The purpose of the research is to use an experimental electronic device for determining soil moisture (moisture meter sensor) developed at Volga Research Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Land Reclamation and to give a comparative analysis of the data obtained from 0 to 100 cm layers with data obtained by using the thermostatic weight method, as well as to determine the prospects for tensiometer application for soil moisture operational determination over large production areas. In the process of solving the task, a device for soil moisture operational determining was developed. The device records the change in total resistance of soil between two electrodes on alternating current, which is proportional to the soil moisture and converts this value into a digital value. The tests of the experimental device for soil moisture determination were carried out in the field in the experimental production farm of Volga Research Institute of Hydraulic Engineering and Land Reclamation. Soil moisture was determined by two methods: the traditional thermostatic weight method and by using the developed device. As a result of the tests it was found that in determining the soil moisture content in triplicate, the convergence of the results in 0.1 to 0.7 m layers is 99.7 %, for 0.8–1.0 m layers – 97.5 %. The use of this instrument makes it possible to carry out express measurements with an accuracy of ± 0.3–2.5 % in soil moisture measurement range 10–30 %, which allows us to recommend the device application in large production areas and will contribute to the water resources conservation.
Keywords: irrigation, irrigation mode, thermostatic weight method for soil moisture determination, a device for soil moisture determination tensiometer), resource saving.
DOI: 10.31774/2222-1816-2019-1-12-25
V. A. Shadskikh, V. E. Kizhaeva, V. O. Peshkova, I. A. Shushpanov, Z. F. Ivanishcheva, E. S. Smirnov. THE APPLICATION POTENTIAL OF USING A TENSIOMETER (SOIL MOISTURE METER) FOR SOIL MOISTURE OPERATIONAL DETERMINING Scientific Journal of Russian Scientific Research Institute of Land Improvement Problems. 2019. No 1. P. 12-25 DOI:10.31774/2222-1816-2019-1-12-25
