Abstract
In this work, a time domain reflectometry (TDR)-based system for continuous and diffused monitoring of soil water content in agriculture is presented. The proposed TDR-based system employs elongate sensing elements (SEs). In practical application, each wire-like SE is buried along the cultivation row to be monitored, and through a single TDR measurement it is possible to retrieve the water content profile of the cultivation along the length of the SE. By connecting the TDR-based monitoring system to the irrigation machines, it would be possible to automatically start/stop irrigation based on the actual water requirement of the cultivations, thus favoring precision agriculture and enhancing irrigation efficiency. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed monitoring solution, a dedicated hardware+software platform was developed and the TDR-based system was experimented in open-field cultivations.
Highlights
Irrigation is crucial in the economic and productive management of agricultural systems; as a result, the efficiency of water use has become a priority due to the increasing limitations on this natural resource [1]
The objective of this work was to develop and validate an innovative system based on the use of time domain reflectometry (TDR) technique and of elongate, lowcost sensing elements (SEs) for continuous and real-time, diffused monitoring of soil water content
The first peak in the reflectogram corresponds to the incident TDR signal
Summary
Irrigation is crucial in the economic and productive management of agricultural systems; as a result, the efficiency of water use has become a priority due to the increasing limitations on this natural resource [1] To mitigate this problem, it is necessary to develop technologies and practices that can provide effective solutions, but that can still be accessible (in terms of costs and easiness of use) to farmers [2]. Designed and built irrigation systems are essential for optimizing the irrigation process, increasing cultivation profitability, rationalizing available resources, and reducing waste. In such a scenario, the automated and realtime monitoring of the actual water requirement is strategic for the optimal management of agricultural systems
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