Techniques for providing improvements in agricultural science by optimizing irrigation treatment placements for testing are provided, including analyzing a plurality of digital images of a field to determine vegetation density changes in a sector of the field. The techniques proceed by comparing a distribution of pixel characteristics in the digital images for each field sector to determine sectors in which minimal density deviations are present. Instructions for irrigation placements and testing may be displayed or modified based on the results of the sector determinations.

A method includes receiving first sensor data pertaining to plant-related parameters of each of one or more first plants that performed well over time. The method also includes analyzing at least some of the first sensor data to generate a predictive model associated with the one or more first plants. The method further includes receiving second sensor data pertaining to plant-related parameters of each of multiple second plants. In addition, the method includes identifying at least one of the second plants to receive one or more interventions by applying the predictive model to the second sensor data. Identifying the at least one of the second plants includes identifying the at least one of the second plants as having at least one of the plant-related parameters that deviates from at least one of the plant-related parameters of the one or more first plants.

A method includes receiving first sensor data pertaining to plant-related parameters of each of one or more first plants that performed well over time. The method also includes analyzing at least some of the first sensor data to generate a predictive model associated with the one or more first plants. The method further includes receiving second sensor data pertaining to plant-related parameters of each of multiple second plants. In addition, the method includes identifying at least one of the second plants to receive one or more interventions by applying the predictive model to the second sensor data. Identifying the at least one of the second plants includes identifying the at least one of the second plants as having at least one of the plant-related parameters that deviates from at least one of the plant-related parameters of the one or more first plants.

A watertight electrical compartment for use in an irrigation device can include a compartment body having a chamber and a sealing section configured to mate with one or more sealing rings. A sealing cap can mate with the sealing section and/or the sealing rings to seal the chamber. A cap retainer can be advanced over at least a portion of the sealing cap. One of the compartment body and cap retainer can have internal threads to be screwed onto external threads of the other one of the compartment body and cap retainer. The cap retainer can also have a stopping feature to keep the sealing cap in its sealed position. The watertight electrical compartment can be used in a wireless flow sensor assembly, a battery operated irrigation controller, and/or a battery-operated central controller device, to provide irrigation control, and/or sensor information, without the need for AC power.

A watertight electrical compartment for use in an irrigation device can include a compartment body having a chamber and a sealing section configured to mate with one or more sealing rings. A sealing cap can mate with the sealing section and/or the sealing rings to seal the chamber. A cap retainer can be advanced over at least a portion of the sealing cap. One of the compartment body and cap retainer can have internal threads to be screwed onto external threads of the other one of the compartment body and cap retainer. The cap retainer can also have a stopping feature to keep the sealing cap in its sealed position. The watertight electrical compartment can be used in a wireless flow sensor assembly, a battery operated irrigation controller, and/or a battery-operated central controller device, to provide irrigation control, and/or sensor information, without the need for AC power.

Various embodiments of the present technology provide methods and systems for soil enrichment. The systems may comprise a bioreactor system coupled to an initial treatment system for the cultivation of a live microorganism culture containing organic nutrients on an agriculturally effective scale. The systems may be automated and/or portable for practical applications onto target fields. The live microorganism culture may be delivered onto the soil of the target fields, enriching the soil with the organic nutrients that become bioavailable to crops growing in the soil. The soil enrichment system may provide a sustainable approach to agriculture that may efficiently enhance the natural processes of the native soil of any crop.

An agricultural method includes providing a positive air pressure chamber to prevent outside contaminants from entering the chamber; growing crops in a plurality of cells in the chamber, each cell having multi-grow benches or levels, each cell further having connectors to vertical hoists for vertical movements in the chamber; maintaining pre-set temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, watering and lighting levels to achieve predetermined plant growth; using motorized transport rails to deliver benches for operations including seeding, harvesting, grow media recovery, and bench wash; dispensing seeds in the cell with a mechanical seeder coupled to the transport rails; growing the crops with computer controlled nutrients, light and air level; and harvesting the crops and delivering the harvested crop at a selected outlet of the chamber.

A system, method and apparatus for monitoring and providing maintenance updates for irrigation filters. According to a first preferred embodiment, the present invention includes one or more load cells at one or more of the mounting feet of an in-line filter to actively measure the increased weight of the filter during irrigation operations. According to a further preferred embodiment, the weight sensor of the present invention may transmit its data to a processing unit, where the weight is compared to one or more stored weight values. Preferably, when the detected weight exceeds a threshold level, the system may trigger notices and/or remedial actions.

An irrigation system for an area receives wide-area meteorological prediction data and sensors deployed within the area collect local-area sensor data. A processor stores received data as historical wide-area meteorological prediction data and data from the sensors as historical local-area sensor data. The processor determines a relationship between the historical wide-area meteorological prediction data and the historical local-area sensor data based on the historical wide-area meteorological prediction data and the historical local-area sensor data, and calculates a prediction on a local-area parameter for a future point in time based on current wide-area meteorological prediction data, and the calculated relationship. The area is then controlled based on the prediction.

This disclosure relates generally to root zone moisture estimation for vegetation cover using remote sensing. Conventionally, it is challenging to estimate root zone soil moisture using only satellite data. Moreover, estimation of soil moisture under vegetation cover based on bare surface soil moisture and vegetation parameters is not available. The disclosed method and system facilitate estimation of an ensemble of soil moisture under vegetation cover and root zone soil moisture using process based soil water balance for spatial estimation of root zone soil moisture. The system estimates bare surface soil moisture for different soil types/textures using the baseline bare surface model and soil properties derived from satellite data and in-situ sensors. The method further provides temporal spatially distributed soil moisture inputs to an intelligent irrigation management/information system which is very important to reduce and regulate water consumption.