Digital Tools in the Context of Agriculture 4.0 for Integrated Management of Orchard Crops

This chapter examines the critical role of irrigation management in the context of climate change, exploring advanced Agriculture 4.0 tools for site characterization, spatial variability assessment of soil physical and chemical properties, irrigation system evaluation, and real-time monitoring of hydric variables. It reviews theoretical crop water needs, factors affecting evapotranspiration, and optimal irrigation timing. Further, it evaluates the integration of Internet of Things (IoT)-based soil moisture sensors for precise irrigation scheduling and presents a methodology for system intervention—from data collection and hydraulic characterization of soils to the implementation and validation of digital irrigation strategies—aimed at enhancing water use efficiency in Chilean horticultural systems.