Advantages:
- No erosion
- Reduced crusting
- Reduced infiltration loss

SoilSentry™ was applied to a sugar beet field in the Imperial Valley of California. The initial application* followed a 1” rainfall from a sudden thunderstorm in the area, which typically averages just 2” of rainfall per year.

Understandably, the farmer was concerned about crop germination since the soil is rather heavy with a high clay content, and easily crusts over after rainfall when dried out by the sun. SoilSentry was applied the day following the rainfall, and the irrigation water was very cloudy with yellow clay washed into the system from rain. SoilSentry successfully flocked out the clay, so it settled out in the irrigation siphon ponds, keeping the clay from sealing off furrows had it flowed onto the field.

In fact, SoilSentry not only stabilized the field to control the erosion, but as a result of adequate subbing across the furrow, prevented the surface from sealing and crusting which allowed the plants to penetrate through the soil. Untreated areas, by contrast, formed a stable hard crust approximately 3/4” thick after the rainfall.

Thanks to SoilSentry, the field germinated normally and all furrows had a normal stand.

* SoilSentry also was applied during the second irrigation, 6 weeks after the initial irrigation, to activate a side-dressed fertilizer application.