The demands in modern fruit growing and viticulture are continuously increasing. Higher quality standards, rising costs, and the responsible use of resources require new, more precise solutions. This is exactly where the RFS-10 vine moisture sensor comes in.
For the first time, the vine moisture sensor enables direct measurement of the water content inside the plant — precisely where it matters. This creates an entirely new data basis for irrigation, yield optimization, and quality improvement.
The sensor is inserted directly into the vine trunk and uses a capacitive method to measure the water content in the xylem — the plant’s water-conducting tissue. Unlike soil moisture sensors or tensiometers, the measurement is not taken indirectly through the surrounding environment, but directly from the plant itself.
The result:
The data is transmitted to the cloud via LoRaWAN using the RFS-01 data module. In addition, limit values can be defined, alarms triggered, and data exported.
The vine’s water balance has a significant influence on growth, development, and harvest quality. Both oversupply and water deficiency can have a negative impact on yield, sugar content, and aroma development.
The challenge is to maintain the optimal moisture range consistently — adapted to the grape variety, location, and growth stage.
The vine moisture sensor provides the essential base for this: by measuring directly inside the vine, precise real-time data on the plant’s actual water supply is available.
Combined with existing systems such as soil moisture sensors, weather data, and additional sensors, it creates comprehensive monitoring of the plant and its environment.
Green: vine moisture | Pink: temperature | Pink area at bottom: precipitation
The sensor consists of a robust housing, a high-precision circuit board, and specially developed measuring rings. The electronics measure changes in the electric field and use these to determine the plant’s water content.
Because there are no moving parts, the sensor is especially durable, maintenance-free, and designed for permanent use. At the same time, the system remains flexible: the electronics can be replaced if needed without damaging the plant again.
Using the vine moisture sensor leads to:
Irrigation is no longer based on a fixed schedule, but is managed according actual needs and based on plant data.
The sensor is installed directly in the xylem area of the vine trunk in order to measure water transport within the plant as precisely as possible. It is positioned in a representative section of the vine, enabling reliable conclusions about the current water supply.
Because measurement is carried out directly inside the plant and no mechanically stressed components are used, measurement quality remains constant over a long period of time and is independent of external influences such as soil conditions or weather.
The recorded values form the basis for an objective assessment of the plant’s water balance. Changes can be detected early and directly incorporated into irrigation decisions.
|
Model |
Beschreibung |
Item No. |
|
RFS-01 |
Data Module (LoRa) |
46·46·305 |
|
RFS-05 |
Vine Moisture Sensor for drill diameter 5mm |
46·46·304 |
|
RFS-10 |
Vine Moisture Sensor for drill diameter 10mm |
46·46·300 |
ELMED Ltd.
Mitterweg 25
I-39100 Bozen - Italy
Soc. Cap. Euro 10.000,00
VAT Nr. 02725930214
Phone: +39 - 0471 - 97 72 36 / 97 32 76
Telefax: +39 - 0471 - 97 65 25
E-mail: info@elmed.it
