IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v14y2024i8p1239-d1444085.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Field Performance Evaluation of Low-Cost Soil Moisture Sensors in Irrigated Orchard

Author

Listed:
  • Monika Marković

    (Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia)

  • Maja Matoša Kočar

    (Agricultural Institute Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia)

  • Željko Barač

    (Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia)

  • Alka Turalija

    (Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia)

  • Atılgan Atılgan

    (Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Alanya Alaaddin Keykubat University, 07450 Antalya, Turkey)

  • Danijel Jug

    (Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia)

  • Marija Ravlić

    (Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia)

Abstract

Measuring the soil water content (SWC) is a fundamental component of the sustainable management of water resources, soil preservation, and high irrigation efficiency. Non-destructive SWC measurements using soil moisture sensors (SMSs) enables timely irrigation and reduces overirrigation and water stress. Within this context, the performance of four commercial single-point soil moisture sensors (Watermark and tensiometer (Irrometer Company, Inc., Riverside, CA, USA), SM150 (Delta-T Devices, Cambridge, UK)), FieldScout TDR300 (Spectrum Technologies, Aurora, IL, USA) and one soil profile PR2 probe (Delta-T Devices, Cambridge, UK) were tested under anthropogenic eutric cambisol with a silty clay loamy texture (20, 30, and 40 cm) to evaluate accuracy and sensitivity to changes in the SWC in an irrigated apple orchard. The Watermark and tensiometer were additionally tested in the laboratory to convert soil water tension (kPa) to the volumetric soil water content (%vol.). In general, all tested SMSs responded to changes in the SWC, with sensor-to-sensor differences. The Watermark and tensiometer underestimated the SWC, while the TDR overestimated the SWC. The SM150 and PR2 showed high accuracy, i.e., SM150—RMSE-2.24 (20 cm), 2.18 (30 cm) and 2.34 (40 cm), MSE—5.02 (20 cm), 2.93 (30 cm) and 1.89 (40 cm), and PR2—RMSE-1.8 (20 cm), 1.3 (30 cm) and 1.55 (40 cm), MSE-3.23 (20 cm), 1.7 (30 cm) and 2.39 (40 cm) at all observed soil depths.

Suggested Citation

  • Monika Marković & Maja Matoša Kočar & Željko Barač & Alka Turalija & Atılgan Atılgan & Danijel Jug & Marija Ravlić, 2024. "Field Performance Evaluation of Low-Cost Soil Moisture Sensors in Irrigated Orchard," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:8:p:1239-:d:1444085
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/8/1239/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/8/1239/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Dejan Simić & Borivoj Pejić & Goran Bekavac & Ksenija Mačkić & Bojan Vojnov & Ivana Bajić & Vladimir Sikora, 2023. "Effect of Different ET-Based Irrigation Scheduling on Grain Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Drip Irrigated Maize," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-21, October.
    2. Aguzzoni, A. & Engel, M. & Zanotelli, D. & Penna, D. & Comiti, F. & Tagliavini, M., 2022. "Water uptake dynamics in apple trees assessed by an isotope labeling approach," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    3. Sajjad Hussain & Muhammad Mubeen & Wajid Nasim & Shah Fahad & Musaddiq Ali & Muhammad Azhar Ehsan & Ali Raza, 2023. "Investigation of Irrigation Water Requirement and Evapotranspiration for Water Resource Management in Southern Punjab, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-16, January.
    4. Li, Maona & Zhang, Yunlong & Ma, Chizhen & Sun, Hongren & Ren, Wei & Wang, Xianguo, 2023. "Maximizing the water productivity and economic returns of alfalfa by deficit irrigation in China: A meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    5. Cardenas-Lailhacar, B. & Dukes, M.D., 2010. "Precision of soil moisture sensor irrigation controllers under field conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(5), pages 666-672, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Giuliani, Nicola & Aguzzoni, Agnese & Penna, Daniele & Tagliavini, Massimo, 2023. "Estimating uptake and internal transport dynamics of irrigation water in apple trees using deuterium-enriched water," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 289(C).
    2. Bonfante, A. & Monaco, E. & Manna, P. & De Mascellis, R. & Basile, A. & Buonanno, M. & Cantilena, G. & Esposito, A. & Tedeschi, A. & De Michele, C. & Belfiore, O. & Catapano, I. & Ludeno, G. & Salinas, 2019. "LCIS DSS—An irrigation supporting system for water use efficiency improvement in precision agriculture: A maize case study," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    3. Zhang, Yongyong & Wu, Shaoxiong & Kang, Wenrong & Tian, Zihan, 2022. "Multiple sources characteristics of root water uptake of crop under oasis farmlands in hyper-arid regions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    4. Miodrag Tolimir & Branka Kresović & Katarina Gajić & Violeta Anđelković & Milan Brankov & Marijana Dugalić & Boško Gajić, 2024. "Integrated effect of irrigation rate and plant density on yield, yield components and water use efficiency of maize," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 70(8), pages 475-482.
    5. Coelho, Eugênio Ferreira & Lima, Lenilson Wisner Ferreira & Stringam, Blair & de Matos, Aristoteles Pires & Santos, Dionei Lima & Reinhardt, Domingo Haroldo & de Melo Velame, Lucas & dos Santos, Carlo, 2024. "Water productivity in pineapple (Ananas comosus) cultivation using plastic film to reduce evaporation and percolation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    6. repec:caa:jnlpse:v:preprint:id:155-2024-pse is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Losciale, Pasquale & Gaeta, Liliana & Corsi, Mariadomenica & Galeone, Ciro & Tarricone, Luigi & Leogrande, Rita & Stellacci, Anna Maria, 2023. "Physiological responses of apricot and peach cultivars under progressive water shortage: Different crop signals for anisohydric and isohydric behaviours," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 286(C).
    8. Filgueiras, Roberto & Almeida, Thomé Simpliciano & Mantovani, Everardo Chartuni & Dias, Santos Henrique Brant & Fernandes-Filho, Elpídio Inácio & da Cunha, Fernando França & Venancio, Luan Peroni, 2020. "Soil water content and actual evapotranspiration predictions using regression algorithms and remote sensing data," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    9. Younsuk Dong & Steve Miller & Lyndon Kelley, 2020. "Performance Evaluation of Soil Moisture Sensors in Coarse- and Fine-Textured Michigan Agricultural Soils," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-11, December.
    10. Yang, Yi & Li, Bingbing & Shi, Peijun & Li, Zhi, 2023. "Assessing spatiotemporally varied ecohydrological effects of apple orchards based on regional-scale estimation of tree distribution and ages," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    11. Brighenti, Stefano & Tagliavini, Massimo & Comiti, Francesco & Aguzzoni, Agnese & Giuliani, Nicola & Ben Abdelkader, Ahmed & Penna, Daniele & Zanotelli, Damiano, 2024. "Drip irrigation frequency leads to plasticity in root water uptake by apple trees," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    12. Ali Ajaz & Sumon Datta & Scott Stoodley, 2020. "High Plains Aquifer–State of Affairs of Irrigated Agriculture and Role of Irrigation in the Sustainability Paradigm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-17, May.
    13. Zinkernagel, Jana & Maestre-Valero, Jose. F. & Seresti, Sogol Y. & Intrigliolo, Diego S., 2020. "New technologies and practical approaches to improve irrigation management of open field vegetable crops," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    14. Thalheimer, Martin & Aguzzoni, Agnese & Wittemann, Marie Sophie & Carlino, Ulisse & Tagliavini, Massimo, 2024. "Root water uptake and water transport to above-ground organs compensate for winter water losses and prevent shoot dehydration in apple trees," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:8:p:1239-:d:1444085. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.