Sensing Technology Education and Recovery Support of Damaged Agricultural Fields with a Soil Moisture and Salinity Sensor Network

Abstract

Through sensing technology education, we developed a wireless network system with Arduino to investigate soil moisture and salinity in damaged agricultural fields by the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes. The sensor network system was installed to monitor soil moisture and bulk soil electrical conductivity at three locations in each research site. Our findings were local spatial variability of high soil salinity, influencing crop growth at the fields. The sensing technology education through online seminars and training empowered students in their self-regulated learning process to manage the sensor network system between college and university.