Spain: New irrigation system that identifies the needs of the crop

01/10/2015

A team of the Department of Information Technology of the University of Huelva (UHU) and the Polytechnic University of Cartagena (UPCT) has developed an intelligent irrigation network that is characterized by simultaneously measuring parameters of soil, air and water from agricultural crops, according to the Scientific Information and News Service.

The main advantage of this system, integrated by a set of wireless devices, is that it is configured to analyze the different variables depending on the crop, and offers customized solutions to the management of water resources.

GAIA2

The system, named GAIA2, is formed by a network of nodes or nicknames, each of which functions as a small computer that can be configured to measure soil (temperature, humidity), environmental parameters (atmospheric pressure, ambient temperature, relative humidity) and irrigation water quality.

To these nodes are connected, from the outside, the different sensors that monitor these variables. Depending on the characteristics and requirements of each crop, the configuration of the system and the sensors will be different. «The same nickname is used to measure the different variables. It is not necessary to have different devices, one for each parameter, like most current systems. Unlike these, the GAIA2 is a multifunctional device that simultaneously monitors different variables in the same crop field., explains the researcher from the University of Huelva, Nieves Pavón, who has collaborated in this work.

The multifunctionality allows the same network of nodes can be used in different types of crops whether horticultural, fruit farms or vineyards. You just have to change the sensor type. For example, if you want to measure the hydric state of a tree, you will use a dendrometer, a kind of clamp that records the movements of the trunk to know if the plant needs or is over water.

Separation up to 10 km

Another advantage of the nodes is that, in addition to acting as sensors or data receivers, they also serve as information bridges between the different motes. This function, known as a gateway, is used to control crops in plots separated from each other by a distance of up to ten kilometers.

«The basic objective of the gateway is to guarantee communication between the different sensor nodes and the office where the base station that receives the data and interprets it is located. In large areas, there may be interference that interrupts or hinders this communication, as occurs with mobile phones. By acting as a bridge, the gateway ensures that data arrives correctly., explains the expert.

This double function, receiving and communication, is another of the advantages of the device. «In the irrigation systems on the market this duality does not occur. The usual thing is to use two different nodes, one for each function »continues the researcher.

Supports agricultural tasks

From the physical point of view, the motes stand out for their robustness, another difference with respect to the devices that are commercialized since, according to the expert, these have only been used in the laboratory or in research works, so they lack the necessary consistency to be applied in real environments. "The GAIA2 sensors are designed to be placed at ground level or buried without fear of breaking when using agricultural machinery. In addition, due to its small size, about 20 centimeters high, there will be no need to remove them during spraying ", nuances Nieves Pavón.

Control with the mobile

On the other hand, as reflected in a study published in the Agricultural Water Management magazine, each node is equipped with an internal lithium battery, an antenna for data transmission, a waterproof and humidity-resistant waterproof case and a solar that ensures autonomy of at least ten weeks, the usual time of duration of an agronomic cycle (sowing, development or flowering). Additionally, a battery charger and a long-range antenna can be added.

So that the farmer can have access to the data and know at all times what the needs of the crop are, the researchers have designed applications for both the web and smart mobile devices. These can be used in the commercial model, an improved version of GAIA2 that the spin off Widhoc, from the Polytechnic of Cartagena, has brought to the market.

"We have created a user interface so that both the agronomist and the farmer can be in the field and, on the fly, have the information. It also includes a GPS locator to know where the sensors are that are not visible, for example, those that are underground "says the researcher.

The farmer can use the commercial version on a rental basis. "Since the interesting thing is to have a variety of sensors and its cost is high, it offers the option of paying a monthly fee that is more profitable. An integral service is rented: installation of nodes, technical advice, interpretation of data and final report in which the technician sets out his recommendations on irrigation ", indicates Nieves Pavón.

Source: Hortoinfo.es