5 Must-Have Moisture Meters for Agriculture

In the agriculture industry, moisture is a constant concern for many reasons. Farmers need to know how much water in the soil is available to their crops, what the moisture content (%MC) of plants are at the time of harvest, and whether or not their crops are at an appropriate moisture content for long-term storage.

Here, moisture meters for agriculture can be an invaluable tool. With the right agriculture moisture meter, farmers can get a fast and accurate moisture content measurement of their crops (or of available moisture in soil).

Here’s a short list of some of the best moisture meters for agriculture:

1: The KS-D1 Soil Moisture Meter

Every agricultural specialist can benefit from being able to accurately gauge the amount of available moisture there is in their soil. This is where the KS-D1 soil moisture meter can prove to be a must-have tool.

This agricultural moisture testing tool uses gypsum sensor blocks that are buried in the soil (near the crop’s root zone) to measure the amount of moisture in the soil that is available to their crops. Knowing how much available moisture there is in soil is crucial for optimizing irrigation schedules to prevent water waste and soil erosion while improving crop health.

2: The FX-2000 Hay Moisture Meter

Hay is a staple crop that is useful for many applications. Delmhorst’s FX-2000 hay moisture meter is a versatile moisture testing device that can be used to test hay in the windrow, during baling, or even in the bale. This allows farmers to be certain that their hay is at the optimum moisture content for nutritional value and safety at every step of the hay harvesting process.

In its baler-mounted mode, the FX-2000 takes two readings each second and provides the average and the highest moisture content readings of the last eight measurements taken. This provides farmers with real-time information about the moisture content of their hay as it’s being baled without making them stop to get out and re-test the windrow.

Getting accurate moisture measurements in grain crops has been a long-time challenge for farmers. The G-7 moisture meter makes getting accurate moisture content measurements in grain as easy as 1, 2, 3. 

3: The C-2000 Cotton Moisture Meter

Cotton is a key crop for the textile industry, and clothing companies need to have high-quality base ingredients to make top-quality clothing. The C-2000 cotton moisture meter is a specialty agriculture moisture meter with four separate reading scales for testing lint cotton, seed cotton, wool, and viscose/rayon—making it perfect for textile industry work.

The C-2000 is designed to be used with any Delmhorst electrode, but the 52-E/C cup electrode is the one best suited for testing cotton moisture.

4: The F-2000/H Hops Moisture Meter

Brewers require a steady supply of high-quality hops to make top-quality beers that keep customers coming back for more. Delmhorst’s F-2000/H hops moisture meter is designed to detect moisture in hops over the range of 8% to 23% moisture content so farmers can know when their hops have reached the perfect %MC for harvesting or storage.

Additionally, the meter has a separate reading scale for detecting moisture in alfalfa hay over the 8% to 40% range. This gives the F-2000/H hops moisture meter a bit of extra versatility for farmers.

Which of the above moisture meters for agriculture is the best one for your needs? Odds are, you could benefit from more than one of these moisture testing devices. If you need help picking out the right agriculture moisture meter, please contact the experts at Delmhorst Instrument Co. today.