Which scheduling type bases irrigation on soil moisture sensor readings?

• A. Moisture-based scheduling
• B. Base schedule
• C. Water budget
• D. Synthetic turf scheduling

Answer: (A)

Moisture-based scheduling relies on real-time soil moisture readings to decide when and how much to irrigate. By placing sensors in the root zone, you can see how much water is actually available to the plants. The irrigation system is triggered when moisture falls to a chosen threshold and stops once the target level is reached. This approach directly responds to current conditions—soil type, rooting depth, recent weather, and plant water use—leading to efficient water use and reduced run-off or stress.

Other methods don’t depend on live soil moisture data: a fixed base schedule irrigates on a pre-set timetable regardless of current conditions; a water-budget approach plans irrigation based on evapotranspiration estimates and seasonal depletion rather than sensor readings; synthetic turf scheduling is typically for artificial surfaces and generally doesn’t rely on soil moisture measurements.