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The Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

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Kory Gilman
Kory Gilman
Kory Gilman
Kory Gilman
Kory Gilman

Industrial Technology Student Research Spotlight: Kory Gilman

Industrial technology graduate student Kory Gilman is helping lead Central Valley agriculture and fellow students in new directions through his work with precision agriculture methods.

For his graduate research project, he cross-referenced soil type and harvest data in pistachio orchards near Tulare and Corcoran to look for correlations. This information can be vital for growers who note discrepancies in harvest production, and to help them more accurately manage their irrigation and crop applications.

Read more about the Tulare native and how his experience with GPS technology has been a key resource for faculty, students and area growers in this recent interview.

 

Q: Describe your graduate program research project and why you choose to attend Fresno State.

Gilman: "I wanted to stay close to home and be in the Valley so I could potentially find a job in agriculture and help others in our area. In my thesis work, we compared pistachio harvest yield differences with various soil types. Physical nut samples were also taken to see if the differing soil types produced different quality nuts. From our results we saw major correlations between bin fill rates and related EC (electrical connectivity) rates. EC here is a measurement of the soil particle size, and whether the soil is more clay- or sand-based. We saw that trees in the more sand-based soil (sandy clay loam) produced better than trees in clay-based soil (sandy loam)."

 

Q: Why did you pick that topic, and how will this help industry?

Gilman: "I had run a pistachio harvester myself about seven and a half years ago, and I would notice that it might take different amounts of time to fill the same size bin. Sometimes the differences were notable, and it might fill up after six trees or sometimes it would take 20 trees. I asked my employer why that happened, since that can make a big difference in your bottom line financially. They weren't exactly sure, so I wanted to find a way to track those differences, then overlay it with different data like soil types or tree heights to find a correlation. Tracking other things like amounts of irrigation, plowing, and fertilizer weren't as important for this study since those applications were nearly identical."

Gilman: "From an application method, by tracking the location of where the most and least amount of pistachios are coming from within the field, we can learn where resources are most needed. The farmer will not need to evenly apply fertilizer across the field if some zones are naturally low producing. Saving expensive fertilizers when they're not needed can also protect the soil from excess applications. Irrigation management, especially if water resources are less available, can also be key if growers are forced to decide which trees or areas to water or not."

 

Q: Which faculty members did you work with and what were some things key things you learned?

Gilman: "Dr. Jim Yager was essential in data collection from planning and organizing to collecting the data in the field. He also helped me get into contact with the industry to gain access to GPS technology. Dr. Balaji (Sethuramasamyraja) provided me with valuable data analysis and GIS statistical help as well as the planning process. One basic thing I learned was how to plan out and stay organized. Also, how to reset and redo scrapped plans when the original plan completely fails."  

 

Q: Have you always been attracted to these types of technology? 

Gilman: "I've always tinkered with my computer or fixed my Xboxes as I grew up. When I started farming seven years ago, we started converting to automated irrigation so we could control the equipment with phone apps, so I was involved with installing and learning how to use those systems." 

Gilman: "The first, hands-on experience I had with GPS was on campus five years ago. Using a handheld device, we flagged bins during pistachio harvest. We walked behind the harvester to mark and analyze how quickly the bins were being filled to also help us determine which trees were the most productive. Two and a half years ago we tried to create an automated system that would help do the same thing and mark the exact GPS location of each bin. We tried to create an optical sensor to do it, but we also had to rely on a mechanical switch when that had some issues." 

 

Q: How have you worked with students in other ways through classes?

Gilman: "I helped with the IT 196 applied spatial technology class as an lab instructor. We did a lot in that course related to basic GIS data analytics and processing methods, like data import and export. We often loaded data into the system from government databases like the census bureau, and learned to edit, modify and analyze data through different queries, and how to create graphical representations. There was some work with agricultural data, too, but most of the software that we used is aimed at the city planner level since that data is readily available. If you can cut, edit and query urban data, you can then do that with ag data, too."

Gilman: "I also helped with the lab design for the IT 109 irrigation water delivery systems class, which gives great exposure to the area's automated side. We set up some basic irrigation systems and showed how that system works with different soils. Other later labs showed how large valves can be managed with solenoid equipment, so it can automatically open and close when solid moisture levels gets to certain levels."

 

Q: What other ways were you active on campus?

Gilman: "I was involved with FFA Field Day and helped run the computer contests, which were a three-part test. The first part was usually a two- to three-minute speech on how computers or technology are changing agriculture. Students would also have an 80-minute test on networking, software, hardware, cybersecurity, and other topics. The final section was an application problem that involved one of the three Microsoft Suite applications - Word, Excel or Access. It was a fun experience."

 

Q: Have you received any type of Jordan College scholarships?

Gilman: "Yes, I am honored to be the recipient of the Jordan / Harvey Graduate Scholarship."

 

Q: Have you had any internships or part-time jobs, and what types of tasks did you do generally?

Gilman: "Throughout my undergraduate and graduate work, I have worked for Hoffman and Son Farms, a family farm that grows pistachios, almonds and citrus. They also provided me with the pistachio harvest equipment as well as other resources and ideas for my research. While an undergraduate I was able to do an internship with Dr. Jim Yager learning about precision ag technologies."


Q: What is your background in agriculture before you started at Fresno State?

Gilman: "During my gap year after high school I began working on a pistachio, almond and citrus farm. I was not sure what I wanted to study in college, but farming helped me find my passions. My younger brother came to work farming with them as well out of high school and continues to be employed there, too. He is also a Fresno State student in the plant science department."

Q: Have you overcame any challenges or obstacles to get to where you are today that have shaped you are?

Gilman: "The largest challenge I’ve had to overcome would be the passing of my older brother in 2013 when I was a senior in high school. It was such a shock in my family's lives, but over time we all learned to live in our new normal. Having someone I was so close with pass away allowed for lots of introspection and has changed me in ways I would have never expected. He was involved heavily in agriculture so ag will always have a special place for me. Losing him has been the hardest obstacle I’ve had to overcome, but I’m sure he loves the paths we're on now."

 

Q: After graduation, what's your potential next career step, and how would you like to use your degree eventually?

Gilman: "Right now, I am working part-time building and installing custom GPS solutions for Fleet Tracker GPS, which is the company that provided me with GPS units during my research."

Gilman: "I would love to work in this area full-time, and I also have a lot of food processing line experience, thanks to our Bee Sweet Citrus Processing Lab and new nut processing lab. The campus citrus lab is a fully-functioning automated processor that washes, cleans, sizes, sorts and boxes fruit. The new nut line (which is being installed this year on campus) can remove the hulls and then clean, sort, and prepare them for packaging.

"On the citrus line equipment, I created my own sorting programs, which I could also use for research purposes. We also learned how Bee Sweet handles the maintenance for this their equipment at their large facility. Our campus version might be a two-lane model, while at the Bee Sweet facility or others you might see a multiple 20-lane or 40-lane set-up, but the way they both operate are very similar. It's amazing to have this equipment on campus right next to your class, and it's a big plus for our department."

Gilman: "I would also like to continue to do consulting on my own in pistachio yield monitoring and additional research as well, and potentially consider PhD programs if my research generates interest."

 

Q: Why are all these different levels of technology so important to agriculture?

Gilman: "You see all sorts of new automated technology everywhere on the processing side since the cost margins are becoming increasingly tighter. I think at the grower level there's still room to expand, depending on the needs and specifics of each commodity. It's an exciting time for agriculture at all levels as these new technologies become more and more common."