Soil chemical sensor and precision agricultural chemical delivery system and method

Patent · 01 January 1991

OSTI ID:867917

A real time soil chemical sensor and precision agricultural chemical delivery system includes a plurality of ground-engaging tools in association with individual soil sensors which measure soil chemical levels. The system includes the addition of a solvent which rapidly saturates the soil/tool interface to form a conductive solution of chemicals leached from the soil. A multivalent electrode, positioned within a multivalent frame of the ground-engaging tool, applies a voltage or impresses a current between the electrode and the tool frame. A real-time soil chemical sensor and controller senses the electrochemical reaction resulting from the application of the voltage or current to the leachate, measures it by resistivity methods, and compares it against pre-set resistivity levels for substances leached by the solvent. Still greater precision is obtained by calibrating for the secondary current impressed through solvent-less soil. The appropriate concentration is then found and the servo-controlled delivery system applies the appropriate amount of fertilizer or agricultural chemicals substantially in the location from which the soil measurement was taken.

• Research Organization: Aguila Corp
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-84ID12518
• Assignee: Aguila Corporation (Houston, TX)
• Patent Number(s): US 5033397
• OSTI ID: 867917
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/111/47/204/324/
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