Keith Bachman - Horticulture Crop Advisory Notes
Background and Education
Keith Bachman is a certified professional horticulturist and crop advisor.
Background details:
Raised on an orchard farm in City, California, north of Sacramento.
Attended community college locally, then UC Davis.
Earned a master’s degree in pomology (orchard crops).
Began consulting with a company in 1974 in the San Joaquin Valley.
Note on terminology: pomology is the study of orchard crops; transcript uses the term “palmology,” but it is understood as pomology.
Describe Your Job Duties (Daily Responsibilities)
On a day-to-day basis, meet with farmers to discuss problems, fertilizer programs, and salinity programs.
Prescribe tests: soil tests, leaf analyses, and water analyses to fine-tune fertilizer systems and address crop challenges.
Help farmers through crop changes when beneficial; act like a “plant doctor” to diagnose and treat issues.
Objective: identify farms with yield/quality limitations, avoid extra and unnecessary soil amendments/fertilizers, and maximize crop yield and quality.
Encounter a variety of challenges across different farms.
Testing vs Guessing; Regulatory Considerations
Some farmers are reluctant to test and prefer guessing or asking others to guess.
Emphasize soil testing and leaf analysis over guessing.
In California, there are nutrient management limitations that require growers to evaluate and comply with regulatory guidelines.
Importance of testing to meet regulatory expectations and justified practice.
What is Unique About the Career?
Reputation in one area can lead to opportunities in other areas.
International work: flown to Mexico for consulting to troubleshoot strawberry fields by a saline lake and improve yields.
Experience across varied situations in the United States.
Participation on international boards to help solve farm technology problems and to work with Certified Crop Advisers (CCA) on the international board.
Involvement in writing questions for the CCA board exam, contributing to professional standards.
Technology and Methodology Over Time
Technology has evolved, but not dramatically; core methods persist.
Core analyses include leaf analysis, soil analysis, and water analysis, now with more sophisticated equipment.
Data delivery has changed:
Previously: mail, phone calls, and faxes.
Now: PDFs sent to tablets/phones, enabling faster field decisions.
Communication flow: results and recommendations are shared with farmers and crop advisers promptly to guide field actions.
Describes the modern environment as fast-moving and data-driven.
Early Experience in Plant Pathology
First job: in the plant pathology department at UC Davis.
Experiments included injecting bacterial phages into cotton plants and studying Verticillium and related problems.
Observations connect to current trends: technology references trend back toward chemistry and chemical considerations due to regulatory requirements.
Chemistry, Fertilizers, and Regulatory Compliance
Modern practice shifts from simply applying large bagged quantities to calculated, compliant applications.
Decision points include choosing between ammonium form and nitrate form fertilizers:
Ammonium form: ext{NH}_4^+
Nitrate form: ext{NO}_3^-
Emphasis on moving toward less-leachable and less-volatile materials to minimize environmental impact and meet regulations.
Justification of inputs is essential, guided by a solid chemistry and agricultural science background.
Collaboration with soil science professionals is common when field problems arise.
Crop Planning and Salinity Considerations
When facing salinity or other constraints, crop choices may change.
Example scenario: planting cherries in a field with salinity may be inappropriate; consider more tolerant crops such as pistachios.
If choosing cherries in the presence of salinity, additional management or crop selection is required to maintain economic viability.
Real-World Practices and Communication Modes
Historical communication methods included mailing reports or calling growers at home, sometimes at night.
Shift from fax-based workflows to PDF sharing and tablet-based workflows.
Modern practice involves instant access to field-specific needs and rapid dissemination of recommendations to farmers and crop advisers.
Connections to Foundational Principles
Interplay among soil health, water quality, crop physiology, and nutrient management.
Balancing crop yield/quality with input costs and environmental/regulatory constraints.
Need for good chemistry knowledge and agricultural science background to justify decisions and interpret analyses.
Ethical, Philosophical, and Practical Implications
Ethical: avoid unnecessary expenses for farmers; ensure recommended practices are justified and compliant with regulations; protect environmental health by using less-leachable/volatile inputs.
Practical implications: adoption of testing, data-driven decision-making, and timely communication to maximize profitability and crop quality.
Professional standards: involvement with international boards and the CCA board exam highlights commitment to ethics and competence in the field.
Notable Examples and Hypothetical Scenarios Mentioned
International deployment to troubleshoot strawberry fields by a saline lake in Mexico.
Example of crop replacement: substituting a less salinity-tolerant crop (e.g., cherries) with a more tolerant one (e.g., pistachios) in saline soils.
Use of soil, leaf, and water analyses to diagnose issues and refine fertilizer programs rather than relying on guesswork.
Key Terms and Concepts
Soil analysis, leaf analysis, water analysis
Nutrient management limited by regulations (California)
Certified Crop Adviser (CCA) and international board involvement
Ammonium form vs nitrate form fertilizers (
ext{NH}4^+ ext{ vs } ext{NO}3^-)Less-leachable and less-volatile fertilizers
Salinity and crop tolerance (e.g., cherries vs pistachios)
Summary of Key Points
Education and career path shaped by an early foundation in pomology and hands-on orchard experience.
Day-to-day focus on diagnosing problems, optimizing nutrition and irrigation strategies, and guiding crop choices.
Emphasis on data-driven decisions via soil, leaf, and water analyses, with regulatory compliance at the core.
Career includes both domestic consulting and international work, plus active involvement in professional certification and education.
Technology has enhanced information flow, but core chemical and soil science principles remain central to practice.
Ethical practice centers on cost efficiency, environmental stewardship, and adherence to guidelines while aiding farmers in achieving high-quality crops.