Moisture Mapping Soil and Plant Moisture Monitoring

How do you monitor moisture in soil?

Moisture mapping is crucial for optimizing irrigation practices to maximize plant growth and crop yield while conserving water resources. Moisture mapping techniques are used to assess soil moisture levels and plant water status to inform irrigation scheduling and improve water management.

Soil Moisture Monitoring

- Tensiometers: Utilize a vacuum gauge to measure soil water tension, providing an indirect measure of soil moisture content. - Soil Moisture Sensors: Utilize electrical resistance or capacitance to directly measure soil moisture content. - Neutron Probes: Employ radioactive sources to measure soil water content by detecting the attenuation of neutrons.

Plant Moisture Monitoring

- Stem Water Potential Sensors: Measure water pressure within plant stems, indicating plant water status. - Leaf Water Potential Sensors: Measure water pressure within plant leaves, providing a direct measure of plant water status. - Infrared Thermometers: Detect differences in temperature between plant leaves and the surrounding air, reflecting plant water stress.