levels of oxygen to plants’ roots, to better penetrate soil, and to break apart biofilms and algae within irrigation systems. To see how Moleaer’s solution fits into the irrigation industry, we interview Joe Coelho, the agronomy manager of Maricopa Orchards in Fresno, California, who is testing a Moleaer system.
license, and a qualified applicator license. My day-to-day work at Maricopa Orchards involves controlling agronomic inputs with our internal and external farm teams. I have a team of in-house advisors that manages some of the portfolio and some external advisors. I run a research and development group that tackles status-quo special problems and collaborates with universities, extensions, government entities, and private individuals on various research topics.
Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.
Irrigation Leader: Please tell us about Maricopa Orchards.
26 | IRRIGATION LEADER | February 2022
Joe Coelho: Maricopa Orchards is a farming operation that is most heavily involved in nut crops. Pistachios are the number 1 crop, and almonds are number 2. We also grow blueberries, cherries, citrus fruit, and walnuts. We own a couple of dairies, which we lease. The orchards cover many acres. Three-quarters of that area is managed in house; the last quarter is managed by custom farmers. The owners of Maricopa also own Touchstone Pistachio, which is a processing and sales company. irrigationleadermagazine.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARICOPA ORCHARDS.
Joe Coelho: I’m the agronomy manager for Maricopa Orchards. I have been farming since I was 8 years old. I studied crop science at went to the California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. I come from a big farming family and am involved in the production of its permanent tree crops. My brothers and I own and manage our own farms and ranches through another business. I have a pest control advisor license, a certified crop advisor
