Combining Multi-Agent Systems and Wireless Sensor Networks for Monitoring Crop Irrigation

[EN]Monitoring mechanisms that ensure efficient crop growth are essential on many farms, especially in certain areas of the planet where water is scarce. Most farmers must assume the high cost of the required equipment in order to be able to streamline natural resources on their farms. Considering that many farmers cannot afford to install this equipment, it is necessary to look for more effective solutions that would be cheaper to implement. The objective of this study is to build virtual organizations of agents that can communicate between each other while monitoring crops. A low cost sensor architecture allows farmers to monitor and optimize the growth of their crops by streamlining the amount of resources the crops need at every moment. Since the hardware has limited processing and communication capabilities, our approach uses the PANGEA architecture to overcome this limitation. Specifically, we will design a system that is capable of collecting heterogeneous information from its environment, using sensors for temperature, solar radiation, humidity, pH, moisture and wind. A major outcome of our approach is that our solution is able to merge heterogeneous data from sensors and produce a response adapted to the context. In order to validate the proposed system, we present a case study in which farmers are provided with a tool that allows us to monitor the condition of crops on a TV screen using a low cost device.European Commision (EC). Funding H2020/MSCARISE. Project Code: 641794European Commision (EC). Funding FP7/SPE/SME. Project Code: 283638European Commision (EC). Funding FP7/SP1/ENV. Project Code: 28294

Invernadero inteligente y agricultura 4.0

In Colombia, agricultural exports have become notoriously prevalent in recent years, causing the creation of new methods capable of increasing production in order to meet the global demands. A very efficient option is the use of greenhouses, given their low building cost, ease of construction, ability to protect crops from natural phenomena and plagues, and the possibility to keep the internal temperature steady during day and night, thus allowing crops to grow fast and healthy. Nowadays, advancements in electronics have allowed boosting the positive effects of these environments, which is why this document introduces a procedure for the implementation of an automated pyramid-type greenhouse, utilizing techniques related to Precision Agriculture (PA) and based on concepts related to the Internet of Things (IoT) for remote monitoring through emerging communication technologies such as the NFRL2401 cards and the Arduino Nano and Mega boards. Inside the greenhouse, variables such as temperature and ambient humidity are measured and controlled via the PCE-P30U Universal Input Signal Converter Data Logger, while ground humidity is monitored by ZD510 capacitive sensors. Outside, variables such as temperature, ambient humidity, negative and positive pressure, and wind speed are measured. Data obtained is taken wirelessly to the server using Windows Server 2019 Datacenter, with Broker MQTT EMQ-X services and MYSQL databases, providing a suitable and efficient environment for agricultural research processes. With the procedure developed in this document, a baseline is proposed for the implementation of a smart greenhouse that can be replicated and used as a test system for smart sowing processes, adapting to the different climate and production conditions of the country.En Colombia, la exportación agrícola ha crecido en los últimos años, motivando la creación de nuevos métodos que incrementen la producción para satisfacer la demanda mundial. El uso de invernaderos es una opción bastante eficiente, dados sus bajos costos de construcción, su habilidad para proteger cultivos de fenómenos naturales y plagas, y la posibilidad de mantener la temperatura interna estable durante el día y la noche, lo cual hace que el fruto crezca rápido y saludable. En la actualidad, los avances en electrónica han permitido potencializar los efectos positivos de estos espacios, por lo cual en este texto se presenta un procedimiento para la implementación de un invernadero automatizado de tipo piramidal, utilizando técnicas relacionadas con la Agricultura de Precisión (AP) y partiendo de conceptos relacionados con el internet de las cosas (IoT) para el monitoreo remoto a través de tecnologías emergentes de comunicación como las tarjetas NFRL2401 y placas Arduino Nano y Mega. Al interior del invernadero se miden y controlan variables como la temperatura y humedad del ambiente por medio de la PCE-P30U Universal Input Signal Converter Data Logger, mientras que la humedad del suelo es monitoreada por medio de sensores capacitivos ZD510. En el exterior, se miden variables como la temperatura, la humedad del ambiente, presión positiva y negativa y la velocidad del viento. Los datos obtenidos son llevados inalámbricamente a un servidor que utiliza el Windows Server 2019 Datacenter, con servicios Broker MQTT EMQ-X y bases de datos MYSQL, propiciando un ambiente apto y eficiente para la realización de procesos en investigación agrícola. Con el procedimiento desarrollado en este documento, se propone una línea de base para la implementación de un invernadero inteligente que pueda ser replicado y sirva como sistema de prueba en procesos inteligentes de siembra, adaptándose a la diferentes condiciones climáticas y productivas del país

Root Zone Sensors for Irrigation Management in Intensive Agriculture

Crop irrigation uses more than 70% of the world’s water, and thus, improving irrigation efficiency is decisive to sustain the food demand from a fast-growing world population. This objective may be accomplished by cultivating more water-efficient crop species and/or through the application of efficient irrigation systems, which includes the implementation of a suitable method for precise scheduling. At the farm level, irrigation is generally scheduled based on the grower’s experience or on the determination of soil water balance (weather-based method). An alternative approach entails the measurement of soil water status. Expensive and sophisticated root zone sensors (RZS), such as neutron probes, are available for the use of soil and plant scientists, while cheap and practical devices are needed for irrigation management in commercial crops. The paper illustrates the main features of RZS’ (for both soil moisture and salinity) marketed for the irrigation industry and discusses how such sensors may be integrated in a wireless network for computer-controlled irrigation and used for innovative irrigation strategies, such as deficit or dual-water irrigation. The paper also consider the main results of recent or current research works conducted by the authors in Tuscany (Italy) on the irrigation management of container-grown ornamental plants, which is an important agricultural sector in Italy