Modelling Soil Water Content in a Tomato Field: Proximal Gamma Ray Spectroscopy and Soil–Crop System Models

Virginia Strati, Matteo Albéri, Stefano Anconelli, Marica Baldoncini, Marco Bittelli, Carlo Bottardi, Enrico Chiarelli, Barbara Fabbri, Vincenzo Guidi, Kassandra Giulia Cristina Raptis, Domenico Solimando, Fausto Tomei, Giulia Villani and Fabio Mantovani
Additional contact information
Virginia Strati: Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Matteo Albéri: Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Stefano Anconelli: Consorzio Bonifica CER, Via Masi 8, 40137, Bologna, Italy
Marica Baldoncini: Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Marco Bittelli: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Carlo Bottardi: Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Enrico Chiarelli: Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Barbara Fabbri: Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Vincenzo Guidi: Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Kassandra Giulia Cristina Raptis: Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
Domenico Solimando: Consorzio Bonifica CER, Via Masi 8, 40137, Bologna, Italy
Fausto Tomei: Servizio Idro-Meteo-Clima di Bologna Agenzia Regionale Prevenzione, Ambiente ed Energia, Via Po 5, 40139 Bologna, Italy
Giulia Villani: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, Viale Fanin 44, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Fabio Mantovani: Department of Physics and Earth Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Saragat 1, 44121 Ferrara, Italy

Agriculture, 2018, vol. 8, issue 4, 1-17

Abstract: Proximal soil sensors are taking hold in the understanding of soil hydrogeological processes involved in precision agriculture. In this context, permanently installed gamma ray spectroscopy stations represent one of the best space–time trade off methods at field scale. This study proved the feasibility and reliability of soil water content monitoring through a seven-month continuous acquisition of terrestrial gamma radiation in a tomato test field. By employing a 1 L sodium iodide detector placed at a height of 2.25 m, we investigated the gamma signal coming from an area having a ~25 m radius and from a depth of approximately 30 cm. Experimental values, inferred after a calibration measurement and corrected for the presence of biomass, were corroborated with gravimetric data acquired under different soil moisture conditions, giving an average absolute discrepancy of about 2%. A quantitative comparison was carried out with data simulated by AquaCrop, CRITeRIA, and IRRINET soil–crop system models. The different goodness of fit obtained in bare soil condition and during the vegetated period highlighted that CRITeRIA showed the best agreement with the experimental data over the entire data-taking period while, in presence of the tomato crop, IRRINET provided the best results.

Keywords: soil water content; proximal gamma ray spectroscopy; soil–crop system models; real-time soil water content monitoring; non-destructive methods; CRITeRIA; AquaCrop; IRRINET; tomato crop (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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