SOI (Spot On Irrigation) – A Zero-Maintenance Tensiometer 4 Feb 2024, 11:32 am

Imagine it’s the middle of summer and you are driving by your fields, orchards, or research plots. The crops look healthy, but you wonder about the moisture levels in the soil for the upcoming days. Which block or field should you prioritize for irrigation?  Additionally, you may be concerned about the previous irrigation event and saturation levels of soil.

SoilMoisture’s SOI (Spot On Irrigation), is a zero-maintenance tensiometer connected to a high visibility display that can be easily seen from a distance for an immediate insight of the soil moisture levels. You can make onsite irrigation decisions without the need for a sophisticated soil monitoring system!

The SOI display is very intuitive. It consists of 7 vertically aligned coin-shaped indicators. Each coin has a black and a bright yellow side. Once the soil is fully irrigated, all 7 coins flip yellow. A column of 7 yellow indicators (coins) means that the soil has high levels of moisture (perhaps even saturated). As the soil dries out, the coins flip black one by one and from the top coin to the very bottom one. Therefore, one can always tell the moisture status of the soil by considering how many coins are yellow. A display that shows one or no yellow coins indicates very dry soil. Since the coins are visible from several feet away, you do not even need to walk to the display to read them.

For each type of crop or tree, a certain number of yellow coins indicate the proper level of soil moisture.

The SOI installation is simple. Everything you need is included in one package except for a ¾” PVC pipe, which will be sourced locally and cut to match the depth of the installation (active root zone). No training or calibration is required. The high-contrast yellow and black colors were selected so you have no trouble drawing conclusions about the soil moisture status. The SOI package is compact, making it easy to store on shelves and use as needed.

For optimal results, we recommend using one SOI per acre of crops near a tree or plant. If you suspect that there may be variations in soil types and moisture conditions, more than one may be needed. However, if the soil is more uniform, fewer SOIs may be necessary.

SOI can be installed at the beginning, at the middle, and the end of the rows and at the target depth of irrigation. This way by simply looking at the SOI displays from a distance you would be able to tell exactly when the wetting front hits the target depth (all the coins turn yellow). This is a very simple, intuitive, and yet powerful method for optimizing irrigation practices.

SOI can also be installed at different depths. For example, for big trees you might decide to install an SOI at 4 feet or even deeper; or install two SOI units, one at 2 ft and one at 4 ft. While, for a row crop the desired installation depth might be only a few inches. Ultimately, we trust you to make the best judgment for your specific circumstances.

Call us at (805) 964-3525 for more information about SOI.

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User Spotlight 2 Feb 2024, 11:27 am

Meet Dr. Daniel Hirmas, a professor and B.L. Allen Chair of Pedology at Texas Tech University who researches the mechanistic linkages between soil structure, climate, distribution of coarse fragments, fire frequency, dust, and subsurface boundary conditions on the development of soil hydraulic properties.

Introduction

Meet Dr. Hirmas, who has achieved a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Texas A&M University, a Master’s Degree in Soil Science from Texas Tech University, and a PhD in Soil and Water Sciences from the University of California. From 2008 to 2018, he was an Assistant Professor, and then Associate Professor, in the Department of Geography and Atmospheric Science at the University of Kansas. Afterwards, he became an Associate Professor of Pedology at the University of California – Riverside in the Department of Environmental Sciences until 2022. He then joined the faculty of the Department of Plant and Soil Science at Texas Tech University in 2023.

Where are you from?

I grew up in Dallas/Ft. Worth area in Texas

Where did your interest in soil science start?

After finishing my undergraduate degree in Biology from Texas A&M University, I took a job at A&L Laboratories in Lubbock, TX, as a lab technician testing water, soils, and cotton seed. It was there that I got introduced to soils, and after about a year and encouragement from my boss, Dr. Gene Coleman, I decided to take an introductory soils course at Texas Tech University to learn more about soil science. That course was taught by the late Dr. B.L. Allen, and it was in the first lecture that I fell in love with soils and decided that I wanted to study for the rest of my career.

What are your current areas of research?

My students and I address how climate, geomorphic processes, and land use interact with soils to give rise to soil morphological properties. We inquire into how these properties affect soil genesis, the evolution of pore networks, soil hydrology, and the spatial distribution of soil mineral and organic components across scales. Through several research projects, we are examining the mechanistic linkages between soil structure, climate, distribution of coarse fragments, fire frequency, dust, and subsurface boundary conditions on the development of soil hydraulic properties.

How do you plan to use the PR16 Permeameter?

My research assesses soil physical and hydrological properties in the field and on intact soil samples. We especially focus on hydraulic conductivity and the water retention curve. I plan to use the new PR16 in conjunction with tension disk infiltrometry to automate and improve the accuracy and precision of hydraulic conductivity measurements under different tensions.

What do you do when not doing research or teaching?

I enjoy spending time with my wife and three daughters, grilling, and carpentry when I get the chance.

Congratulations to Dr. Hirmas for winning SoilMoisture’s PR16 Permeameter at the recent ASA/CSSA/SSSA conference in St. Louis! We look forward to seeing the up-and-coming research developments of his work in the coming years.

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12 Reasons Why Portable Soil Probes / Sensors Should be Incorporated in Optimizing Crop Health 30 Jan 2024, 2:20 pm

Soil moisture monitoring installations have gained significant attention in recent years and for a good reason. These installations are essential for effectively managing irrigation scheduling and optimizing those areas with limited water resources to meet a crop’s needs. The variability of soil types, needs of crops, terrain, and drainage profiles pose challenges that can be addressed by incorporating permanent soil monitoring installations and/or portable soil probes. The agronomists and soil hydrology experts at Stevens and SoilMoisture have identified 12 compelling reasons for incorporating portable soil moisture probes in your soil monitoring system. If you have more ideas, please contact us at info@stevenswater.com!

1. Soils are rarely uniform across a field and each soil type has a specific hydrology profile, with different saturation, field capacity, and permanent wilting points. Think of portable soil probes as a carry-on tool that can efficiently identify multiple data points across a field to help define the right moisture targets and irrigation schedule plan.
2. Touch and feel assessment of soil conditions is a common practice. A portable soil sensing system can help validate the experience in touch and feel of soil, and educate new people in the art and science of this common practice, or it can replace it altogether with a more objective measurement tool.
3. A consultant often gathers data on soil moisture, temperature, and salinity in specific locations. This information will enable well-informed recommendations and diagnoses based on quality data from permanent and portable sensors.
4. Precise knowledge regarding the moisture levels in the soil is essential to effectively determine the appropriate timing and quantity of irrigation required. Portable soil sensors can narrowly define the areas for precision irrigation scheduling.
5. Portable soil sensors can help determine the optimal location for a permanent soil moisture monitoring system. This location should possess a balanced level of moisture, neither too wet nor too dry, and enable the calculation of an irrigation schedule for the entire zone.
6. Salinity levels can be an issue and require proactive management to address excess salt buildup. Early warnings of salinity build-up can be noticed by a portable probe, preventing excessive stress on crops.
7. You have oversight of research plots with multiple trials and tracking soil moisture, soil temperature and EC/salinity are required in each plot.
8. Annual crops with short growing cycles may be hindered in their cultivation, harvest, and other practices by the presence of a permanent soil monitoring installation.
9. Easy spot checking of soil moisture, temperature, or salinity to diagnose areas with or of potential plant stress or other pathologies.
10. Assessing an irrigation system’s performance and uniformity, looking for any potential issues or irregularities in the distribution of water across all zones before the crop displays irrigation deficit stress.
11. Applications such as fumigation and pre-emergence herbicides require a minimum soil temperature to be effective. One can determine the soil temperature by digging a hole and taking a reading at the appropriate depth.
12. Many portable soil probes are linked to a mobile application that captures soil moisture and various other parameters, along with their precise GPS coordinates. These records are saved and easily linked to a program that provides visual insights, crop-specific advanced algorithms, and predictive analysis. Combining portable soil probes with data from permanent soil sensors and weather measurements provides a powerful insight into the health and performance of any crop.

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