Electrical conductivity (EC) model the soil salinity

Project Title

Electrical conductivity (EC) model the soil salinity

Project Area of Specialization Internet of ThingsProject Summary

Soil salinity is a global environmental problem of soil degradation, with a severe threat to global sustainable agriculture developments. Soil salinity is the accumulation of different salts in the soil that can make the soil unfit for agriculture. Approximately one billion hectares of the total earth's surface or about 7% of the total continental surface area is affected by soil salinity. Soil salinity has severe impacts on crop production and sustainable agricultural resource usage due to the impact on the water and nutrients uptake capabilities of the plants.

The Electric Conductivity (EC) model of soil salinity in the soil is mapped using the bulk Electrical conductivity (EC) model the soil salinity. The bulk soil EC model is more practical for intensive monitoring of salinity in undistributed soil using geophysical sensors to reduce cost and time. EC is the measure of the ability of the solution to pass electric current and is directly proportional to the presence of positive and negative charged salt particles in the soil. Soil minerals are insulators, hence EC of the soil solution is primarily due to salts ion. The total concentration of salts in the soil successfully correlated with the EC level of the soil. In soil, the conductivity runs in parallel in three paths solid-liquid, liquid, and solid as shown in Fig 1. Conductance through the salt solution filling the space between soil particles (solid-liquid), depicted in part (A). Conductance through the soil solution containing salts (liquids) is depicted in part (B) of Fig 1. Conductivity through the series of soil particles present in series with direct contact with each other (Solid) is depicted in part (C) of Fig 1. Air space that is not able to pass electric conductivity is shown in the D section of Fig 1.

Project Objectives

1. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) is the measurement of the ability of soil water to carry an electrical current. Electrical conductivity is an electrolytic process that occurs principally through water-filled pores.

2. The Cations like Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+ & NH4+ and anions like SO42-, Cl-, NO3 – & HCO3 – from the dissolved salts carry electrical charges. The electrical charges are responsible for the conduction of electrical current. Thus, the concentration of ions determines the EC of soils.

3. In agriculture, EC is used principally as a measure of soil salinity. Soil salinity is a measure of the minerals and salts that can be dissolved in water. EC is expressed in Siemens per meter (S/m) whereas Salinity is expressed in mg/Kg

Project Implementation Method

Once you upload the code to the Arduino Nano Board, the OLED will initialize along with the sensor. The sensor will take some time to get stabilized and the reading may be incorrect for a few seconds.

Once the sensor gets stabilized, you can dip the sensor in the soil to get the Soil EC & Salinity Reading. The OLED Display will display the EC Value in micro Simens per centimeter (us/cm) & Salinity value in milligram per kilogram (mg/kg).

So this is how you interface Soil EC Salinity Sensor with Arduino & get the Soil EC Salinity Readings. Similarly, put the sensor in different samples of soil. You will see a variation in the value of EC/Salinity depending upon the type of soil.

Benefits of the Project

1. The proposed estimations are specifically targeted for the ameliorative measures in saline soils and to implement precision irrigation practices through the proximal sensing of saline soil characteristics.
2. The study used the standard FAO proposed Blaney Criddle methods of predicting the water leaching requirements for efficient use of irrigation water while maintaining the yield.
3. The study uses the soil EC, and air temperature sensors directly deployed in the field.
4. The estimations are tested in a real-time scenario, rather than in the protected or greenhouse.
5. The study used a machine learning approach to optimize the leaching water requirements according to the prevailing salinity level and temperature in a crop field.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) & Salinity Sensor

The JXCTIOT Soil EC Sensor is a low-cost Soil Sensor for EC & Salinity Measurement applications. It is designed with industry standards, featuring high precision, high sensitivity & durability. You can use this sensor for the evaluation of soil conditions. It can quickly test the conductivity & salinity of different kinds of soil. There are multiple soil electrical conductivity & Salinity Sensors. But this sensor is the best one for practical applications.

The inside of the sensor has a high-quality chip. The chip has low power consumption, high sensitivity, and also high stability. The probe of the sensor is made using austenitic 316 stainless steel as a raw material. This is why the sensor has anti-rust resistance, electrolysis resistance, salt, and alkaline corrosion resistance. This ensures long-term operation of the soil & is suitable for various types of soil.

You can use this sensor in scientific experiments, water-saving irrigation, gardening, greenhouses, outdoor farming, horticulture, golf & turf management. The sensor is also better suited for applications like forestry, precision agriculture & other professional environmental monitoring scenarios. You can use this Soil EC or Conductivity sensor Arduino or any other microcontroller.

Interfacing Soil EC sensor Arduino

Now, let us interface the Soil EC Salinity Sensor with the Arduino Nano Board using the MAX485 Modbus Module. The connection diagram is given below.

Final Deliverable of the Project Hardware SystemCore Industry AgricultureOther Industries IT Core Technology Internet of Things (IoT)Other Technologies Artificial Intelligence(AI)Sustainable Development GoalsRequired Resources

Item Name	Type	No. of Units	Per Unit Cost (in Rs)	Total (in Rs)
			Total in (Rs)	39103
Arduino Nano	Equipment	1	4000	4000
EC Sensor	Equipment	1	12000	12000
OLED Display	Equipment	2	2000	4000
Modbus Module	Equipment	1	1000	1000
Power Supply	Equipment	1	1200	1200
Connecting Wires	Equipment	10	100	1000
Breadboard	Equipment	1	1500	1500
DHT22	Equipment	1	600	600
Communication module	Equipment	3	801	2403
Application	Equipment	1	4000	4000
Battery	Equipment	2	200	400
Others	Miscellaneous	7	1000	7000