Crops depend on irrigation systems for a healthy growth. However, a healthy growth requires a balanced amount of water according to the crop's plants needs, and also, knowing the balanced and precise amount of water required for a crop is key for reducing water waste in agricultural processes. One of the main variables to be measured in the soil, in order to get this precise amount of water required for a determined crop, and for a precise irrigation scheduling is the Matric Potential of the soil.
Nowadays, this measurement is made offline, non realtime and requires expensive data logger equipments. For those reasons, Matric Potential is generally measured only at specific stages of the crop and only at some points per area unit. Based on this measurements, the irrigation scheduling is defined.
Changing conditions of the soil, weather, rainfall sessions, and even global warming among others, make this non-realtime and geographically-non-continuous measurement, an inaccurate input for an optimum irrigation planning.
Combining "Internet of Things" (IoT) and "Energy Harvesting" technologies, Colbits has developed a Matric Potential sensor powered by an small 2 watts solar panel and "solid-state" energy storage, capable of continuous operation (7x24) without maintenance, and eco-friendly by non-use of batteries.
These sensors can be placed on the soil at equal distances, covering large areas, and their Matric Potential data is uploaded to the cloud using a long range IoT network.
By means of this deployment, farmers can get a real time map of their soil’s Matric Potential considering the environment changing conditions, define an optimum irrigation plan, dramatically reduce water waste and get a healthier crop.
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