Soil Moisture Monitoring Initiated in Nagyhörcsök, Hungary

The soil moisture sensors were installed by CDDA’s expert team, researchers from the Institute for Soil Sciences at the HUN-REN Centre for Agricultural Research, in the pilot area of Nagyhörcsök.

As part of the TRANSFER Danube project, the team conducted soil moisture monitoring activities to support the development of an integrated monitoring system for agro-climatic risks. Fieldwork was carried out on the 5^th of November 2025 in Nagyhörcsök, a pilot area designated for soil and crop monitoring within the project framework.

Installing the humidity sensors has been carried out in line with the Protocol for in-situ soil moisture measurements, and the soil moisture measurements will be reported within activity 2.1 Agrometeorological indices monitoring. The soil moisture sensors were installed at depths of 20, 50 cm and 100 cm. The team carefully dug and positioned the sensor spikes into the walls of the prepared pits to ensure accurate measurements.

Soil moisture (m³/ha) is monitored directly in winter wheat and maize crops at depths of 20 cm, 50 cm, and 100 cm, depending on the stage of plant growth during the active vegetation period. All activities were documented through photography to ensure traceability and support future analysis.