Abstract

Latest advances in integrated micro systems, incorporating the latest sensor technology, will enable affordable use of informatics in agriculture. This paper describes a method for a real-time prediction of soil properties using a portable, low-cost sensor incorporating an integrated circuit for soil impedance spectrometer. This new, application-specific integrated circuit was developed in our laboratory. The described method considers different soil sample properties variations of macro nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. The influence of machine learning parameters and soil categories was studied to obtain the most accurate model to meet the farmers’ requirements for realtime soil analysis in an agricultural field. The system’s portability allows the sensor to be attached to a tractor and quickly obtain a complete database of the field’s soil properties and further fertilizer plan optimization.

Keywords: Soil sensor; Electrical impedance spectrum of the soil; Soil classificatory; Real-time fertilization plan