System and method for turning irrigation pivots into a soil and plant radar

Abstract

A method of automatically managing a center pivot irrigation machine comprising steps of: (a) providing at least one center pivot irrigation machine and positioning said center pivot irrigation machine such that said center pivot irrigation machine is movable within an irrigated plot around a center thereof; (b) providing a ground penetration radar; (c) mounting said ground penetration radar on said center pivot irrigation machine; (d) moving said center pivot irrigation machine about said center of said irrigated plot; (e) scanning said irrigated by said ground penetration radar at frequencies ranging between 200-1200 MHz; (f) calculating a distribution of soil moisture over a depth from a soil surface; and (g) creating an irrigation plan according to said distribution.

1 . A method of automatically managing a center pivot irrigation machine; said method comprising steps of:
 a. providing at least one center pivot irrigation machine and positioning said center pivot irrigation machine such that said center pivot irrigation machine is movable within an irrigated plot around a center thereof;   b. providing a proximity soil sensor;   c. mounting said proximity soil sensor on said center pivot irrigation machine;   d. moving said center pivot irrigation machine about said center of said irrigated plot;   e. scanning said irrigated by said ground penetration radar at frequencies ranging between 200-1200 MHz;   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising at least one of the following:
 a. a step of calculating distribution of soil moisture over a depth from a soil surface; and 
 b. a step of creating an irrigation plan according to said distribution. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said proximity soil sensor is aground penetration radar. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3  comprising steps of scanning a no-object area and subtracting obtained no-object data from data corresponding to irrigated area. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 3  comprising a step of short, open load calibration. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said step of subtracting obtained no object data from data corresponding to irrigated area comprises converting both scans into the time domain signals. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said step of calculating a distribution of soil moisture over a depth from a soil surface comprises cross-correlating a subtraction result with the ideal time domain transmitted signal in order to locate the most prominent reflection. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 3  comprising a step of applying bandpass filters to a time window surrounding a most prominent reflection in order to calculate a response in at least two frequency bands corresponding to at least two penetration depths. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 3  comprising a step of capturing an optical image of at least a part of said irrigated plot and recognizing a position of a field of view of said ground penetration radar. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising steps of collecting soil properties data and monitoring said properties and reporting results to a user. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising a step of positioning said proximity soil sensor in at least one of horizontal and vertical directions by at least one of horizontal and vertical arms configured for holding said proximal ground sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising a step of placing at least one RF reflecting member within said soil at a predetermined depth from a soil surface. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising a step of scanning and calculating crop dryness by means of a sensor selected from the group consisting of a wide beam ground penetration radar, a narrow beam ground penetration radar, an optical camera and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising a step of planting at least one biomarker plant configured for signaling in response to a predetermined event and monitoring said at least one biomarker plant. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising a step of scanning and analyzing soil variability within the field by acquiring actual drying curves and field capacity (FC) by staying static at one location for a predetermined time period. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said step of scanning and analyzing soil variability further comprises a dry run scanning FCs in a plurality of locations. 
     
     
         17 . A method of precise calculating field capacity and salinity; said method comprising:
 a. Obtaining data of electromagnetic scanning of a soil;   b. Calculating a soil type and bulk density value;   c. Calculating volumetric water content;   d. Comparing an obtained value of said volumetric water content with compared with threshold;   e. Periodically carrying out a reciprocative scan in locations corresponding to said value of volumetric water content being greater than threshold T;   f. collecting volumetric water content data in said locations with volumetric water content >T;   g. plotting a drying curve for a time period ranging between 3 and 4 days;   h. updating said soil type and bulk density value;   i. calculating field capacity and salinity values.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein said step of carrying out a reciprocative scan recurs in 2-hour time period. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17  comprising a step of evaluating a crop moisture value by subtracting values of said soil water content measured directly from values of said soil water content measured through crop plants. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 17  comprising a step of measuring a crop moisture value in a GPR beam oriented in parallel to the ground.