Are You Still Irrigating in the Old-Fashioned Way? Time for Efficient Irrigation with Soil Moisture Sensor!
One of the most critical decisions in agriculture is determining when and how much to irrigate. If you are still irrigating by “eye estimation” or by “checking the soil by hand,” you are losing both your water resources and your profit. Traditional old-fashioned irrigation methods cannot provide the precision required by modern agriculture. At this exact point, the soil moisture sensor plays a serious role.
Both Under-Irrigation and Over-Irrigation are Harmful!
One of the biggest mistakes made regarding irrigation is giving the plant less or more water than it needs. Plants take water into their bodies through active or passive transport depending on the content of the growing environment. In case there is not enough water in the soil, plants take water through active transport; since active transport requires more energy use, it causes losses in every period from seed germination to the harvest stage.
What Does Insufficient Irrigation Lead To?
- The plant experiences water stress and its development slows down
- Product quality decreases, fruit remains small
- Harvest amount can decrease by 30-40%
- The plant cannot take in nutrients
Over-Irrigation is Just as Dangerous!
The presence of more water in the environment than needed causes situations such as the non-uptake of plant nutrients, reduction in microorganism activities, and the formation of disease factors.
- Oxygen deficiency occurs in the root zone
- The risk of root rot increases
- Unnecessary water and energy expenses occur
- Nutrients in the soil are washed away
Soil Moisture Sensor: Precision Control in Agriculture
Soil moisture sensor is a sensor we can use to measure the amount of moisture inside the soil. This technology, which is one of the indispensable tools of modern agriculture, tells you the exact time for irrigation by precisely measuring the moisture level at different depths of the soil.
Gains of Using a Soil Moisture Sensor
1. Water Saving and Cost Reduction
Since soil moisture sensors can calculate the moisture the plant needs in the soil, they prevent the use of more water than necessary, thus leading to reductions in water use. Research shows that water savings of 30-50% are achieved in businesses using soil moisture sensors.
2. Yield Increase Guarantee
It increases the yield obtained from plants thanks to efficient irrigation. Field studies reveal that there is a 20-25% yield increase in irrigation systems managed with soil moisture sensors.
3. Energy Efficiency
Serious reductions in electricity bills are achieved by preventing the unnecessary operation of pumps. Costs are optimized, especially with the opportunity to benefit from the night tariff.
Transition from Old-Fashioned Irrigation to Smart Irrigation
Problems encountered in traditional irrigation methods:
- Predictive irrigation: Incorrect evaluations made by looking at the weather forecast and soil appearance
- Irregular irrigation: Ignoring the different water needs of each parcel
- Lack of data: Not knowing how much water is used
- Late intervention: Realizing problems only after damage has occurred
Solution with Esular Smart Irrigation Systems
Thanks to smart irrigation systems equipped with Esular soil moisture sensors:
- Moisture levels in the soil are measured incrementally at depths of 30, 60, and 90 cm
- Instant tracking is done via the mobile application
- Automatic irrigation programs are created
- Water consumption is recorded
- Instant notifications are received in critical situations
In Which Plants Should You Use a Soil Moisture Sensor?
Fruit Orchards
- Citrus: Water stress control in orange, mandarin, and lemon orchards
- Pome fruits: Yield optimization in apple, pear, and quince production
- Stone fruits: Precision irrigation in cherry, sour cherry, apricot, and peach cultivation
Vegetable Production
- Greenhouse vegetable growing: Controlled irrigation in tomato, pepper, eggplant, and cucumber production
- Open field vegetable growing: Water management in products such as potatoes, onions, and carrots
Industrial Crops
- Cotton: Precision control during critical irrigation periods
- Corn: Irrigation optimized according to growth periods
- Sunflower: Prevention of water stress
Investment Cost and Return
The investment made in a soil moisture sensor system usually pays for itself in the first year:
- Water saving: 30-50% reduction in water costs
- Energy saving: 20-30% pump electricity savings
- Yield increase: 20-25% product increase
- Labor saving: Elimination of the need for manual control
💡 Choice of the Smart Farmer
Using a soil moisture sensor is not only about saving water but also a requirement for sustainable agriculture. In this period when we feel the effects of climate change more and more every day, using water resources efficiently is both an economic and an environmental responsibility.
Esular with Digital Transformation
Esular wireless smart irrigation systems provide you with full control by working integrated with soil moisture sensors:
System Features:
- Wireless communication: Coverage area up to 5 km
- Mobile application: Control and tracking from anywhere
- Automatic irrigation: Automatic start according to moisture values
- Data recording: Storage of all irrigation history
- Alarm system: Instant notification in critical situations
Conclusion: The Agriculture of the Future Begins Today
Continuing with old-fashioned irrigation methods means risking both your water resources and your profit. Maintaining the soil moisture content at the level required by the grown plants is extremely important in terms of preventing product losses and ensuring production sustainability.
Soil moisture sensor technology is the first and most important step of digital transformation in agriculture. If you want to get high yield with little water, reduce costs, and make sustainable production, it's time to leave old-fashioned irrigation and switch to smart irrigation systems!
⚠️ Important Warning: The prices stated in this content are the list prices at the date of publication. For current price information and campaigns, please visit store.esular.com. Prices are subject to change.
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