Priva and Nelson Irrigation Partner to Address Water Use Strategies

Priva and Nelson Irrigation have formed a partnership that gives growers a more connected and precise way to manage water and fertilizer. The integrated solution is designed to tackle the real-world problems that cost growers time, money, and crop performance every season.

The Problem: Good Strategies, Unreliable Execution

Most growers have experienced the frustration. An irrigation strategy is carefully planned, schedules are set, and then something goes wrong in the field. A valve sticks. A zone gets too much water while another gets too little. Fertilizer is applied at the wrong moment, when the plant cannot fully use it. By the time the problem shows up in the crop, the damage is done.

“Growers tell us the same thing over and over. They know their irrigation strategy is sound, but they have no reliable way to know whether it is being carried out the way they intended. That uncertainty is expensive, and it weighs on every decision they make,” says Bill Whittaker, Business Development, Priva North America East.

The Solution: Connecting Strategy to the Valve

The Priva and Nelson partnership addresses this directly. Priva’s platform uses real-time data from sensors measuring plant water uptake, substrate conditions, and climate to build irrigation strategies around actual crop demand. Nelson’s wireless valve technology then carries those strategies into the field, controlling valves without the limitations of wired infrastructure and confirming that each valve opened and closed as intended.

The connection between the two systems means that for the first time, growers have a complete, verifiable record of every irrigation event. They can see what was planned, what was delivered, and how the crop responded. That closes the loop that most irrigation systems leave open.

“The Nelson Twig System provides wireless valve control in nursery and greenhouse sites where wire is not practical nor reliable. This integration with Priva allows growers to manage everything from one place, with the confidence that what they set is what their crops receive,” says Evan Thompson, PE, CID, an Application Engineer at Nelson Irrigation.

The Outcome: Less Waste, Lower Costs, Healthier Crops

When irrigation is driven by plant demand rather than fixed schedules, the difference shows up quickly. Water is applied when the crop needs it, not before. Fertilizer reaches the plant at the right moment, improving uptake and reducing the amount that is lost to drainage or runoff. Growers report that this kind of precision, consistently applied over a full growing season, leads to meaningful reductions in input costs alongside improvements in crop uniformity and quality.

The wireless setup also removes the labor burden of managing and troubleshooting wired valve networks across large or complex growing areas. Growers can monitor and adjust their entire irrigation operation remotely, respond to issues before they affect the crop, and free up time for the work that makes the biggest difference to their business.

This Integrated Solution is Available Now

The integrated Priva and Nelson solution is available through Priva’s North America sales network and Nelson Irrigation’s authorized dealer network. Growers and system integrators interested in learning more or arranging a demonstration are encouraged to contact their regional representatives.