Accurate prediction of soil moisture for optimal timing of fertilizer and irrigation

施肥和灌溉的最佳时机以及确定其施用量是作物生长的关键，并直接影响作物产量。施用时间和施用量取决于土壤含水量。因此，准确预测播种时和作物生长季节的土壤湿度对加拿大农民至关重要。标准的预测方法不包括实际的天气行为，而是依赖于前几年的植被数据。这种方法有助于产量潜力区的分类，但不幸的是，不能用于预测播种时或作物生长期间的土壤水分水平。 在这项研究中，我们的主要目标是根据实际天气预报估计土壤湿度，并将信息转换为农业地块的大小。为此，我们将开发一种方法，将土壤中的水流和养分运输过程考虑在内。在第二步中，结果将被转移到农业地块。因此，土壤水分含量将可用于整个领域和可用的天气预报的时间。农民将能够获得有关施肥和灌溉的最佳时间以及最佳施肥量的信息。这将降低肥料成本，提高作物产量。

Optimal timing of fertilizer and irrigation, and defining their application rates are keys for crop growth and have a direct impact on crop yield. Timing, as well as application rate, depends on the soil moisture content. Thus, accurate prediction of soil moisture at seeding times and during the crop growth season is critical for Canadian farmers. Standard methods for prediction do not include actual weather behavior but rely on vegetation data from previous years. This method helps in the classification of yield potential zones but, unfortunately, cannot be used to predict soil moisture levels at seeding or during the crop growth period. In this proposed research, our main objective is to estimate the soil moisture based on actual weather forecasts and to convert the information to the size of an agricultural plot. To do this, we will develop a method that takes water flow and nutrient transport processes in the soil into account. In a second step, the result will be transferred to an agricultural plot. Thus, the soil moisture content will be available for the whole field and for the time of the available weather forecast. Farmers will be able to get information about the optimal timing of fertilizer and irrigation and on optimal application rates of fertilizer. This will reduce fertile costs and increase the crop yield.