US-based SubAir Sports Systems has announced a partnership with wireless underground soil moisture sensor startup Soil Scout to give turf managers automated subsurface monitoring and ventilation.
Soil Scout’s sensor transmits moisture, temperature and salinity data in real-time from up to 2 meters below the surface, while SubAir’s subsurface aeration and moisture removal units are designed to create improved pitch conditions, automatically adjusting the moisture levels of the turf according to live, real-time soil conditions. In a sudden downpour, the vacuum systems activate to eliminate excess moisture in the soil profile, with 36 times faster drainage than natural drainage alone, the companies claim.
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This combination of turf technology allows turf professionals to provide improved playing surfaces for professional teams and players.
“Turf managers expect tools to be able to do their job efficiently and effectively as possible – our partnership provides the data and operational performance to ensure that ideal pitch performance requirements are met,” says Jalmari Talola, CEO of Soil Scout.
SubAir Systems and Soil Scout have been chosen to support all eight of the stadium venues at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The devices are also used in numerous sports venues such as Citizens Bank Park, home to the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team – a sport where irrigation is a constant challenge, as baseball is one of the few sports that tarps grass for rain and needs to keep infield clay dry.
“During the Major League Baseball season, it’s critical that our moisture levels remain in a range that allows us to keep the field hydrated enough that we can get through the day without any hotspots, but not so wet that the field is set up excessively for disease and fungal growth,” says Mike Boekholder, director of field operations and Citizens Bank Park, home to the Philidelphia Phillies. “Once the Soil Scout units report an average moisture level above our setpoint, the SubAir turns itself on to vacuum mode until the moisture levels drop back below the setpoint. We can likewise adjust the SubAir unit to run on specific schedules based on temperature data, or just turn off completely if the soils get too cold,” he continues.
Soil Scout recently announced its partnership with U.S.-based provider of autonomous aerial intelligence services, GreenSight, as well as its expansion into the U.S. with the goal of accelerating its go-to-market efforts and combating the ongoing drought in California.
Backed by Husqvarna, Soil Scout was co-founded by Finnish agrotechnology and 19th generation farmer Johannes Tiusanen and electronics expert Jussi Sirkiä with a aim of giving soil experts the information they need to effectively manage their lands.
“Working with Soil Scout has so far been one of the best partnerships we’ve ever had in the entire turf industry. With both companies being the industry leaders in their respective fields, I’m super excited to work together to provide one of the most powerful solutions on the market to help turf managers achieve their goals based on real-time data from Soil Scout’s sensors and our aeration units,” says Brad Dennis, president of SubAir Sports Systems.
