Monnit announced today the launch of its ALTA® Soil Moisture Sensor. Primed to meet AgriTech market demand, the Soil Moisture Sensor alerts you on your mobile device or computer how much, when, and where to water your crops or commercial landscaping.
The innovative Soil Moisture Sensor helps farmers, commercial growers, and greenhouse managers connect their precision irrigation operations to the Internet of Things (IoT). This Monnit IoT Sensor provides a highly effective way to instantly improve irrigation scheduling and efficiency using timely soil condition data.
“We live and work in a remarkable time of connection when we can say, ‘Listen to your crops tell you when to water them,’ and it means you get a powerful stream of actionable data from the IoT,” said Brad Walters, CEO of Monnit Corporation. “Our Soil Moisture Sensor infuses many applications with the critical data insights people need to make faster, more accurate decisions to modernize their water operations.”
The two-in-one, corrosion-resistant Soil Moisture Sensor measures soil water tension (matric potential) and temperature. A resistive granular matrix element and a thermistor-based temperature element combine to help you increase yield, mitigate water stress and nutrient leaching, and improve water conservation across your growing operations.
The sensor’s moisture element is unique because it works similar to a plant’s root by measuring water tension in its hydrophilic fabric-covered matrix material rather than the surrounding soil. You won’t need to recalibrate after each placement. And you can use the temperature element’s reading for soil moisture temperature compensation, so you don’t have to get different water readings if the temperature changes.
More key features of the Soil Moisture Sensor include:
- Safe and durable in a variety of soils and both hot and freezing temperatures
- Measure within a range of 0 to 240 centibar (cb) or kilopascal (kPa)
- Won’t dissolve in soil and has high-grade stainless steel
- Internally compensated for commonly found salinity levels