Illustration published in the Journal of Sensors and Actuators.
A team of University of Connecticut researchers engineered a soil moisture sensor that is more cost effective than anything currently available and responds to the global need to regulate water consumption in agriculture.
Designed and tested on the university’s farm, the sensors are small enough to insert into the soil with ease and less expensive to manufacture than current technology, the researchers write in the Journal of Sensors and Actuators.
“Advances in hydrological science are hampered by the lack of on site soil moisture data,” said Guiling Wang, study author and professor of civil and environmental engineering at UConn. “It’s really hard to monitor and measure things underground. The challenge is that the existing sensors are very expensive and the installation process is very labor intensive.”
The sensors developed by the team of UConn engineers — environmental, mechanical, and chemical — are expected to save nearly 35% of water consumption and cost far less than what exists. Current sensors that are used in a similar way range from $100 to $1,000 each, while the one developed at UConn cost $2, according to the researchers.
An alternate monitoring option, soil moisture data collected from remote sensing technology such as radars and radiometers on board satellites, have suffered from low resolution. But the new technology developed by UConn Professor Baikun Li’s group can provide high spatio-temporal resolution data needed for hydrology model development in Wang’s group.
In the UConn prototype, wires are connected from the sensors to an instrument that logs data. Researchers conducted field tests of the sensors — performing side-by-side tests with commercial sensors under various environmental conditions throughout a 10-month period. The effects of the environmental variations on soil moisture throughout the period were clearly reflected.
Critically, the small sensors can also be easily sent around he world given the fact that soil moisture plays a fundamental role in agricultural decision-making globally.
Accurate soil moisture sensing is essential to ensure a water level that produces the most robust crops while not wasting the natural resource. In some states in the U.S. — Florida and California, for example — irrigation water usage has become tightly restricted.
The UConn researchers are also working on a nitrogen sensor that is the same model of the water sensors. These would help provide farmers with information on when fields need fertilizing. Currently, nitrogen sensors are not available using this type of technology.
“This is really an exciting start to a much larger scope of things we have in mind,” says Li, a study author and professor of civil and environmental engineering.
Learn more: Engineers Produce Water-Saving Crop Irrigation Sensor
The Latest on: Soil moisture sensor
via Google News
The Latest on: Soil moisture sensor
- Beaverton student’s new farming technology is national top-10 finaliston August 1, 2022 at 2:47 pm
All of this combined, got her named one of 10 national finalists in the 3M Young Scientist Challenge. “I was like really happy,” Swargam said. “I couldn’t keep my smile in. I was walking around the ...
- The 10 Best Raspberry Pi IoT Projectson July 30, 2022 at 10:30 am
Launched in 2012, the Raspberry Pi single-board computer has had a lot of different versions since then, from ever more powerful standard credit-card-sized boards to the even smaller Pi Zero and the ...
- The Food Conundrum: Can Regenerative Agriculture Feed The World?on July 29, 2022 at 11:59 am
Most people believe that regenerative, sustainable, and/or organic agriculture requires small-scale, diversified farming practices, because this is the narrative so frequently on display.
- Can I just water my plants once a week? Well, maybe. Here's what experts have to say.on July 28, 2022 at 3:00 am
When and how is best to water your plants? Many of us water daily or several times a week, but some suggest watering just once weekly. It all depends.
- Smart irrigation scheduling benefits producerson July 26, 2022 at 1:06 pm
Producers looking for the next level of irrigation scheduling can explore soil moisture sensors, which allow for real-time monitoring in the field. The proximity to the crop allows producers to ...
- Smart irrigation scheduling benefits producerson July 26, 2022 at 7:04 am
As climate variability increasingly affects producers across the Southeastern U.S., Wes Porter spends a lot of time thinking about water — specifically, crop irrigation — and how available ...
- Agriculture Sensor Market May Set Major Growth by 2030 | Vegetronix Inc., Sentek Ltd, Pycno and moreon July 21, 2022 at 4:50 am
By 2030, soil moisture sensors are expected to expand at the fastest rate. Over the projected period, the agricultural sector is likely to drive market expansion by increasing the usage of soil ...
- Soil Moisture sensor Market generalship Business Opportunities, Current Trends and Industry Analysis by 2025on July 20, 2022 at 9:22 am
Jul 20, 2022 (Market Insight Reports) -- Soil Moisture sensor Market Research Report is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global industry. The report provides a basic ...
- Soil Moisture Sensors Market Size, Share to Exhibit 11.4% CAGR Through 2028on July 8, 2022 at 3:12 am
Jul 08, 2022 (Market Insight Reports) -- The Soil Moisture Sensors market share report offers a granular analysis to identify major growth stimulants, challenges, and prospects that will outline ...
via Bing News