Soil moisture has a great impact on life on Earth. By maintaining optimal soil moisture, it is possible to grow trees, crops and generally green areas on the planet. That way, the surfaces will remain stable instead of polluted by dusty disasters. Otherwise, it will be more difficult with higher energy consumption, the quality of work is worse, and the structure of the land will be damaged.
However, there are many factors that affect the hydrology of the soil. Therefore, the measurement of the amount of moisture in the soil is often carried out. The chemical composition of moisture is important for preventing future groundwater pollution and for agriculture. However, there are several key reasons why it is necessary to monitor the amount of soil moisture.
1. Land cultivation
When it comes to field or vegetable production, the soil needs a certain amount of moisture. The content should be moderate and therefore regular controls should be performed. It is easier than ever before thanks to sensors. You can find more about soil moisture sensor at renkeer.com. For example, on dry land, machines and tools can break down. On too wet soil, machines often slip and can get stuck in the mud, so it is best to treat the soil with moderate plasticity.
There are several categories of soil moisture. The first stage is a solid state in which pieces of earth are glued together, but they are not glued together and do not change their volume when dried. The second stage is a semi-solid state, where pieces of soil stick together with low pressure, while during drying they shrink and become solid.
The plastic state is the next step, the earth will not stick to the metal machines used for processing and will only be shaped by strong pressure. The sticky plastic state is another layer that involves the soil of a sticky texture while the next degree is a tough liquid state. This means that the soil is like a sticky thick slurry. Then, there is a thick liquid state and it is a form like a thinner porridge. The last stage is a rare liquid state in which the earth is liquid like water. Clays and organic matter have the greatest influence on the consistency of the soil. Thus, each state of the land requires a different approach.
2. Yield
Soil moisture is a prerequisite for yield. Water reserves in the soil at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, when the vegetation begins, are of great importance for the production of all winter and spring field crops. Determining winter reserves can be done in several ways, which differ in their accuracy and procedures and difficulty of execution. Based on the content analysis, an accurate recommendation for fertilizer was obtained. In production, the amount of winter precipitation measured at meteorological stations or other measuring points is most often used to estimate water reserves in the soil.
Thus, it is possible to roughly estimate the moisture reserve at the beginning of the vegetation. However, this method has several disadvantages, because the winter moisture reserves in the soil are affected not only by winter precipitation but also by unspent precipitation from the previous vegetation period and much more. The amount of winter precipitation varies greatly by year and location.
When there is enough precipitation in the vegetation that is properly distributed, the reserves of winter precipitation are not of great importance. In that case, most of the water consumed by crops comes from precipitation during the growing season. In drought conditions, the root of all crops absorbs the largest amount of water from the deeper layers of the soil, because the surface layers are dry. Yields are affected by a number of factors that always work together. There is no method that would allow us to accurately measure the impact of each of the factors that affect yield and quality.
Despite all these limitations, it can be said with certainty that the importance of winter moisture reserves for plant production is great. Agrotechnics applied in the fall can significantly affect the amount of winter water reserves in the soil and its better utilization for cultivated plants. Some agro-technical measures affect the better accumulation of winter water reserves, others better water storage, and some better utilization during the growing season.
3. Plant growth
Thanks to the understanding of soil moisture, experts are more able to identify plants that suit certain conditions. This is very useful information when it is necessary to understand the impact of modification and exploitation of the environment. This rule has been used since ancient civilizations and so crop vegetation is managed. For example, based on soil analysis, experts will know how much irrigation plants need to stay healthy and whether they have to use Carmeuse dolomite lime. Since each soil is different, it is sometimes necessary to start a totally different process.
This applies to soils that are too moist. In such a case, drainage is done to make the soil suitable for agriculture. Of course, it all depends on local conditions, because this can increase the storage capacity in the soil. It is important to remember that any change in any part of the system has an effect. Monitoring the condition of the land predicts the effect of climate change, which is a key problem. All this affects agriculture, but also industry, domestic consumption and the environment.
4. Manipulation of plant nutrients
It is not enough to allow the plant to develop. They must meet all the requirements of agriculture, which means that the quality of the land is very important. It determines the availability of nutrients that the plant receives. In order to ensure the greatest possible access to these materials, the soil moisture status is constantly measured. According to that, the mineral nutrition of plants that are interconnected is determined. Certain stages of development can make it easier to take in nutrients or make the process more difficult. We must not forget that the development of a plant involves several different phases, such as growth, flower development, etc. This means that at each stage the plant must meet its needs.
Conclusion:
Therefore, in order to prevent improper irrigation management practices, it is necessary to constantly monitor the level of soil moisture. Based on the results of the analysis, important irrigation decisions are made. Thanks to monitoring soil moisture levels, experts optimize water use, increase yields, produce high-quality crops, spend less money, etc. It also reduces the risk of excessive moisture consumption in the field.