REMOTE SOIL MOISTURE MONITORING USING WEB BROWSERS FOR IMPROVED IRRIGATION DECISION MAKING

We propose to field demonstrate a web browser based decision support system (DSS) providing real-time remote monitoring of various sensors placed at the root depth, and compiling weather station data to provide growers with important information for making irrigation decisions. Key features of the system are the ability to access multiple remote sites that contain monitoring equipment, using software that the grower is already familiar with. From a map the grower will click on icons for individual sensors or groups of sensors to see both real-time values and historical data. Sensors available to the network will include soil moisture, temperature, resistivity, and local weather station data. Under the Phase I SBIR an improved soil moisture sensor (SMRT Probe) as a key element of the monitoring system was designed and built, and a web browser based data acquisition system for the SMRT Probe was used to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept. Additional sensors, such as a nitrate-nitrogen sensor and pH will be investigated to be added to the system. Using this information the grower can monitor fluctuations in soil moisture as they correlate with weather conditions to make more informed irrigation decisions and maximize the efficiency of the water used.