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Indian Journal of Pure & Applied Biosciences (IJPAB)
Year : 2019, Volume : 7, Issue : 4
First page : (277) Last page : (282)
Article doi: : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.7642

Integration of Soil Moisture Sensor Based Automated Drip Irrigation System for Okra Crop

Vikas Sharma^1*, P. K. Singh², S. R. Bhakar², K. K. Yadav³ and S. S. Lakhawat^4
1PhD Research Scholar, ²Professor, ³Associate Professor,
Department of Soil and Water Engineering,
⁴Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture,
Maharana Pratap University of Agricultural and Technology, Udaipur, India
*Corresponding Author E-mail: vikassharmaacet@gmail.com
Received: 13.07.2019  |  Revised: 17.08.2019   |  Accepted: 24.08.2019  

 ABSTRACT

The soil moisture based automated drip system was integrated and evaluated for okra crop in year 2019 at Plasticulture Farm of College of Technology and Engineering, Udaipur Rajasthan for deciding optimum time for irrigation on the basis of moisture availability in the soil. The soil moisture sensor works on electrical resistivity. As the moisture content of the soil increases, the electrical resistivity of the soil decreases. The value of resistivity changes in to volumetric water content of soil. The sensor sends command to irrigation controller at 1 hour interval. If soil moisture goes down to the threshold value of moisture content then controller starts the pump. While, moisture content reaches at threshold value then system off automatically by micro controller. The results shows that when resistance of soil increases the voltage on controller output port was equal or more than 24 VAC which shows starting command for pump. When resistance of soil decreases then sensor indicates optimum moisture availability at that time output voltage of controller was nearly to zero voltage. Which indicate command for system off. The result shows good correlation between values of soil moisture content obtained by gravimetric method and sensor output voltage with a value of R2 = 0.939. While, the value of R2 was also found to be 0.920 which shows good correlation between soil moisture by measured by sensor and soil moisture content by gravemetric method. The result shows that good accuracy of this soil moisture sensor in measurement of soil moisture. The system found very convenient to switch on and switch off the pump when the water is applied, especially when farmer are busy in other agricultural operation. This technique saves large amount wastage of water as well as wastage of power (consumed by water lift pump) and increases yield of okra crop by maintaining optimum moisture content in rootzone during whole crop period.

Keyword: Soil moisture based irrigation system, Electric Conductivity, Moisture content, Irrigation controller, Soil moisture sensor.

Full Text : PDF; Journal doi : http://dx.doi.org/10.18782

Cite this article: Sharma, V., Singh, P.K., Bhakar, S.R., Yadav, K.K., & Lakhawat, S.S. (2019). Integration of Soil Moisture Sensor Based Automated Drip Irrigation System for Okra Crop, Ind. J. Pure App. Biosci. 7(4), 277-282. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.18782/2320-7051.7642