A Tensiometer for Logging of Soil Water Potential
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Abstract
This paper aims to present the development of a tensiometer for measuring soil water potential and logging data. Tensiometers are the instruments capable for monitoring plant-available water and scheduling irrigation. The electronic tensiometer was assembled on the basic of an Arduino microcontroller board, a data logger shield, a liquid crystal display (LCD) module and a water-filled tensiometer. This instrument was powered by a photovoltaic power generation system consisting of a photovoltaic panel, a solar charge controller, and a re-chargeable lead acid battery. The water-filled tensiometer was created from a PVC pipe, a porous ceramic cup and a electronic pressure sensor. Real time measurement results were illustrated on LCD and stored to secure digital card (SD card) with CSV file format. The tensiometer was worked without a malfunction throughout the test in mango orchard during a 2-month period between the beginning of September and the beginning of November, 2019. It was recognized the changes in soil water potential, which could be observed the data recorded during the rain. The result indicated that the development device was utility and reliability.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Articles published in Journal of Industrial Technology Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University both hard copy and electronically are belonged to the Journal.
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