Author
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. |