FEBRUARY 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


33 Soil probes dig into water management issues by RONDA PAYNE


ABBOTSFORD – No matter the type of crop, too little water can lead to plant stress and therefore sacrificed yields or invasion by pests or disease, while too much water can suffocate roots leading to plant damage or death. Soil type, plant type, plant age and micro-climates all play a part in the amount of water a plant needs to achieve ideal levels of growth and production.


Fortunately, Mike Boot of Greenzone Consulting has spent a considerable amount of time evaluating soil probes to help farmers understand the benefits of these systems and the options available to better manage irrigation. These water management tools become even more important as the licensing for groundwater use under BC’s Water Sustainability Act moves through the grace period to mandatory compliance.


“There are two main groups of sensors,” Boot says. “Those which measure soil water content and those which measure soil water tension.” Within these two categories are a range of probes and systems which offer simple, basic information to detailed real time data systems that provide updates every five to 15 minutes to a computer for interpretation. The selection of the right probe depends upon field habits and ability to analyze data.


Probes that measure water content use several sensors to determine the moisture content within the soil. These probes come in a several types and are generally the most popular on large-scale farms and are also the choice of many Okanagan grape growers, according to Boot. “Generally they involve several sensors which are buried at multiple layers in the root zone or possibly come premade with the sensors mounted in a single tube which is inserted through the root zone,” notes Boot. “The results are logged and then analyzed on a PC.”


Sensitive


While the water content probes are incredibly accurate, they can also be expensive, sensitive to the types of moisture often seen in BC and require the ability to interpret data based on soil type and crop. In grape or blueberry fields, this can be a good choice so long as someone is tasked with data


interpretation and system management.


“I have used a number of these types of probes in the past and it is pretty incredible the level of detail you can get from them,” Boot says.


Measuring the effort


Soil water tension probes measure the effort required from a plant to draw water from the soil.


“The practical beauty of this is that the ideal zone is the same on sand as it is on clay and the grower does not need to massage any readings to match their crop and soil type combination,” notes Boot.


These devices can be a lower cost, are easy to install and interpret but may require small amounts of


maintenance and don’t necessarily perform


optimally in coarse soils. The sealed sensor is filled with water and the ceramic tipped probe is pushed into the soil. As the plant grows, the


sensor measures the “pull” of the plant on the water in the probe.


MIKE BOOT


“As it is in intimate contact with the active roots, that [sensor result] fairly accurately reflects how much pull the plant is exerting on the available water,” Boot says. The obvious benefit of the


real-time sensors on probes is the automatic


transmission of data to a PC. Non-real-time sensors collect data at the probes where the data must be collected then


downloaded to a PC. Real-time data prevents the concern of forgetting to


check the probes and collect data, even when things are at their busiest. Some real-time systems even come complete with smart phone alerts for certain water levels.


Real-time data probes cost


more, but the trade-off may be worth the cost given the prevented stress on plants. “Any time you reduce stress on a crop, you will most likely get a bit of a yield bump, so ultimately that is the goal of having a soil moisture probe,” notes Boot.


Choose wisely Choosing between


measuring water content or soil tension depends upon budget and on-site skill set for data interpretation. Choosing real-time data transmission over data gathering with in the probe comes down to budget and comfort with technology.


No matter the probe


chosen, if used correctly it will reduce plant stress and potentially increase yield.


It’s not for everybody.


LOW LEASE PAYMENTS EVERYONE CAN AFFORD!


CALL YOUR SALES PERSON NOW FOR DETAILS


Not everyone is up so early Or out so late.


Fewer are out feeding at sunrise And hauling at sunset.


Not everyone expects as much from their tractor,


But for those who do, a Fendt makes all the difference.


That difference is in how it is built and what it can do. And from the moment you sit in one, you’ll understand why the best run operations run Fendt.


ABBOTSFORD 1.888.283.3276 | KELOWNA 1.800.680.0233 | VERNON 1.800.551.6411 www.avenuemachinery.ca


©2017 AGCO Corporation. Fendt is a worldwide brand of AGCO. AGCO and Fendt are trademarks of AGCO. All rights reserved.


fendt.com/us


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47