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dc.contributor.advisorDennis, I.
dc.contributor.authorSteyn, Christian Grobler
dc.date.accessioned2019-12-12T09:06:56Z
dc.date.available2019-12-12T09:06:56Z
dc.date.issued2019
dc.identifier.urihttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3046-1599
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10394/33905
dc.descriptionMSc (Environmental Sciences with Hydrology and Geohydrology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campusen_US
dc.description.abstractPrecision agriculture continuously seeks improved methods to enhance productivity whether it is for greater crop yields or economic viability regarding labour inputs and satisfying the demand in a shorter time span. Soil moisture is one important factor that drives the agricultural industry and is therefore of utmost importance to manage it correctly. A shortage of water may result in reductions in yield, while excess irrigation water is a waste of water resources and can also have a negative impact on plant growth. Electromagnetic induction, Frequency Domain Reflectometry, Neutron Scattering and conventional soil sampling have been utilised to determine the spatial variability of soil moisture within a field. Emphasis has been placed on practicality and accuracy of all the methods. Electromagnetics have proven itself to be the primary method to determine soil moisture within the field by comparing the results of the volumetric soil water content present in the field together with a combination of various soil properties such as clay and silt content, sand fraction, concretions, density and soil depth that contribute towards the accumulation of soil water. Electromagnetic induction has the highest resolution of data collected for a specific time period of all considered methods making it economically the best option for soil moisture management within a variable rate irrigation system. Electromagnetic induction has proven to be successful in delineating a field into management zones consisting of different classes based on observed conductivity values. Higher conductive zones are considered with a small water demand. Lower conductive zones are considered with a greater water demand through a variable rate irrigation system.en_US
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherNorth-West University (South Africa)en_US
dc.subjectSoil moistureen_US
dc.subjectGeophysicsen_US
dc.subjectIrrigationen_US
dc.subjectSoil water managementen_US
dc.titleThe utilisation of hydro-geophysical methods for soil moisture measurements to optimise irrigation managementen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.description.thesistypeMastersen_US
dc.contributor.researchID23616857 - Dennis, Ingrid (Supervisor)


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