In-situ multisensor soil water capacitance probes such as EnviroSCAN ® have been shown to produce accurate real time soil water content data, but need to be installed with specialized installation tools to ensure good soil to probe contact.

Further development of this technology by Sentek has led to a new slim line multisensor capacitance probe, EasyAG ®, with multiple fixed sensors at depth increments of 10 cm and a smaller probe diameter with a unique tip design and installation procedure to provide excellent probe to soil contact.

This new soil water probe can be quickly and easily installed using a conventional tube soil-sampler from AMS * and a simple stabilization base without the need for specialized installation tools.

It is particularly suited for use in vegetable and field crop production where frequent installations due to relative fast crop cycles are necessary.

No preferential pathflow of water along the probe was observed after installation of EasyAG ® and immediate ponding with dyed water.

EasyAg ® and EnviroSCAN ® were found to be highly precise with a mean CV of less than 0.2 % for each instrument.

Field soil profile calibrations of EasyAG ® and EnviroSCAN ® yielded highly significant relationships between soil volumetric water content and instrument readings. A separate calibration equation for the surface 10 cm was derived for the EnviroSCAN due to dense weed cover.

The radial sphere of influence of the EasyAG was almost directly comparable to that of EnviroSCAN?. 95% of the observed signal was derived from that volume of soil contained within the most immediate 3.6 cm and 4.1 cm radius from the access tube for EasyAG and EnviroSCAN, respectively. 99% of the signal was within the first 10 cm radius for both instruments.

A side by side field comparison between the two soil water monitoring instruments yielded almost identical trends. Differences in soil water content increases are caused by field variation of sprinkler distribution uniformity.

The new EasyAG? capacitance probe design and method of installation offers precise and accurate soil water data without the need for costly and specialized installation tools. It particularly suited to vegetable and field crop production.