Browsing by Author "Kajubi, Paul"

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    Fabrication of an electronic soil moisture sensor for efficient water management in crop production.
    (Busitema University, 2026) Kajubi, Paul
    This research presents the development and evaluation of an electronic soil moisture sensor designed to measure soil moisture content in a practical and accurate manner. The sensor utilizes a resistive sensing mechanism, where changes in soil moisture affect the electrical resistance between two probes, resulting in a corresponding voltage output. To ensure accuracy, the sensor was calibrated using a gravimetric method, where soil samples were weighed before and after oven drying to determine the moisture content percentage. The sensor demonstrated a linear relationship between soil moisture content and voltage output, with a high degree of accuracy and repeatability. The sensor employs a resistive sensing mechanism, where changes in soil moisture alter the electrical resistance between two embedded probes resulting in a corresponding voltage output. The sensor was constructed using two galvanized nails as the sensing probes, a 10k ohm resistor and a 5v power supply. Testing was conducted using soil samples prepared at five moisture levels that’s 0,25,50,75 and 100% moisture content by weight. Results showed that the sensor could clearly distinguish between dry soil and moist soil.