Virtual Seminar: Solute Signatures: Monitoring and interpreting salt and nitrate levels in the root-zone
Monitoring electrical conductivity at different depths in soil can sometimes give more information about an irrigation strategy than monitoring soil moisture at the same depths in soils. Because soluble salts (e.g. nitrate) move with the water, nitrate dynamics can provide a prompt signal of over-irrigation; something that is often missed in the interpretation of water content data. Conversely, the accumulation of unwanted salts in the root-zone points to under-watering. In that instance salt leaves behind a signature for us to decipher. When we decode the salt signature we will find that water and solute monitoring interpret each other. But how can a grower or scientist measure the EC levels in different soils?
In this seminar, Dr. Richard Stirzaker, a researcher at CSIRO in Australia, will address measuring electrical conductivity in different soils. Dr. Stirzaker will compare data sets where only soil moisture is used, where both soil moisture and electrical conductivity are used. He will also discuss how the EC measurements are made, the current limitations of the measurement techniques, and the hopes for future measurement technologies.