The way the readings taken from Sencrop stations are measured comes from considering theory and scientific rigor as much as the experience of our users. New functions are constantly under development to improve their precision, coming as close as possible to the reality and problems faced by farmers.
Collection
The humidity measurement system is designed to ensure the best possible reliability. Inside the slatted cover, the station has three sensors that each independently measure the temperature and humidity. The information transmitted to the user is the average of the values they measure.
This way, if one of the three sensors stops working, it is easy to identify the damage, and the information transmitted to the user then comes only from the other two. In general, if a sensor stops working (perhaps due to a water droplet, or overly high humidity), it starts working normally again after a few hours.
The three sensors are positioned within a slatted cover that was designed and engineered by Sencrop. Its purpose is to optimize exchanges with the outside world (maximize air circulation) without compromising the measurements taken. The slatted cover mainly provides protection from bad weather, insects, and spiders.
To get the collection of data as precise as possible make sure your station is clean.
Readings
The air humidity (or relative humidity) expresses the saturation of the air with water vapor as a percentage.
In fact, the air can only hold a limited amount of water vapor. If humidity is at 100%, no more water can be stored in the air in gaseous form, meaning that some of it becomes liquid, forming dew.
It is useful to know the humidity level for a number of reasons:
The right humidity is a prerequisite for the efficacy of phytosanitary treatments. A humidity level above 60% limits evaporation and maximizes absorption of the active ingredient by the plants.
In combination with the wet bulb temperature, humidity is a useful piece of data in preventing freezing, as it helps farmers anticipate drops in temperature.
The humidity level during harvest is critical to maximizing yields (avoiding breakage in protein crops, for example) and especially for improving the storage life of products.
Sources
WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION (WMO), 2021. Guide to Instruments and Methods of Observation. ISBN 978-92-63-10008-5.