Agricultural Soil Moisture Sensor

A soil moisture sensor measures the quantity of water contained in a material, such as soil on a volumetric or gravimetric basis. To obtain an accurate measurement, a soil temperature sensor is also required for calibration.

Soil moisture sensors aid good irrigation management which in return gives better crops, uses fewer inputs, and increases profitability.

Soil moisture sensors help irrigators to understand what is happening in the root zone of a crop

Advantages of soil moisture sensors

As soil conditions are never consistent across the field, farmers are now using sensors to monitor all sections of the field, enabling them to react quickly to changes and specific needs of the land and crops.

Using soil moisture sensors therefore;

1. Helps in managing irrigation systems more effectively and efficiently, saving on water and electricity, in cases where the water is pumped.
2. Helps to increase yields and to increase the quality of the crop.

1. Measures the loss of moisture over time due to evaporation and plant uptake
2. Evaluates optimum soil moisture contents for various species of plants
3. This sensor reminds the user to water their plants
4. Monitoring soil moisture content to control irrigation in greenhouses and enhance bottle biology experiments.

Disadvantages of soil moisture sensors

1. It requires labor to collect data and maintain the measurement processes.
2. Watermark sensors provide less accuracy in sandy soils due to large particles.
3. It requires initial evaluation of site specific conditions before selection of appropriate moisture sensor.
4. It requires initial evaluation of site specific conditions before selection of appropriate moisture sensor
5.  Watermark sensors are required to be calibrated for each soil type.
6. May require periodic service