Description
The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences.
Background
Florida has around 9.7 million acres of farmland (USDA NASS 2022) supporting a diverse range of crops. The state's irrigated land increased from 1.49 million acres in 2012 to 1.51 million acres in 2018 (USDA NASS 2018). This shows that there is an increase in need to adopt data driven irrigation technologies for better resource management and sustainable agriculture. Florida's landscape, characterized by numerous springs and shallow water levels, requires the careful application of water resources to minimize nutrient leaching and chemical runoff, which often result from over-irrigation.
To address these challenges, we are developing the Florida Agricultural Soil Moisture Sensor Network. This initiative, in collaboration with our extension faculty, specialists, and agents, aims to educate producers and support the adoption of soil moisture sensors for optimal irrigation practices.
Objectives
- Continuous expansion of Florida Ag. soil moisture sensor network.
- Assisting the agents and growers in investigating soil moisture sensors as a water-conserving technology.
- Quantify the operational and financial benefits and challenges of soil moisture sensor technologies in different management practices.
- Providing information on sensor costs and cost-share funding availability.
- Increasing the availability of real-time data.
- Ensuring reliable data for irrigation scheduling.
To further refine our understanding of field conditions, our team is developing soil moisture characteristic curves for soil samples collected from the field. These curves will help determine essential soil properties, including field capacity and permanent wilting point. Additionally, to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the sensor readings, we are currently calibrating both point sensors and probes. This calibration effort addresses concerns about data accuracy, which is crucial for effective irrigation scheduling. As a result, we have expanded our project objectives to include the last two objectives
News and Events
Soil Moisture Monitoring
Soil Moisture Monitoring for Irrigation Scheduling during the Watermelon Season