The Importance of Soil Moisture Level

Soil moisture is the term for the water that exists in the soil. The water is held within soil pores. 

Soil moisture data is useful to a variety of government organizations and private companies dealing with weather and climate, runoff potential and flood control, soil erosion and slope damage, reservoir management, geotechnical engineering, and water quality.

In the agriculture sector, understanding the soil moisture situation and information was important. The soil moisture is the key factor in determining how the soil of the region supports vegetation and crops.

If the moisture content of the soil is optimum for plant growth, the plant can readily absorb soil water. 

Not all water held in the soil is readily available to the plants. Much of the water remains in the soil as a thin film. At the same time, this data depends on many external factors, primarily weather conditions and climate changes. 

The following are 7 importance of soil moisture/water :

• Soil moisture serves as the solvent and carrier of food nutrients for plants growth. 
• Soil moisture help to regulate soil temperature 
• Soil water is the principal constituent of the growing plants 
• Soil water is essential for photosynthesis. 
• Micro organisms require water for their metabolic activities. 
• Soil water helps in chemical and biological activities of the soil 
• Soil forming processes and weathering depend on soil moisture

The parameter is vital in monitoring farming activities, predicting natural disasters, managing water supply, etc. This data may signal a future flood or water deficit ahead of other indicators.

Methods of Measuring Soil Moisture

These New HOBO MX2306 & MX2307  Soil Moisture Data Loggers are the industry’s only low-cost, fully integrated soil moisture loggers with Bluetooth wireless data offload.

They are available in two models – one that measures soil moisture (HOBO MX2306) and one that measures both soil moisture and temperature (HOBO MX2307).

These data loggers are ideal for researchers and growers looking for the accurate data they need to save water, improve crop yields, reduce harmful runoff, and protect ecosystems.

Using just a mobile phone, a tablet, or a Windows laptop running Onset’s free HOBOconnect app, the users obtain convenient wireless setup and data downloads via Bluetooth when within 100 feet of the logger. This makes it easy to retrieve data from hard-to-access field locations.

And for indoor areas such as greenhouses, users can add the MX Gateway for remote access to data in Onset’s cloud-based HOBOlink software.

HOBO MX2300 temp/RH and soil moisture loggers are built to withstand the elements. They feature rugged weatherproof housing designed for long-term studies – even in harsh climates. Their compact size and built-in mounting holes make deployment simple, with no need for mounting brackets in most cases. Plus, wireless communication means there's no need to open the loggers in the field and risk compromising the weatherproof seal.