Smart Irrigation in Agri-Tech: Enhancing IoT AgTech to the future farming
Souvick Banik*and Ameda Swarnalatha*
*Ph.D. Research Scholar, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal
Souvick Banik*and Ameda Swarnalatha*
*Ph.D. Research Scholar, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, West Bengal
Irrigation systems are often inefficient, with nearly half of the water lost due to runoff, wind, and evaporation. Most irrigation setups depend on basic timers and controllers to manage watering schedules. A more effective method is to supply water only when it is actually required and in the exact amount needed. Successful crop production relies on several important inputs that must be managed carefully. Efficient use of resources such as water, fertilizers, and pesticides, along with modern technological solutions, can help achieve higher yields and better crop quality. This article discusses smart irrigation and its importance in agriculture. An efficient irrigation system can improve crop yield and quality while also reducing the need for pesticides and fertilizers.
Advantages of Smart Irrigation
Smart irrigation offers long-term benefits. With these systems, farmers can monitor and track the moisture levels in the soil. They can also automate the supply of water according to the specific needs of the crops, allowing them to grow under optimal conditions while reducing unnecessary water usage.
Cost savings due to minimized water waste
- Reduced human efforts
- A unified view of soil characteristics, including moisture and nutrient contents
- Smart notifications in case of abnormalities
- Better long-term landscape health
- IoT ecosystem for smart irrigation
Types of IoT sensors for smart irrigation of farmlands
Depending on the type of data to be captured, soil, weather, and plant IoT sensors can be used in a smart irrigation solution.
Soil sensors
Soil-based sensors gather relevant data about volumetric water content, salinity, electrical conductivity, and other crucial parameters. Located at key points across the field, these sensors send data to a smart water irrigation system to help farmers gain quick insights into the soil’s state and predict irrigation needs.
Weather sensors
Weather sensors, also known as evapotranspiration (ET) sensors, measure very localized environmental factors such as the evaporation of water from the soil and the transpiration process in plants. When this data is combined with information from GIS-based solutions, it helps produce more precise predictions about water requirements.
Plant sensors
Plant-mounted sensors are a relatively new technology but have strong potential for monitoring a plant’s water condition. These sensors are attached to the plant’s stem or fruits and can detect small changes such as swelling or shrinking. Based on these observations, they can alert farmers about low water levels or conditions that may reduce crop yield in the field.
Extending the capabilities of a smart irrigation solution
An IoT-based irrigation system can be further enhanced with functionality that uses advanced software. You can customize your smart water irrigation solution and integrate third-party APIs to tap into additional valuable data and inform your decision-making on irrigation of farmlands.
Weather monitoring
One way to do that is to incorporate satellite data and weather reports from weather stations to better schedule your irrigation activities. Knowing that rain is forecasted, the system can wait and automatically recalculate the amount of required water based on actual precipitation received.
Artificial intelligence
AI is becoming the bedrock of automation in farming. Apart from its use in novel but still rarely used agricultural robotics systems, AI helps to automate simple tasks like labelling data, building reports, and sending notifications. Such small steps to automation through AI are becoming easier to implement while their impact on agribusinesses is critical and can be seen in just a few months.
Sprinkler irrigation
In a sprinkler irrigation system, water is pumped through pipes and then distributed via high-pressure overhead sprinklers. These sprinklers can be set in a central location in the field or can be located on a moving platform.
Role of software: Thermal and acoustic rain sensors recognize rainfall and measure its intensity to schedule the next irrigation after rain stops. A smart irrigation system analyzes data and calculates the water budget for the next month. Sprinklers get automated notifications to prevent extensive water use and overwatering due to rain.
Center pivot irrigation
This is the most popular form of sprinkler irrigation and is also known as water-wheel and circle irrigation. A typical center pivot system consists of a long irrigating pipeline attached to a central tower and moves slowly over the field in a circular pattern, irrigating plants with sprayers.
Role of software: The system that controls circle irrigation sprinklers obtains data insights from in-field sensors to adjust the water stream or angle of flow. This helps to reach plants that are far from the water source and save those nearest from overwatering. By analyzing weather data and soil moisture, the system plans irrigation and calculates potential yield and harvest times.
Drip irrigation
In this type of irrigation, water is distributed directly to the roots of plants through pipes with small openings called drippers. This allows farmers to significantly reduce evaporation and runoff.
Role of software: For this type of irrigation, the main challenge is the visibility of the watering process. The system notifies the user through an app about starting and finishing irrigation. It also measures soil parameters before and after irrigation.
Micro-irrigation
Micro-irrigation is a low-pressure, low-volume system that offers precise control over watering. The system applies water directly to the plant’s roots, improving irrigation efficiency and ensuring uniform distribution.
Role of software: The system can plan the exact dosage for each plant as the amount of water is precisely controlled. AI algorithms can be applied to recognize plants and adjust watering appropriately.
No matter what type of irrigation system you choose, equipping it with powerful IoT sensors will help you gain data-driven, actionable insights and stay on top of your irrigation needs.
Conclusion
Agriculture is the largest user of water worldwide, using nearly 70% of the global freshwater supply. However, a significant portion of this water is wasted because of outdated and inefficient irrigation methods. Smart irrigation technology aims to address this issue by using IoT-based agricultural sensors that allow farmers to monitor field conditions more closely and adjust irrigation accordingly. As a result, water can be managed more efficiently, while also improving crop yields and reducing overall costs.
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