Advanced techniques to measure soil moisture

to decide when and how much to irrigate crops

Patrocinador:
By Peter Buss
Manager R&D
Sentek Pty Ltd
 Overview
• The Problem: Why do we need soil moisture monitoring and Irrigation

scheduling?
 Overview
• The Problem: Why do we need soil moisture monitoring and Irrigation

scheduling?

• The Solution: How do we use the data to decide where, when and how
much to irrigate?
 Overview
• The Problem: Why do we need soil moisture monitoring and Irrigation

scheduling?

• The Solution: How do we use the data to decide where, when and how
much to irrigate?

• The Outcomes: Benefits of Soil Moisture Measurement

and Irrigation Management
 Overview
• The Problem: Why do we need soil moisture monitoring and Irrigation

scheduling?

• The Solution: How do we use the data to decide where, when and how
much to irrigate?

• The Outcomes: Benefits of Soil Moisture Measurement

and Irrigation Management

• Short Introduction to Sentek Pty Ltd

 Overview
• The Problem: Why do we need soil moisture monitoring and Irrigation

scheduling?

• The Solution: How do we use the data to decide where, when and how
much to irrigate?

• The Outcomes: Benefits of Soil Moisture Measurement

and Irrigation Management

• Short Introduction to Sentek Pty Ltd

• The Tools: What are the different technologies for

monitoring soil moisture ?
Why ?
 Agriculture cannot exist without water !

Irrigation
is regarded as one of the main ways to increase
food, fibre, feed and bio-fuel production!
The Pressure is “ON”

• Food
• Feed
• Fibre
• Fuel
 The Pressure is “ON”

• Growing global • Food

population
• Increasing water scarcity • Feed
• Climate change & risk of
• Fibre
crop failure caused by
drought & flooding • Fuel
• Loss of arable land
through erosion, salinity
and urbanisation
 Total Available area for irrigation estimated is

271,362,620 ha www.iwmigiam.org
Global pressures on Water
Availability
 Global pressures on Water
Availability

Water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population increase in the
last century.
 Global pressures on Water
Availability

Water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population increase in the
last century.

Water supplies are falling while the demand is dramatically growing at an unsustainable
rate. Over the next 20 years, the average
supply of water worldwide per
person is expected to drop by a third!
 Global pressures on Water
Availability

Water use has been growing at more than twice the rate of population increase in the
last century.

Water supplies are falling while the demand is dramatically growing at an unsustainable
rate. Over the next 20 years, the average
supply of water worldwide per
person is expected to drop by a third!

By 2025, 1.8 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute
water scarcity, and two thirds of the world population could be under conditions of water
stress.

WWF International
Water Scarcity
Food and Virtual Water
 Water Consumption
Average daily water consumption per person

2500 2000 - 3000

2000

1500
Litres

1000

20 - 300
500
2-3
0
Drinking Input for food Domestic needs
purposes production
www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz

It takes 2 to 4 litres per day to satisfy the biological needs (drinking water) of a human
being and about 1000 times as much to produce the food. In other words, it takes 1000
times more water to feed the human population that it does to satisfy its thirst.
Agriculture accounts for 70% of
water use globally
Agriculture accounts for 70% of
water use globally
Agriculture accounts for 70% of
water use globally
Irrigation Water Use in Central Asia
1985

Aral Sea
Irrigation Water Use in Central Asia
1985 2003

Aral Sea
Water Conservation Potential
“… the greatest potential for water conservation/savings will be
achieved by (deficit) irrigation strategies –management techniques,
which limit the total water that a crop receives with great attention to
the timing as well as the amount of the application. This will be
supported by better crop selection and plant breeding for drought
tolerance…”

“….it will take advanced irrigation technologies to fully implement these

irrigation strategies. The resulting water savings can range from
10-50%
whereas the potential from genetic approaches alone appears to be of
the order of 5-10%”
Robert Evans, Research Leader at the US Department of Agriculture’s Northern Plains
Agricultural Research Laboratory in Montana, USA
Why improve water management?

Reduce
Input costs
Increase 
Returns

REDUCE Water Use
SAVE Energy
REDUCE Labour
SAVE Fertilizer INCREASE Yields
SAVE Pesticides IMPROVE Quality
SAVE Herbicides IMPROVE Consistency
SECURE Long term supply 
contracts
 Water - You can’t manage what
you don’t measure

It is
imperative to measure crop water use
in order to achieve high water productivity and food security
 Water - You can’t manage what
you don’t measure

It is
imperative to measure crop water use
in order to achieve high water productivity and food security
 How?
How do we use Soil Moisture Data
for commercial Irrigation
Scheduling and Agricultural
Research?
 Soil Water Phases &
Threshold

22
Saturation
Soil Water Phases &
Threshold

22
Saturation
Soil Water Phases &
Threshold
“Field Capacity”

22
Saturation
Soil Water Phases &
Threshold
“Field Capacity”

Permanent
Wilting
Point

22
Plant Available Water &
Readily Available Water
Saturation

Field Capacity

Permanent Wilting Point

Textures and Water Content

27
Textures and Water Content

27
Textures and Water Content

27
Plant Available Water =
Plant Specific
 Plant Available Water =
Plant Specific

The Plant is the best Sensor !!!

Measuring Gains and Losses
from the Water Reservoir

Water Reservoir

Water User
Measuring Gains and Losses
from the Water Reservoir

Water Reservoir

Water User
Soil Water Dynamics as the
Mirror of Crop Water Use?

anttisbiology.blogspot.com
Soil Profile Water Data collected every 15 minutes
 Irrigation

Rainfall Events

Soil Water increases

Daily Plant Water Use
 Start of plant water uptake

Daily
“Drink”

End of plant water uptake

 Start of plant water uptake

Daily
“Drink”

End of plant water uptake

 Start of plant water uptake

Daily
“Drink”

End of plant water uptake

 Daily ET

Relationship between ET and Tree Water Use

Larger Daily
“Drink” Small Daily
“Drink”
 Daily ET

Relationship between ET and Tree Water Use

Larger Daily
“Drink” Small Daily
“Drink”
 Daily ET

Relationship between ET and Tree Water Use

Larger Daily
“Drink” Small Daily
“Drink”
 Daily ET

Relationship between ET and Tree Water Use

Larger Daily
“Drink” Small Daily
“Drink”
 Daily ET

Relationship between ET and Tree Water Use

Larger Daily
“Drink” Small Daily
“Drink”
ET & Crop Water Use

Daily crop water use 
matching ET
 Start Daily water loss from
profile due to
evapotranspiration and
drainage
6.5 mm

End

Duration 9 hours
Increasing crop water use with canopy growth
‐ Irrigation adjusted accordingly

Daily crop water use
4 mm 
Daily crop water use
2 mm 
Finding Field Capacity

Approaching Field Capacity

ever decreasing Drainage
overnight
When to irrigate????
Crop Water Use & ET
Summed Soil Water Profile Graph

ET Rising

Onset of Crop Water Stress

Onset of Crop Water Stress
Summed Soil Water Profile Graph

Declining Daily Crop Water Use

Onset of Crop Water Stress

Permanent Wilting Point
Onset of Crop Water Stress
Summed Soil Water Profile Graph

Declining Daily Crop Water Use

Onset of Crop Water Stress

Permanent Wilting Point

Refill Point
Similar ET – Different Crop Water Use

Crop under no Crop under

water stress water stress
Soil Spatial Variability
and Yield

USDA- ARS Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory

Plant Water Stress Index

Stress Days (water logged)

Rain

Onset of Crop Water Stress

Plant Water Stress Index

Stress Days (water logged)

Onset of Crop Water Stress

Corn Grain Yield and Number of Stress Days

180

160
Wet Year
140 Mild Drough
Corn Grain Yield (Bu a )
-1

Sever Drought
120

100

80
50% yield loss
60

40
~15 days

20

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Number of Stress Days
Sources: USDA- ARS Hydrology and Remote sensing Laboratory
How much to irrigate????
Why Profile Measurement ?
Why Profile Measurement ?
Why Profile Measurement ?
Why Profile Measurement ?
Why Profile Measurement ?
Detection of active
Root Zone
Seasonal Water Use
Seasonal Water Use
Seasonal Water Use
Seasonal Water Use
Seasonal Water Use
Seasonal Water Use
Seasonal Water Use
 Seasonal Water Use

Seasonal Root Development

 Corn Plant Growth Stage

VT
Detasseled
V18 R1 R6
Physiological Maturity
R4 R5
V15
V12
V9
V6
VE V3

Plant soil water uptake, root development, and uptake distribution

With kind permission of Mohammadreza Ghaffarzadeh
 Corn Plant Growth Stage

VT
Detasseled
V18 R1 R6
Physiological Maturity
R4 R5
V15
V12
V9
V6
VE V3

Plant soil water uptake, root development, and uptake distribution

With kind permission of Mohammadreza Ghaffarzadeh
 Corn Plant Growth Stage

10
Corn water uptake (mm/day)

9
8
7
6 VT
5 V18 R1
Detasseled
Physiological Maturity
R4 R5 R6
4 V15
3 V12
V9
2 V6
1 VE V3
0
Root Depth (cm)

30
60
90
120

Plant soil water uptake, root development, and uptake distribution

With kind permission of Mohammadreza Ghaffarzadeh
 Corn Plant Growth Stage 20 cm
30 cm
13%
50 cm
25%
32% 30 cm
32% 20 cm
13%

% of total water use by depth 70 cm

10 20 cm
70 cm 90 cm
27%
Corn water uptake (mm/day)

4% 22%
49%
50 cm
9 32%

8
50 cm
20 cm 4%
7 68%
30 cm
47%

6 VT
5 V18 R1
Detasseled
Physiological Maturity
R4 R5 R6
30 cm
4 32% V15
3 V12
V9
2 V6
1 VE V3
0
Root Depth (cm)

30
60
90
120

Plant soil water uptake, root development, and uptake distribution

With kind permission of Mohammadreza Ghaffarzadeh
 Soil Water Dynamics
Day & Night
Hourly Changes

Night Night Night Night

Day
Day
Day
Day
 T159_ 30% PET Total Hourly
Negative Change

60 cm
Differential Root Extraction under Water stress
70 cm

80 cm

90 cm

100 cm

In Row, 20” from Emitter

www.sentek.com.au
Setting the Full Point
considering the active root zone

The Full Point Indicator

Irrigation
Bottom of active Root Zone
Setting the Full Point
considering the active root zone

The Full Point Indicator

Irrigation
Bottom of active Root Zone
Setting the Full Point
considering the active root zone

The Full Point Indicator

Irrigation
Bottom of active Root Zone
Setting the Full Point
considering the active root zone

The Full Point Indicator

Irrigation
Bottom of active Root Zone
Setting the Full Point
considering the active root zone

The Full Point Indicator

Irrigation
Bottom of active Root Zone
Setting the Full Point
considering the active root zone

The Full Point Indicator

Irrigation
Bottom of active Root Zone
Setting the Full Point
considering the active root zone

The Full Point Indicator

Irrigation
Bottom of active Root Zone

Waste of Water & Fertilizer

Setting the Full Point
considering the active root zone

The Full Point Indicator

Irrigation
Bottom of active Root Zone
Irrigation 8 Feb.

Waste of Water & Fertilizer

Setting Water Budget
Management lines

Irrigation 8 Feb.
Visualise the depth of active Root Zone

Insufficient Depth of Wetting

Root Activity at 50 cm
 Why?
15 days of crop stress caused by dry soil conditions.

Compare water use (yield\quality)

Crop runs out of water
 Making a difference
Managed with Sentek probes Managed without Sentek probes – lost 
50% of cover
 Budget Line Report
indicating how many days spend in “non-stress green zone” and in
“stress red zone”

Budget Line Report

Indicating the periods above,

between and below critical lines
Drainage below 70 cm

Full Point Irrigation

Water lost to Drainage

Centre Pivot Irrigation
 Infiltration Rate

10cm

20cm
30cm
40cm

80cm

Time of Day
 Infiltration Rate

10cm

20cm
30cm
40cm

80cm

Time of Day
 Infiltration Rate

10cm

20cm
30cm
40cm

80cm

Time of Day
 Infiltration Rate

10cm

20cm
30cm
40cm

80cm

Time of Day
 Infiltration Rate

10cm

20cm
30cm
40cm

80cm

Time of Day
 Infiltration Rate

10cm

20cm
30cm
40cm

80cm

Time of Day
 Infiltration Rate

10cm

20cm
30cm
40cm

80cm

Time of Day
 Infiltration Rate

10cm

20cm
30cm
40cm

80cm

Time of Day
Pivot Speed Impact on Soil Water
Pivot 7Capture
Probe 1
G 15 Chipsy 3
High Pivot Speed Low Pivot Speed

ET

Irrigation

Impact on Soil Water Capture

WATER LOGGING
 Water Logging

Temporary slow down

of daily crop water
use and growth
caused by water
logging after an
irrigation.
 Water Logging

Temporary slow down

of daily crop water
use and growth
caused by water
logging after an
irrigation.
 Water Logging

Temporary slow down

of daily crop water
use and growth
caused by water
logging after an
irrigation.
 Water Logging

Temporary slow down

of daily crop water
use and growth
caused by water
logging after an
irrigation.
 Water Logging

Temporary slow down

of daily crop water
use and growth
caused by water
logging after an
irrigation.
 Water Logging

Temporary slow down

of daily crop water
use and growth
caused by water
logging after an
irrigation.
 Waterlogging

Optimum Soil Moisture

Onset of Moisture Stress

 Waterlogging

6 days

Optimum Soil Moisture

Onset of Moisture Stress

 Waterlogging

6 days

Optimum Soil Moisture

Onset of Moisture Stress

 Waterlogging

6 days

Optimum Soil Moisture

Onset of Moisture Stress

 Factors
1. Developing crop leaf area
affecting Kc
2. Crop variety 19. Slope
3. Crop height 20. Aspect
4. Length of crop growth stage 21. Exposure to sun
5. Planting density light and shadow
6. Crop disease
7. Weed infestation
8. Crop pests
9. Stomata closure through excessive heat
10. Climate conditions (humid – arid)
11. Soil characteristics determining evaporation
12. Soil water stress
13. Soil salinity
14. Soil fertility
The crop coefficient (Kc) values of the major
15. Irrigation method Crops grown under Mediterranean climate

16. Irrigation frequency Paola Lazzara, Gianfranco Rana

CRA- Research Unit for Agricultural in Dry Environments,
17. Agronomic techniques via C. Ulpiani, 5, 70125 Bari, Italy

18. Waterlogging www.meliaproject.eu/Members/p35isa/CropCoeff.pdf

W Weather Station Data Supplied S = Sentek Calculation
S S W S W S

Rain

Water Logging
Factors affecting soil wetting
and drying patterns

• Soil Hydraulic Properties

• Emitter discharge rates
• Emitter spacing
• Emitter placement (above or
below ground)

• Irrigation quantity and

frequency
? ? • Crop water uptake rates
• Root distribution
patterns
 Individual Probe Soil Water
After Irrigation Profile Dynamics

Onset of
Stress Under stress
Critical Drying Pattern
 Critical Drying Pattern

After Irrigation
 Critical Drying Pattern

After Irrigation

Onset of
Stress
 Critical Drying Pattern

After Irrigation

Onset of
Stress Under stress
 Critical Drying Pattern

After Irrigation

Onset of
Stress Under stress
2 D Imaging of Soil Water
 N
W Soil Wetting Patterns
E
S
N
W
E
S

With kind permission from Sigfredo Fuentes

Dual Mode Sensing
Water & Salinity
Dual Mode Sensing
Water & Salinity
Measurement of Soil Water and Salinity
using Capacitance

Theoretical Background

Dual Mode
Measurement
Measurement of Soil Water and Salinity
using Capacitance

Theoretical Background

Dual Mode
Measurement
Measurement of Soil Water and Salinity
using Capacitance

Theoretical Background

Dual Mode
Measurement
Measurement of Soil Water and Salinity
using Capacitance

Theoretical Background

Dual Mode
Measurement
Measurement of Soil Water and Salinity
using Capacitance

Theoretical Background

Dual Mode
Measurement
Measurement of Soil Water and Salinity
using Capacitance

Theoretical Background

Dual Mode
Measurement
IrriMAX 9
IrriMAX 9
IrriMAX 9
IrriMAX 9
IrriMAX 9
Field Calibration
 Field Calibration

Application of 15 litres of Ammonium Nitrate Solutions

0.057 dSm-1 1.300 dSm-1 2.444 dSm-1 3.710 dSm-1 4.970 dSm-1 6.230 dSm-1

Rep 1
1m
Rep 2
3m
Salinity Treatment & Soil Sampling
Salinity Treatment & Soil Sampling
Salinity Treatment & Soil Sampling
 Nitrogen
Nitrogen Trial
Application
& Crop Uptake
Watermelons
Salinity

10 cm
Constant rate of water application
Soil Water
20 cm

30 cm
 Impact of Over Irrigation on Soil Salinity 
Profile Graph showing Soil Salinity
in upper pane and Soil Water in lower pane
Mobilization at the edge of “Wetting Onion”

Soil Salinity Mobilization

Over Irrigation Event

 Outcomes:

Benefits of Irrigation
Management
A few examples
 Volumetric Data allow a quantitative Water Management
Report Card and comparison between different Production
Sites
Quigley Farms, NSW, Achievement:
•Saving of 525 Mega Litres of Water
•630 more bales of cotton
•Extra income of $ 286,000 in the first year!
Economic Impact of Water
stress
Water Savings
 Sentek Technologies

Solutions for soil moisture and salinity management

Copyright © 2011
Company founded in 1991
Based in Adelaide, Australia
Exporting to over 80 Countries
Where does Sentek operate ?
Examples
Olives- Siwa Oasis, Egypt
Olives, Vines and Blue Berries
in Argentina
Land Slide Warning in Brazil
 Table Grapes
Atacama Desert – Chile
Pomegranates - Peru
20 % Saving on Electricity -
Chile
 Research Centre.
Laimburg, Italy

13 Years of Data
Inner Mongolia - China
Corn & Sunflowers USA
 How ?
The Technology
EnviroSCAN
 Continuous
Soil Water Tracking System
 Soil Water Content
Separate Levels & Summed
Polarity of Water
Hydrogen Nucleus

Negative side Oxygen Positive side

nucleus 104.5o

Hydrogen Nucleus
Measurement of Water
Measurement of Water
Measurement of Water
Measurement of Water
 Site Calibration for
Proven Scientific Accuracy

SF
0.608695652

14.73 Vol %

USDA_ARS Beltsville Research Center

Units Of Soil Water

17
Scientific Credibility

USDA-ARS Beltsville
- Maryland
Scientific Credibility

USDA-ARS Beltsville
- Maryland
Very high Data Resolution = 0.01 mm

38 mm
Very high Data Resolution = 0.01 mm

38 mm

6.5 mm
Very high Data Resolution = 0.01 mm

38 mm

3.2 mm
6.5 mm
Very high Data Resolution = 0.01 mm

38 mm

3.2 mm
6.51.1
mmmm
Very high Data Resolution = 0.01 mm

38 mm

3.2 mm
6.51.1
mmmm
0.18 mm
Very high Data Resolution = 0.01 mm

38 mm

3.2 mm
6.51.1
mmmm 0.01% Vol
0.18 mm

0.01mm
 Serviceability & Re-
configurability in the Field
New – Temperature and
Humidity Sensor added
 Site and Data Integrity

Tight Fit
Installation
Very high Data Trend Continuity after
in-field sensor/probe change

After probe retrieval and sensor change:

Data continuity is maintained
 Site by Site Slurry vs. Direct Install
Observe much deeper depth!!!! of irrigation on lower pane
showing slurry installation
Customized EnviroSCAN®
Sensor Depths
Customized EnviroSCAN®
Sensor Depths

Example sensor depths

Diviner 2000®
Diviner 2000®
Diviner 2000® Operation
Diviner ® Display Unit
EnviroSCAN Solo
Data Transmission Options-
Sentek Plus GSM/GPRS

GSM/GPRS
Or
Satellite
Logger Modem
Data Transmission Options-
Sentek Plus Satellite
 New Innovation:
All in One
Soil Water & Salinity Monitoring Solution
 SENTEK DRILL & DROP
OUR NEW INNOVATION:

The tapered Drill & Drop multi-

sensor profiling probe
measures:

Soil moisture
Salinity
Temperature

It is wider at the top than it is at the

bottom, to ensure an agronomically
correct
slurry-free, snug-fit and super fast
probe installation.
 Why did we
create it?
 Soil moisture probes are difficult and time-
Soil Undisturbed consuming to install – existing soil moisture
slurry soil probes require a lot of time and energy,
especially when inserting down to 48” (1.2
m)… until NOW!!

 The Drill & Drop measures an undisturbed soil

medium, not a soil slurry that fills the air gap
between soil and probe, which is being used by
most soil moisture probe manufacturers

 The slurry invites preferential path flow of

water along the probe, providing
misleading and potentially crop
damaging information to the irrigator.
 New Innovation

Compact Drill & Drop

 New Innovation

Compact Drill & Drop

Customized Graphs updating
every 3 hours
 IrriMAX Live Data
Continuously logged data are available on the Internet with safe guarded user access
anywhere and anytime on any PC, tablet or phone. A registered IrriMAX Live user can
share data with other users that are being nominated. Data and graphs can be
downloaded to a desktop computer for more complex data interrogation and graphing.
IrriMAX Live - Graph Example

Separate Level Soil Water Graph

Summed Soil Water Graph

Graphing Functionality available in the IrriMAX Live Cloud

IrriMAX Live – Soil Water Status Map

A Google Map indicates the position of probes.

The colour (Green) indicates the current status
of soil water.
IrriMAX Live on the phone
Distribution of Water Management
Information to Irrigators

Internet
Distribution of Water Management
Information to Irrigators

Internet
Distribution of Water Management
Information to Irrigators

Internet
Distribution of Water Management
Information to Irrigators

Internet
Automated email warning to Water Management Service
provider if data transmission or sensor readings are
interrupted - allowing high quality of service
Any Soil Water Threshold can be alarmed
to send email to consultant and/or user

Email Alarm is triggered when “Onset of Water

Stress” is reached.
Conclusion
Critical Crop Water Thresholds
Summed Soil Water Profile Graph

Water Logged Crop

Readily Plant Plant

Available Available
Water Content Water Content

Water Stressed Crop

 The Soil-Water-Plant-
Atmosphere-Continuum

How to measure
and visualize these key components
on a continuous basis
for research and
commercial crop production????

(Hillel, D. 1998)
 Key components of the soil –
water – plant - atmosphere
continuum
(measured with Multi Sensor Capacitance probes)

 Daily  Saturation & Field

Evapotranspiration Capacity (Upper Drained
Limit)
 Onset of Water stress,  Determination of
Permanent Wilting Point effective Root Zone
 Soil Water holding (water uptake)
Capacity  Water table Fluctuations
 Irrigation Full and Refill  Soil Profile Infiltration
Points Dynamics
 Drainage, Groundwater
Recharge Rates (plus matric potential
measurements and models)

 Rainfall Interception
 Irrigation Efficiency
 Distribuidor Autorizado de
Sentek Technologies

Contáctanos y solicita tu cotización 
Av. Irrigación #105 Local 20 A, Col. Exelaris, 
C.P. 38015, Celaya, Guanajuato, México. 
Teléfonos: +52(461) 612 99 22,
612 66 37, Fax: (461) 159 03 60 
atencionaclientes@proain.com

www.proain.com

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