Key Takeaways
- Lumo introduced Pump Automation, an integration with its smart valve platform for specialty crop growers.
- The technology enables end-to-end irrigation automation, from pump to plant, with advanced monitoring.
- Early adopters include vineyards on California’s North and Central Coasts, ranging from 60 to 1,300 acres.
- Growers can schedule irrigations overnight or during off-peak hours, reducing labor needs and operational risks.
- Pump Automation supports efficiency in water use, crop quality, and labor allocation amid ongoing resource challenges.
Lumo Expands Irrigation Capabilities with Pump Automation
Lumo, a provider of precision irrigation technology, announced the launch of Pump Automation, an advancement designed to integrate directly with its smart valve platform. The new feature allows growers to automate irrigations across a range of systems and ranch sizes, while maintaining block-level data visibility, safety checks, and performance verification.
Growers in California’s North and Central Coasts are already using Pump Automation on ranches between 60 and 1,300 acres. According to Lumo, the system provides flexibility in irrigation scheduling and helps optimize operations in regions where labor and water resources are limited.
Focus on Efficiency and Precision
Through Lumo’s platform, growers can schedule irrigations overnight and during off-peak times, reducing reliance on daytime labor during critical harvest periods. Real-time flow and pressure data from Lumo smart valves support precision irrigation by identifying optimal block sequencing and minimizing risks such as dry runs and pressure spikes.
“Once you can control the pump, you can automate irrigations end to end whenever you want,” said Devon Wright, CEO of Lumo. “Off-peak or overnight. Cycling on and off throughout the day. All without worrying about who’s on site.”
Grower Experiences with Pump Automation
Several vineyards have already adopted Lumo Pump Automation. Andrew Oliver, Vineyard Manager at Antinori Napa Valley’s Antica Ranch, noted that scheduling irrigations overnight freed up labor during the day. “For the first time, I can say that these blocks were sufficiently irrigated, and last year’s canopy and crop proved that,” he said.
Similarly, Hunter Emch, Northern Unit Area Manager at Redwood Empire Vineyard Management, highlighted time savings and operational control: “We can now run irrigations overnight, avoid peak times, and confidently move water exactly when and where it’s needed.”
Lumo Builds on Existing Irrigation Platform
Lumo’s smart valve technology has already been deployed at more than 150 ranches across Napa, Sonoma, the Central Coast, the Okanagan Valley, and Washington State. The company positioned Pump Automation as a natural extension of its existing platform, aimed at increasing efficiency, precision, and profitability for specialty crop growers.
By automating pump operations, Lumo seeks to provide growers with solutions that balance labor efficiency, water conservation, and crop performance, addressing critical industry challenges in a resource-constrained environment.
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