Sensors

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Topics
• Introduction
• Sensors
• Tensiometers
• Acclima
• pH
• Communication
• Installation and operation
• Parameters Effect on Plants:
• pH
• EC
• Water Tension
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Introduction

• AGRINOZE use 3 types of sensors to analyze the conditions of

the soil toprovide precision irrigation method:
1. Tensiometers

2. PH sensor

3. Acclima sensor – provides EC, Humid and Temp

• All the sensors are in the field according to planned distribution

and put in the soil according to the crops type.
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Introduction

• Each sensor has its own requirements for the correct specific
location in the soil: depth, distance from irrigation source
(drippers), type of crops.

• The cameras and sensors provide vital information from plants

and crops for decision makers such as irrigation command,
fertilization and more.
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Tensiometers
• Tensiometer is provided to monitor the water tension in soil.
• While using precision irrigation method we want the soil to be
almost saturated continuously.
• The tensiometer is the tool to maintain this parameter.
• The tensiometer needs maintenance – a short procedure to fill
the tube with water and periodic check to verify there is enough
water in the tube:
• Once every 2 months pour 1 ml. of 3% sodium hypochlorite detergent
(JIK) into the tensiometer as a preventive measure against algae and
fungi. This treatment is essential for protecting the ceramic sensor.
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Tensiometers
90⁰ For Growbags

60 cm Dip
40 cm Dip

20 cm Dip
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Tensiometers

90⁰ For Growbags

60 cm Dip

40 cm Dip
20 cm Dip
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Tensiometers - Location
• Choosing the Correct Field Location for Placement
• It is essential that the plant, field plot and dripper that are
selected, are representative samples of the entire field.
• The drip rate of the chosen dripper must correspond to the
average of all the other drippers in the area.
• The drip rate should therefore be checked at short time intervals.
• Count the number of drops per half a minute in the
representative dripper and compare this number with that of the
other drippers.
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Tensiometers - Location

• Should the result deviate by more than 15%, move the

tensiometer to another dripper.

• The distance from the drip source should be as follows:

• In sandy soil - 5 cm.

• In medium soil - 10 cm.

• In heavy soil - 15 cm.
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Tensiometers - Insertion

• Insertion into the soil is carried out after irrigation:

• kneel close to the ground

• push the ceramic sensor into the soil while rotating it around the
tensiometer axis

• Be careful not to tilt the tensiometer, as this may break the ceramic
sensor

• After the proper depth is reached, compress the surrounding soil, so that
no irrigation water can leak along the tube wall and reach the sensor
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Tensiometers - Functioning
• When the tensiometer is placed into the soil after planting, there
is a period of adaptation until the roots of the plant come in close
contact with the tensiometer.
• As long as no contact exists, the progress of tension is gradual
and no acute changes will be observed.
• Therefore, as long as this condition prevails, the indications of the
tensiometer should not be relied upon
• When the tensiometer contacts the roots, it behaves like one of
the plant’s branches, its readings indicating the actual demand of
the plant for water
• Acute variations in tension can be observed at this time
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Tensiometers - Functioning

• The correct time for irrigation is when a sudden rise of the water
tension level is observed and indicates a higher consumption of
water by the plant.

• The role of the upper tensiometer is to determine the interval

between irrigations, while the lower tensiometer determines the
size of irrigation quantity.
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Tensiometers - Irrigation
• When a sudden rise of water tension is observed only at the
upper tensiometer, the quantity of water should be carefully
controlled, so it will not reach to the lower tensiometer.
• If there is downward drop at the lower tensiometer, though, it
means that the irrigation quantity was still too much, which can
only be corrected in the next irrigation cycle.
• When the lower tensiometer starts rising as well, remain at the
same small amount of water given to the upper depth, until a
sudden rise of the water tension is also seen at the lower
tensiometer.
• Only then should the water quantity of irrigation be increased, so
it reaches also to the lower depth.
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Acclima
• Acclima sensor is provided to monitor soil EC, Temperature and
humidity.
• While using precision irrigation method we want to maintain a
balance between all these parameters at the growing area to
provide best environment for the plant's root system.
• The Acclima sensor is the tool we use in order to achieve this
goal.

Waveguide
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Acclima - Installation
• Can be installed either in a horizontal alignment or a vertical
alignment with the waveguide pointing downward.
• In either case it is important to ensure that the soil is compacted
well around the waveguide so that no air pockets exist near the
rods.
• It is important to use the supplied waveguide spacing tool when
starting the insertion of the waveguide into the soil.
• If the rods are not parallel at the beginning of the installation they
will splay outward or inward as they are inserted and cause errors
in the conductivity measurements.
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Acclima - Installation
• Vertical installations - a hole can be dug that is large enough in
diameter to allow getting an arm down the hole to use the
alignment tool during the start of the insertion.
• After the insertion, the hole must be filled and compacted in
layers to avoid creating a preferential percolation location for
surface water.
• Horizontal installations - a trench can be dug, and the sensor can
be laid in the bottom of the trench where soil can be compacted
around it.
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Acclima - Installation
• Be sure to compact the soil between the waveguide
electrodes.
• Refill and compact the trench in layers to avoid the
creation of a preferential percolation site for surface
water.
• Horizontal installation into undisturbed soil can be
achieved by inserting the waveguide into the sidewall
of the trench as shown in the picture.
• A wooden scissor can be fabricated to assist pushing
the waveguide into the sidewall after assuring that
the rods are parallel.
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pH
• pH sensor is provided to monitor soil acidity or basicity. While
using precision irrigation method we want to maintain a certain
level of pH continuously at the growing area to eliminate distress
periods. The pH sensor is the tool we use in order to achieve this
goal.
PH
Transmitter

PH Sensor
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pH

• The pH sensor is designed to be used in water and

water treatment applications.

• The electrode body is made of CPVC or PVDF, for

high temperature applications.
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Communication
Solar Panel

• The communication between the sensors in the

fields and the main controller in the control room
is made using UHF 900 MHz communication,
Main Elec.
Box
powered by solar panels and back up battery.
Transmitter
UHF
• This is a line of sight (LOS) communication
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Communication

Main Elec.
Box

Transmitter
UHF
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Installation
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Installation
• All sensors should be installed by a qualified technician.
• Locations of the sensors are depicted in the distribution map.
• All sensors should be placed near drip lines and not in an un-
watered area.

• Plantations tensiometers - 20 cm, 40 cm and 60 cm below

ground in each plantation.

• Open field tensiometers - 20 cm, 40 cm and 60 cm below ground

in each field.
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Installation

• Greenhouses tensiometers:
• Growbags – 90⁰ tensiometer, 20 cm only below ground in each
greenhouse. These are an "L" shaped tensiometers.

• Other - 20 cm and 40 cm below ground in each greenhouse. These are

regular tensiometers.
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Installation
• Sensor base:
• A 2.5-4 meters high (open fields 2.5, plantation 4 meters) base should be
placed next to each sensor or set of sensors.
• RTU connection, solar panels and a backup battery required to be mounted
on the base.
• Solar panels should be mounted unobstructed on the top of the base (in
case of high trees, place the base in the best possible location in the
required area).
• A backup battery is provided and should be placed on the top of the base.
• All RTUs transmit sensors' information over UHF frequency – 900Mhz and
complies to the Indonesian regulation for LPWA.