Automation of irrigation by electronic tensiometry based on the arduino hardware platform

Abstract This study developed and evaluated an electronic irrigation system controlled by soil water matric potential. The controller uses tensiometers and pressure transducers as a reading mechanism, integrated with an Arduino microcontroller board that drives the solenoid valves and a 1/3 hp single-phase motor. Four electronic tensiometers were installed in plastic containers filled with 6 kg of Red-Yellow Latosol (RYL) with a clayey texture, and another four in plastic containers filled with 7 kg of Regolitic Neosol (RN) with a sandy texture. Irrigation automation components were activated autonomously at the critical potentials of -20, -25, -30, and -35 kPa for RYL, and -10, -15, -20, and -25 kPa for RN, with a 20% variation tolerance. The entire system is able to monitor and control irrigation based on soil water matric potential. Components were deactivated when the soil water potential reached the field capacity of each soil type. Irrigation automation performance was considered satisfactory, as it kept critical potentials within the pre-established thresholds in both soil types. Automation control was set for matric potentials between -10 kPa and -35 kPa in RYL, and between -5 kPa and -25 kPa in RN.