Putting next-gen soil sensing technology in the hands of farmers
A tool to measure multiple soil properties, ‘below ground Wi-Fi’ to transmit data from sensors, and an ‘e-nose’ to monitor biological activity. Dig deeper into the innovative tech from the Soil CRC.
by Emily Malone
Regional and rural journalist and communications professional
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
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Researchers from the from Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture deploying the QUOLL® e-nose at the University of Tasmania’s Forthside Vegetable Research Facility (source: Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture).
New sensing technology developed by the Soil CRC is poised to make it easier for farmers and advisors to measure and manage soil health.
The Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils (Soil CRC) brings together scientists, industry and farmers to tackle underperforming soils – something that costs Australian agriculture billions of dollars in lost revenue each year.
A key focus has been the development of innovative tools, in conjunction with a team at the University of Tasmania and other Soil CRC partners, to equip farmers with more accurate information about how their soils are performing.
Soil CRC Chief Executive Officer Dr Michael Crawford said working closely with the 20 farmer group partners means the sensing technologies they have come up with are fit-for-purpose.
“A key aspect of the CRC has been working with farming groups to identify the priorities, develop proposals, and for them to be part of the research and interpretation of the findings,” he said.
“This means that as we move to commercialise the technology, we know it is going to work in the paddock and that farmers and advisors will use it.”
Cutting out the cables for buried soil sensors
When soil sensors, like a moisture probe, are buried below ground, they traditionally need cables or wires to the surface to transmit the data, restricting farming activity like tillage or grazing.
A solution to this problem is the BILBY® wireless communication node that protects the sensors and allows them to be placed in the production zone.
“Buried sensors are connected to the BILBY® wireless node which takes the data and transmits it through the soil without any cables going above ground,” Dr Crawford said. “The data is collected by a receiver outside the paddock that can be up to a kilometre away.”
With a five-year battery-life, it can be used with any type of soil sensor and means that farmers will get a more accurate picture of what is happening in the paddock.
Dr Crawford explains that farming activity around the traditional sensors can constrain their effectiveness. In a cropping situation, tillage is difficult and even grazing animals can play havoc with the wires.
“In both those situations, you end up monitoring an artificial environment where you are not actually cropping over the top, or grazing over a sensor,” he said.
Dr Crawford points to its use in monitoring soil water dynamics for crop requirements or irrigation management.
“Being able to access that type of data more reliably and accurately will help people make better informed decisions.”
The BILBY® wireless communication node being installed in the field (source: Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture).
Measuring three different soil properties with one farm-ready tool
Traditional soil measurement using stationary probes and lab-based testing is costly, requires multiple tools or methods, and only provides information about a single point in the paddock.
The Soil CRC’s BANDICOOT® soil probe is a rugged and portable soil profiling tool that simultaneously measures moisture, penetration resistance (compaction), salinity, soil type and apparent conductivity.
The BANDICOOT® soil probe in use (source: Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture).
“It might look like a cone penetrometer with a pointy tip at the end, but it has some complex electronics concealed beneath the tip,” Dr Crawford said.
The BANDICOOT® soil probe also allows farmers and consultants to take readings at multiple depths, geolocated with GPS allowing information to be mapped in real time – there is also potential for it to be integrated as an attachment to farm machinery.
The Soil CRC is seeking commercial partners, agribusiness investors, pilot partners in high value horticulture, and agtech providers and consultants interested in integrating the tool into advisory services.
Sniffing out biological activity for insight on soil health
Also in the Soil CRC tech tool kit is the QUOLL® electronic nose (e-nose), which promises quicker, cheaper and easier assessment of what is happening in the soil at a biological level.
While traditional testing involves laboratory analysis, Dr Crawford said the QUOLL® e-nose builds on existing e-nose technology with micro-sized sensors and gas analysis.
“It detects the volatile organic compounds being released from the soil microbial community and it integrates that into a signature that varies with different types and amounts of biological activity,” he said.
“It is real-time monitoring to help farmers understand if management strategies or particular treatments are improving biological activity and soil health.”
“We’ve got a good handle on measuring soil physical characteristics and soil chemistry, and soil biology is of great interest to many users, including those with an interest in regenerative farming practices,” Dr Crawford said.
Tayla Field, the Regional Development Officer for VegNET Tasmania, the national vegetable and onion extension project, provides a link between the team developing the QUOLL® e-nose and the growers who will use it.
“The great thing is that the team are designing the technology with an end goal for the device to be used by farmers in the field to get results themselves,” she said.
“It’s something that could be done in addition to soil tests and growers can be quite flexible in moving the QUOLL® e-nose around the farm to monitor and test in different areas.”
She said the next step is determining what the data means and translating this into something that can be used by farmers to make decisions.
“It’s still an emerging area for a lot of growers but I feel as the technology develops it will inform our understanding of soil biology and that will help on-farm management.”
The QUOLL® e-nose has been listed on the AgriFutures growAG. platform seeking investment and research partners for development, field validation, and commercialisation of the technology.
The QUOLL® e-nose in the field at the University of Tasmania’s Forthside Vegetable Research Facility (source: Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture).
Poised for commercialisation with global opportunity
While developed in Australia, the technologies have global application.
“The partners we are talking to have an eye on the Australian agricultural market and most definitely the international market,” Dr Crawford said.
“Beyond agriculture, there are also opportunities in recreational horticulture, including golf courses, parks and gardens. We see a whole range of applications.”
Learn more about how you can partner with the Soil CRC by visiting growAG.
BILBY®, BANDICOOT® and QUOLL® are registered trade marks of the CRC for High Performance Soils.
The technology will be a key focus of the Soil CRC’s research hub partnership at AgriFutures evokeAG. 2026 in Melbourne 17-18 February 2025.
Join the conversation and prepare for hands-on experiences, bold debate and collaboration to drive agrifood innovation.
evokeᴬᴳ⋅ is powered by AgriFutures Australia and funded by the Australian Government, Platinum Partner Elders and Host State Partner, Agriculture Victoria.
Tickets are now on sale at evokeag.com.
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