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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #313267
Title: Soil-moisture sensors and irrigation management

Author
item Evett, Steven - Steve
item Schwartz, Robert

Submitted to: International Irrigation Show
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/17/2014
Publication Date: 11/18/2014
Citation: Evett, S.R., Schwartz, R.C. 2014. Soil-moisture sensors and irrigation management. International Irrigation Show [abstract].

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This agricultural irrigation seminar will cover the major classes of soil-moisture sensors; their advantages and disadvantages; installing and reading soil-moisture sensors; and using their data for irrigation management. The soil water sensor classes include the resistance sensors (gypsum blocks, granular matrix sensors) both of which respond to soil water matric potential energy; the tensiometers, which also respond to matric potential; sensors that count neutrons (neutron probe and COSMOS), which vary in number depending on the soil water content; and the capacitance and time domain reflectometery sensors, which respond to soil dielectric permittivity, which is a soil electrical property related to water content. These classess of sensors vary widely in their ease of use, accuracy, precision, relevance to irrigation scheduling, and sensitivity to common interfering soil properties such as temperature and bulk electrical conductivity. This seminar will illuminate the capabilities of the different classes of sensors and provide guidance on sensor selection and use.