The HTS-system

The sensors system integrates the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) and the gravimetric (Lysimetry) techniques to asses and to model with high-precision the crop drought and salinity stress response. It measures the volumetric water content, VWC [m3 m-3], the soil bulk electrical conductivity, EC [dS m-1], the real crop transpiration, Tact [mm h-1], and the growth rate, GR [gr m-2 d-1], at growth pot scale in controlled or semi-controlled agro-environment (greenhouse). The higher spatial (representative volume sensing) and temporal (sub-hour) water-salinity status data acquisition at substrate, crop and atmosphere levels allows performing combined water-salinity stress models. The fully automated and integrated precision irrigation units allow supplying precise water volume at different salt concentration for drought and/or salinity stress experiments/scenarios. The real-time overview of the implemented water-salinity stress scenarios, can friendly and easily be analyzed via the AgrHySMo web interface. Furthermore, the expert system allows the monitoring and the management of the fertigation practices. In more specialized application fields, such as genetic improvement, the system allows to calibrate the environmental limiting factors (salinity and water stress) for the study of the phenotype.