A computer system comprising: one or more processors in data communication with one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370) that are coupled to an agricultural machine configured to interact with soil; one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media coupled to the one or more processors and storing sequences of program instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: by electronic communication with the one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370), determine measurement data relating to a moisture characteristic of the soil; wherein the storage media further comprises instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to calculate a value based on the measurement data obtained from the one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370), the value being a seed germination moisture value related to the amount of water that is available to the seed for each given soil, said seed germination moisture value being calculated based on reflectivity measurement data obtained from a reflectivity sensor of the one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370) for detecting characteristics of a trench formed in the soil by an implement during operation of the agricultural machine and the soil type as input, or being a uniformity of moisture value, or being a moisture variability value calculated based on the seed germination moisture value, based on said value, generate a signal to cause the agricultural machine to control a position of the implement coupled to the agricultural machine to adjust a depth of the trench formed in the soil by the implement during operation of the agricultural machine; wherein said seed germination moisture value is calculated using a data table comprising reflectivity measurements of soil at different water content and measurements of weight gain of a seed that has been placed in a soil for a sufficient period of time to allow moisture to enter the seed. one or more processors in data communication with one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370) that are coupled to an agricultural machine configured to interact with soil; one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media coupled to the one or more processors and storing sequences of program instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: by electronic communication with the one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370), determine measurement data relating to a moisture characteristic of the soil; wherein the storage media further comprises instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to calculate a value based on the measurement data obtained from the one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370), the value being a seed germination moisture value related to the amount of water that is available to the seed for each given soil, said seed germination moisture value being calculated based on reflectivity measurement data obtained from a reflectivity sensor of the one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370) for detecting characteristics of a trench formed in the soil by an implement during operation of the agricultural machine and the soil type as input, or being a uniformity of moisture value, or being a moisture variability value calculated based on the seed germination moisture value, based on said value, generate a signal to cause the agricultural machine to control a position of the implement coupled to the agricultural machine to adjust a depth of the trench formed in the soil by the implement during operation of the agricultural machine; wherein said seed germination moisture value is calculated using a data table comprising reflectivity measurements of soil at different water content and measurements of weight gain of a seed that has been placed in a soil for a sufficient period of time to allow moisture to enter the seed. by electronic communication with the one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370), determine measurement data relating to a moisture characteristic of the soil; wherein the storage media further comprises instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to calculate a value based on the measurement data obtained from the one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370), the value being a seed germination moisture value related to the amount of water that is available to the seed for each given soil, said seed germination moisture value being calculated based on reflectivity measurement data obtained from a reflectivity sensor of the one or more sensors (350, 351, 352, 370) for detecting characteristics of a trench formed in the soil by an implement during operation of the agricultural machine and the soil type as input, or being a uniformity of moisture value, or being a moisture variability value calculated based on the seed germination moisture value, based on said value, generate a signal to cause the agricultural machine to control a position of the implement coupled to the agricultural machine to adjust a depth of the trench formed in the soil by the implement during operation of the agricultural machine; wherein said seed germination moisture value is calculated using a data table comprising reflectivity measurements of soil at different water content and measurements of weight gain of a seed that has been placed in a soil for a sufficient period of time to allow moisture to enter the seed.