Irrigation scheduling based on wireless sensors output and soil-water characteristic curve in two soils

Abstract

Data-driven irrigation planning can optimize crop yield and reduce adverse impacts on surface and ground water quality. We evaluated an irrigation scheduling strategy based on soil matric potentials recorded by wireless Watermark (WM) sensors installed in sandy loam and clay loam soils and soil-water characteristic curve data. Five wireless WM nodes (IRROmesh) were installed at each location, where each node consisted of three WM sensors that were installed at 15, 30, and 60 cm depths in the crop rows. Soil moisture contents, at field capacity and permanent wilting points, were determined from soil-water characteristic curves and were approximately 23% and 11% for a sandy loam, and 35% and 17% for a clay loam, respectively. The field capacity level which occurs shortly after an irrigation event was considered the upper point of soil moisture content, and the lower point was the maximum soil water depletion level at 50% of plant available water capacity in the root zone, depending on crop type, root depth, growth stage and soil type. The lower thresholds of soil moisture content to trigger an irrigation event were 17% and 26% in the sandy loam and clay loam soils, respectively. The corresponding soil water potential readings from the WM sensors to initiate irrigation events were approximately 60 kPa and 105 kPa for sandy loam, and clay loam soils, respectively. Watermark sensors can be successfully used for irrigation scheduling by simply setting two levels of moisture content using soil-water characteristic curve data. Further, the wireless system can help farmers and irrigators monitor real-time moisture content in the soil root zone of their crops and determine irrigation scheduling remotely without time consuming, manual data logging and frequent visits to the field.