ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights advanced tools for scientific irrigation scheduling, which includes innovations in soil water and plant sensors, the integration of radio frequency (RF) telemetry to take advantage of sensor network systems, and the use of software-based applications for data acquisition, management, and decision making. Soil water sensors based on time domain reflectometry (TDR) and water content reflectometry are comprised of waveguides and a pulse generator. Plant sensors for irrigation scheduling can be categorized into two main groups; invasive, which make contact with the plant; and noninvasive, which do not contact the plant, but provide proximal sensing measurements. Wireless sensors and wireless sensor networks are preferable to wired because they are capable of operating throughout the duration of an irrigation season, providing continuous canopy temperature monitoring without interfering with farm equipment or farm operations. An irrigation scheduling sensing system, combines plant or soil water sensing with algorithms for to provide support for the timing and amounts of water to apply.
