Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Animals, Agriculture & Food
Animals Agriculture Food
RAPID ESTIMATION OF A SOIL-WATER RETENTION CURVE USING VISIBLE-NEAR INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY
WARF: P210177US02

Inventors: Jingyi Huang, Zampela Pittaki-Chrysodonta, Alfred Hartemink


The Invention
UW-Madison researchers have developed improved methods and systems for characterizing soil using visible-near-infrared spectroscopy (vis-NIRS) data. Combining their spectrographic data with additional insights, the researchers improved the soil-water retention curve (SWRC), a function for modeling water flow and solute transport in soil. The pore size distribution, generated from the vis-NIRS data, was combined with an estimation of water potential to improve the overall characterization of the soil sample. This method could be implemented in a relatively simple and robust system, consisting of a soil collection system, a spectrophotometer, and computational equipment, which could be deployed in a variety of settings, including laboratories and in the field. 
Key Benefits
  • Able to leverage pre-existing vis-NIR data sets
  • Rapid on-site sampling and modeling
  • Reduced cost and time expenditures
Additional Information
For More Information About the Inventors
For current licensing status, please contact Mark Staudt at [javascript protected email address] or 608-960-9845

WARF