PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF SOIL MOISTURE SENSOR IN RED SOIL FOR EFFECTIVE WATER MANAGEMENT

P.R. PATIL¹*, K. NAGARAJAN², S.V. KOTTISWARAN³, K. ARULMOZHISELVAN^4
1Department of Soil and Water Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641001, Tamil Nadu, India
²Department of Soil and Water Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641001, Tamil Nadu, India
³Department of Soil and Water Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641001, Tamil Nadu, India
⁴Department of Agricultural Chemistry and Soil Science, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641001, Tamil Nadu, India
* Corresponding Author : pravinpatil2012@gmail.com

Received : 25-04-2017     Accepted : 11-08-2017     Published : 24-08-2017
Volume : 9     Issue : 39       Pages : 4608 - 4611
Int J Agr Sci 9.39 (2017):4608-4611

Keywords : Soil moisture sensor, Red soil, Field capacity, Resistivity, Electrical conductivity
Academic Editor : Atapattu A A A J
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Department of Soil and Water Engineering, TNAU, Coimbatore-641001, Tamil Nadu
Author Contribution : All author equally contributed

A study was conducted to develop the sensor and evaluate the soil moisture by using soil moisture sensors and to establish the relationships between soil moisture content and electrical resistance value. Study involved the fabrication of the soil moisture probes, automation network and laboratory testing of automation system. The soil moisture sensor and automation system used for experiment were developed at Department of Soil and Water Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. System is tested and calibrated for automatic irrigation scheduling. Laboratory test programs were conducted for the performance of the soil moisture sensor in salt solution and different soils, and to develop the calibration curve. It was observed that a significant logarithmic relation between Electrical conductivity and resistive value of sensor-1, sensor-2, sensor-3 and sensor-4 with an R2 value of 0.95, 0.96, 0.96 and 0.96 respectively and with mean values of electrical resistance found R2 value of 0.964. Because of the sensors were tested for wide range of electrical conductivities ranges 0.01 dSm-1 to 8.12 dSm-1. Soil moisture sensor was evaluated with respect to the moisture content of the red soil and from the calibration curve it was predicted that the electrical resistance 264 Ohms to 386 Ohms with an average electrical resistance of 334.5 Ohms for maintaining the field capacity of red soil and at the range of 412 Ohms to 618 Ohms with an average electrical resistance of 525.8 Ohms at permanent wilting point. From figure, it was observed that average moisture content 37.99, 36.21, 35.31, 33.64, 31.79, 30.17, 28.39, 26.30, 24.91, 23.29, 21.90 and 19.99 per cent recorded at an average duration of 0, 3, 6, 18, 24, 27, 45, 48, 51, 69, 72 and 75 hours respectively.

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