Soil Monitoring Devices Market Size, Share, Technology Trends, Competitive Landscape and Forecast, 2026–2035

Soil Monitoring Devices Market Size and Forecast

The global soil monitoring devices market was valued at USD 582 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 1.81 billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 12% during 2026–2035.

Soil monitoring devices measure conditions below the surface that affect crop performance, irrigation, fertilizer efficiency, environmental research and land management. The market includes soil-moisture probes, temperature sensors, electrical-conductivity and salinity sensors, pH and nutrient instruments, data loggers, telemetry units and software that converts measurements into operating decisions. Devices range from portable meters used for spot readings to permanent multi-depth probes connected to cloud platforms.

The market is shifting from single-variable measurements toward connected soil profiles. Multi-parameter sensors now combine volumetric water content, temperature and electrical conductivity at several depths. This configuration reveals where water is moving, whether salts are accumulating and how conditions change across the active root zone. The commercial advantage is strongest when measurements trigger irrigation changes, identify leaching, support nutrient timing or document land and environmental conditions.

Agriculture remains the largest end-use sector, but the addressable market extends to turf and landscaping, environmental monitoring, research institutions, mining rehabilitation, construction, drought observation and smart-city irrigation. Hardware generated most 2025 revenue because every deployment requires probes, loggers or communications equipment. Software and analytics are forecast to grow faster as installed devices feed recurring monitoring, alerting and reporting services.

Key Highlights

• Global revenue stood at USD 582 million in 2025 and is forecast to reach USD 1.81 billion in 2035.
• The market is projected to add USD 1.23 billion in revenue during the forecast period.
• Hardware accounted for an estimated 72% of 2025 revenue, equal to USD 419 million.
• Moisture monitoring led applications with an estimated 48% share, equal to USD 279 million.
• Farming uses represented an estimated 67% share, equivalent to USD 390 million.
• North America held an estimated 34% of global revenue, equal to USD 198 million.
• Asia-Pacific accounted for an estimated 28% and is expected to record the fastest regional expansion.

Soil Monitoring Devices Market Scope

Market Definition

The market covers devices and directly associated software used to measure, record, transmit or interpret in-situ soil conditions. Hardware includes probes, sensors, portable meters, data loggers, gateways, displays and communications units. Software includes dashboards, mobile applications, analytics, alerts and device-management tools sold with or specifically for soil-monitoring systems.

General farm-management software without a soil-monitoring function is excluded. Laboratory-only analytical equipment is excluded unless it is designed as part of a field soil-monitoring workflow. Satellite imagery without ground-sensor integration is also outside the core device category. This definition prevents the market from absorbing the broader precision-agriculture, environmental instrumentation, or soil-testing sectors.

Market Dynamics

Irrigation decisions are becoming measurement-led

Water management is the primary commercial engine for soil-monitoring devices. Calendar-based irrigation can apply water before it is needed or fail to replenish the active root zone. Multi-depth probes show the rate of depletion, infiltration depth and moisture retained after irrigation or rainfall. This information supports decisions on when to irrigate, how long to run a system and whether water is moving below the crop’s usable root zone.

The value extends beyond water savings. Reduced over-irrigation can lower pumping energy, limit nutrient leaching and reduce conditions that favor root disease. In rainfed systems, stored-soil-water readings inform yield expectations and input commitments. Device suppliers that connect readings to irrigation recommendations, control systems or adviser workflows can capture more value than businesses that provide raw measurements alone.

Multi-parameter sensing is replacing isolated readings

Moisture alone does not explain every soil constraint. Electrical conductivity can indicate salt movement or fertilizer concentration, while temperature affects germination, root activity and microbial processes. pH, oxygen and nutrient measurements add further context in high-value crops, greenhouses and research settings. Combining parameters in one probe reduces installation points and produces a more coherent soil profile.

The April 2026 launch of CropX Apex illustrates this direction. The device measures volumetric water content, soil temperature and salinity at four-inch intervals through configurable 12-, 24- and 36-inch profiles. LI-COR’s April 2026 LI-350 launch also combined moisture, temperature and electrical conductivity in a device designed for field, greenhouse and research use. These products show how vendors are competing through depth resolution, integration and deployment simplicity.

Connectivity and cloud analytics are changing product economics

Earlier soil-monitoring systems often required manual data retrieval. Cellular, LoRaWAN, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and satellite links now support remote readings and automated alerts. Cloud platforms can compare soil layers, fields and seasons, calculate depletion rates and combine sensor data with weather or irrigation records. This connectivity creates recurring software and service revenue while reducing the need for routine field visits.

Remote monitoring also expands the role of dealers and agronomy firms. A service provider can monitor multiple farms from one dashboard, investigate exceptions and charge for irrigation or crop-management support. Environmental agencies and research networks can manage dispersed stations with consistent data structures. The competitive requirement is no longer sensor accuracy alone; uptime, battery life, communications resilience, integration and data governance now influence supplier selection.

Soil-health and sustainability programs create new measurement needs

Regenerative agriculture, soil-carbon programs and corporate Scope 3 initiatives require field-level evidence. Soil sensors do not directly replace laboratory carbon measurements, but continuous moisture and temperature records improve interpretation of soil processes and management effects. Connected platforms can combine sensor observations with input records, GIS boundaries and emissions calculations.

CropX’s May 2026 integration with the Cool Farm Platform demonstrates this expansion from irrigation decisions into sustainability reporting. The integration joins farm data, carbon calculations, soil-organic-carbon modelling and reporting workflows. This development signals a wider market opportunity for devices that provide auditable field data to supply-chain and environmental programs.

Installation quality and calibration remain decisive constraints

Poor soil contact, air gaps, disturbed soil and incorrect depth placement can undermine readings. Soil texture, bulk density, salinity and temperature can affect sensor response, making calibration and interpretation essential. A device that is easy to install but poorly matched to the field may deliver precise-looking data that does not represent actual conditions.

Vendors are addressing the issue through tapered probes, installation tools, factory calibrations and soil-specific calibration options. Technical support and agronomic onboarding are important purchasing criteria, particularly for multi-depth systems. Clear maintenance procedures and quality-control alerts can reduce the risk of silent data failure.

Cost and fragmented farm economics slow broad adoption

A complete deployment may require several probes to represent soil and topographic variability, plus telemetry, subscriptions and installation. The cost can be difficult to justify for low-value crops or small plots. Savings depend on irrigation intensity, pumping costs, crop value, climate and the operator’s ability to act on the data.

Lower-cost wireless sensors, shared gateways, portable survey tools and advisory-service bundles can widen access. Equipment leasing and seasonal subscriptions can match spending to production cycles. The most credible commercial cases identify a specific decision that will change and calculate the financial effect of that change rather than relying on broad claims about smart farming.

Quantitative Segment Analysis

Product type: hardware retains the revenue lead

Hardware accounted for an estimated 72% of the global market in 2025, equal to USD 419 million. The category includes sensors, probes, data loggers, telemetry devices, gateways, portable readers and displays. Moisture probes form the largest hardware group, while demand is increasing for multi-depth devices that add temperature and electrical conductivity. Hardware’s revenue lead reflects the physical density required to represent different soil zones and the replacement or expansion of deployed networks.

Software represented an estimated 28%, equal to USD 163 million. Its share is expected to rise through 2035 as cloud dashboards, automated recommendations, data-quality tools, API connections and sustainability reporting become central to device value. Subscription models allow suppliers to generate recurring revenue after installation, while analytics help differentiate otherwise similar sensor technologies.

Application: moisture monitoring anchors demand

Moisture monitoring represented an estimated 48% of 2025 revenue, equal to USD 279 million. Irrigation scheduling, drought observation, greenhouse substrate management and research networks support the segment. The direct relationship between moisture readings, pumping decisions and crop stress gives this application the clearest payback.

Salinity and electrical-conductivity monitoring accounted for an estimated 19%, or USD 111 million. Demand is concentrated in irrigated agriculture, greenhouse production, reclaimed-water use and salt-affected land. Temperature monitoring held an estimated 16%, equal to USD 93 million, serving planting decisions, research, turf management and environmental observation. Other applications represented an estimated 17%, or USD 99 million, covering pH, nutrients, oxygen, compaction and integrated soil-health measurements.

End user: farming remains the core market

Farming usage generated an estimated 67% of 2025 revenue, equal to USD 390 million. Row crops, orchards, vineyards, vegetables, nurseries, greenhouses and irrigation districts use soil measurements to manage water, nutrients and crop risk. High-value permanent crops tend to support denser sensor installations because quality and water-stress decisions carry greater economic consequences.

Non-farming usage accounted for an estimated 33%, or USD 192 million. The segment includes environmental research, universities, government observation networks, turf and golf courses, urban landscaping, forestry, construction, mining rehabilitation and watershed monitoring. Research-grade deployments command value through calibration, data continuity and compatibility with established data loggers.

Connectivity: wireless systems gain share

Wireless and remotely connected systems accounted for an estimated 61% of 2025 revenue, equal to USD 355 million. Cellular and low-power networks support commercial farms and distributed environmental sites, while Bluetooth serves local data retrieval and device setup. Wired and manually read systems held an estimated 39%, or USD 227 million. These products remain relevant in research stations, greenhouses and locations where continuous remote communications are unnecessary or unreliable.

Regional and Country-Level Analysis

North America

North America held an estimated 34% of global revenue in 2025, equal to USD 198 million. The United States represented an estimated 27% of the global market, or USD 157 million. Large irrigated farms, university research networks, drought monitoring, turf management and established precision-agriculture channels support demand. Canada accounted for an estimated 4%, equal to USD 23 million, with adoption across grains, horticulture, environmental monitoring and controlled agriculture. Mexico and the remaining regional market generated an estimated 3%, or USD 17 million, driven by export horticulture, greenhouse production and water management.

Europe

Europe generated an estimated 24% of 2025 revenue, equal to USD 140 million. Germany represented an estimated 4%, or USD 23 million, supported by research instrumentation, precision farming and environmental observation. France held an estimated 3%, equal to USD 17 million, with use in cereals, vineyards and water management. The United Kingdom accounted for an estimated 2.5%, or USD 15 million, while Italy and Spain together represented close to 5%, or USD 29 million. Southern Europe has strong demand for irrigation and salinity monitoring, while northern markets emphasize research, environmental measurement and greenhouse systems. Other European countries contributed an estimated 9.5%, equal to USD 55 million.

Asia-Pacific

Asia-Pacific accounted for an estimated 28% of 2025 revenue, equal to USD 163 million, and is expected to expand fastest through 2035. China represented an estimated 8% of global revenue, or USD 47 million, supported by digital agriculture, protected cultivation, water management and domestic sensor production. Japan held an estimated 3%, equal to USD 17 million, with demand from high-value farming, research and labour-saving automation. India accounted for an estimated 4%, or USD 23 million, where irrigation efficiency and service-based deployment create growth potential. Australia represented an estimated 4%, equal to USD 23 million, reflecting water scarcity, broad-acre research and strong soil-moisture expertise. South Korea, Southeast Asia, New Zealand and the rest of Asia-Pacific generated the remaining 9%, or USD 52 million.

Latin America

Latin America generated an estimated 9% of global revenue in 2025, equal to USD 52 million. Brazil accounted for an estimated 5%, or USD 29 million, supported by large-scale soybean, corn, sugarcane, coffee and irrigated production. Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and other markets represented an estimated 4%, equal to USD 23 million. Permanent crops and export horticulture create demand for root-zone and salinity monitoring, while financing and connectivity influence the pace of broader farm adoption.

Middle East and Africa

The Middle East and Africa represented an estimated 5% of 2025 revenue, equal to USD 29 million. Israel and Gulf countries use advanced soil and substrate sensing to manage scarce water, salinity and controlled-environment production. South Africa supports demand across fruit, vineyards and field crops. Wider adoption in Africa is concentrated in commercial farms, research sites and development programs. Solar power, low-bandwidth communications, durable enclosures and shared-service models are central product requirements in remote locations.

Competitive Landscape

Competition spans specialist soil-probe manufacturers, environmental-instrumentation companies, irrigation technology businesses and digital-agriculture platforms. Sentek Technologies competes through multi-depth profile probes and irrigation decision software. CropX combines proprietary sensors with agronomic analytics, weather, satellite and machine data. LI-COR and its HOBO portfolio address environmental research, controlled agriculture and commercial monitoring. Campbell Scientific supplies research-grade sensors, data loggers and communications systems for long-duration observation.

Spectrum Technologies, Stevens Water Monitoring Systems, Pessl Instruments, The Toro Company, METER Group, Delta-T Devices, AquaSpy, Sensoterra and Irrometer also participate through moisture sensing, weather networks, telemetry or irrigation tools. Product differentiation depends on measurement accuracy, depth resolution, supported variables, calibration, installation effort, power consumption, communications, enclosure durability, software usability and integration with third-party platforms.

Consolidation and partnerships are likely where hardware companies need stronger cloud capabilities or software platforms need proprietary field data. Distribution is equally important: agronomy advisers, irrigation dealers, research-equipment distributors and farm-machinery channels provide installation knowledge and local support that direct online sales cannot always replace.

Company Profiles

Sentek Technologies

Sentek Technologies specializes in continuous soil-profile measurement for agriculture, research and environmental applications. Its core probe portfolio includes EnviroSCAN, Drill & Drop, Drill & Drop Bluetooth and Diviner 2000. These systems measure soil moisture, while selected configurations add temperature and salinity at multiple depths. The Drill & Drop design is tapered for installation into relatively undisturbed soil and can be buried below machinery operations.

Sentek combines probes with telemetry products such as BILBY, Wi-Fi Link, Nexus Blue and IoT data-transfer units. IrriMAX Live and IrriMAX Desktop convert profile readings into visualizations that support irrigation decisions. The company’s competitive position rests on high-resolution depth profiles, long-term deployment and a product architecture that spans sensing, communications and decision software. Its multi-depth approach is especially relevant to orchards, vineyards, vegetables and irrigated field crops where root activity changes through the season.

CropX Technologies

CropX provides connected soil sensors and a digital agronomy platform. Its system combines soil readings with weather, satellite imagery, crop models, irrigation records and machinery data. Applications include irrigation planning, nutrient monitoring, disease risk, field-data management and sustainability reporting. This broad software layer allows the company to position soil devices as part of a farm decision system rather than stand-alone instruments.

The 2026 Apex launch expanded CropX’s hardware portfolio with configurable multi-depth measurement of volumetric water content, temperature and salinity. Apex complements the company’s Vertex sensor, telemetry devices, rain gauges, weather stations and evapotranspiration products. CropX’s competitive position is based on integrated agronomy, a mobile and web interface, third-party connections and the ability to serve individual farms and enterprise sustainability programs.

LI-COR Environmental

LI-COR provides environmental measurement systems for plant, soil and atmospheric research. Its portfolio includes LI-COR instruments and HOBO data loggers and monitoring systems. In soil monitoring, the company serves research sites, greenhouses, irrigation management, production agriculture and OEM integrations. The combination of sensors, established data loggers and environmental-measurement expertise supports both project-specific and long-term deployments.

The LI-300 and LI-350 launched in April 2026 measure soil moisture and temperature, with the LI-350 adding electrical conductivity and direct volumetric-moisture output. Circular probe geometry is designed to create uniform soil contact, while sealed electronics and UV-resistant cabling support prolonged field use. Compatibility with LI-COR and HOBO platforms helps the products enter existing monitoring networks.

Campbell Scientific

Campbell Scientific supplies sensors, data loggers, telemetry and software for environmental and infrastructure monitoring. Its soil portfolio includes water-content, water-potential, temperature and electrical-conductivity instruments, together with loggers and communications equipment used in research and operational networks. The company’s systems are designed for programmable, long-duration measurement and integration with multiple sensor types.

Relevant products include the 5TM moisture-and-temperature sensor, the 5TE moisture-temperature-EC sensor, HydroSense portable measurement systems and SoilVue profile sensors. SDI-12 support allows devices to connect with established data loggers and mixed-sensor stations. Campbell Scientific is positioned strongly where measurement traceability, configurable sampling, remote communications and network durability matter more than a simplified consumer interface.

Recent Developments: March 16–September 16, 2026

• On March 19, 2026, Campbell Scientific Canada published updated 5TM and 5TE product documentation. The 5TM measures volumetric water content and temperature, while the 5TE adds bulk electrical conductivity. Both use SDI-12-compatible communications, supporting integration with data loggers and monitoring networks.
• On April 7, 2026, CropX introduced the Apex soil sensor. Available in 12-, 24- and 36-inch configurations, Apex measures volumetric water content, temperature and salinity at four-inch intervals. It connects to CropX telemetry through SDI-12 and feeds irrigation, moisture-status and leaching analytics in the CropX platform.
• On April 30, 2026, LI-COR launched the LI-300 and LI-350 soil-moisture sensors. Both measure moisture and temperature; the LI-350 also measures electrical conductivity and provides direct volumetric-moisture output. The devices are designed for long-term indoor and outdoor deployment and integrate with LI-COR and HOBO monitoring systems.
• On May 7, 2026, Sentek Technologies released product materials for Sentek BILBY, a telemetry product within its soil-data ecosystem. The development supports the market’s move toward remote access and connected irrigation decisions alongside Sentek’s profile probes and IrriMAX software.
• On May 27, 2026, CropX launched its Cool Farm Platform integration. The workflow combines field data, greenhouse-gas calculations, soil-organic-carbon modelling and sustainability reporting, widening the use of soil-linked agronomic data beyond irrigation into supply-chain environmental measurement.

Strategic Takeaways

• Multi-depth moisture, temperature and salinity sensing will outperform single-variable products in irrigated agriculture.
• Hardware margins will face pressure as software, analytics and services capture more lifecycle value.
• Installation quality, soil contact and calibration support are as important as published sensor accuracy.
• Open SDI-12 and API compatibility can accelerate adoption across established monitoring networks.
• Irrigation savings require field-specific proof tied to pumping, labour, fertilizer and crop-value economics.
• Low-power communications and offline operation are essential for expansion beyond well-connected farms.
• Sustainability programs create demand for continuous field evidence but do not eliminate laboratory soil testing.

Why Purchase the Report?

• Visualize the composition of the global soil monitoring systems market in terms of various product types, applications, and end-users highlighting the key commercial assets and players.
• Identify commercial opportunities in the global soil monitoring devices industry by analyzing trends and co-development deals.
• Excel data sheet with thousands of data points of global soil monitoring devices industry level 4/5 segmentation.
• PDF report with the most relevant analysis cogently put together after exhaustive qualitative interviews and in-depth market study.
• Product mapping in excel for the key product of all major market players.

Target Audience

• Industry Investors/Investment bankers
• Agri-tech Companies
• IOT Solution Providers
• Research Laboratories
• Manufacturers