The agronomic season that has just started is looking particularly complicated when it comes to irrigation: some areas in Italy are already experiencing water shortages and the prospects are worrying.
Enrico Turoni
"A correct management of irrigation is essential for modern agriculture: the lack of suitable water resources has repercussions on the quality and quantity of the harvest, but excessive water can also cause serious problems," explains Enrico Turoni, owner of TR Turoni from Forlì.
It is now standard practice to use tools to measure soil humidity that can be analogue, digital, and that memorize and/or transmit data. One of the most used methods to assess soil humidity is the tensiometric one. With this system, the tools measure soil humidity based on a negative pressure unit, also known as tension, i.e. the strength plant roots must use to extract water from the soil. High tension values indicate that the soil is becoming dry, plants endure higher water stress and growth slows down.
The most popular tools are analogue tensiometers made up of a tube that fills with water, a sensitive porous septum and a manometer that indicates the value of the strength used by the roots to "attract" water.
"In addition to analogical tools, we have digital tensiometers that turn the tension that is generated in the soil into an electric signal and that can also be equipped with a data logger to store data. Tensiometric probes can be combined with weather stations that automatically send the information collected to a database that can be viewed online."
For further information
T.R. Turoni srl
Via Copernico 26
47122 Forlì - Italy
+39 0543 724848
[email protected]
www.trturoni.com