A low-cost electronic tensiometer system for continuous monitoring of soil water potential

Abstract

A low cost system for measuring soil water potential and data logging was developed on the basis of an Arduino microcontroller board, electronic pressure transducers and water-filled tensiometers. The assembly of this system requires only minimal soldering, limited to the wiring of the power supply and the pressure sensors to the microcontroller board. The system presented here is, therefore, not only inexpensive, but also suited for easy reproduction by users with only basic technical skills. The utility and reliability of the system was tested in a commercial apple orchard.

Keywords

• soil water potential
• microcontroller
• pressure transducer
• tensiometer
• data logging
• Arduino.