"FLORI" - A reaction to Netafim's representative (Jan 18, 1998)

[Arie <vwnad@volcani.agri.gov.il>]

                    January 18, 1998

Dear Bruce:
Noticing the low accessibility of the info regarding Flori to our site
members, and being one of its developers, I asked you if you find any
interest in my direct knowledge.
In my evaluation I did my best to be simple, direct, applicative and
objective.
I do not back out of any of my statements. Actually , there is no need to,
because none of Luis Samoiloff's arguments contradicted my
observations.

This sensor project in particular, and the drive to create a simple
accurate and cheap soil moisture sensor are too dear to me to
deteriorate to personal issues.
(I never met Luis)

Luis's technical descriptions are accurate.
He overlooked, though, the fact that data accumulated in the collector
are difficult to interpret on either absolute or relative basis.

True, TDR is very expensive , and has its shortcomings.
I do not know of a single crop that can sustain it.
Still, TDR is unrelated and the price gap does not improve Flori's
performances.
LUIS DID NOT DENY THAT FLORI IS HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON
TEMPERATURE, SOIL TYPE AND SALINITY.
If I were a farmer who sweats to earn his money I would not have
bought any product just because it is cheap, but expect the following
two:
1. A clear and quantitative declaration by Netafim of Flori's specs.
2. A couple of reliable scientific/engineering reports of comparisons to
common methods for soil moisture measurements.
Personally, I am one of the men most interested in Flori's (and similar
sensors) success, no matter who makes the money. Seeing Flori as a
high quality sensor spreading all over, will give me a lot of satisfaction
and hopefully help in my promotion, too.

I wish that inputs by Netafim, myself and many others, will soon result in
the product we so miss.

sincerely, Arie.
Soil and Water Inst, Volacni Center
Ministry of Agriculture, State of Israel 
POB 6 Bet Dagan Israel, 50250
E Mail: vwnad@volcani.agri.gov.il