Automation in agriculture
Real efficient farming is currently impossible without the automation of agrotechnical processes. Why so?
As of today, we all know that water the plants whenever we want will NOT give the best production of the plants. Plants like humans must have continuously food and water, and not just a Huge amount of it occasionally.
Imagine you’re not drinking nor eating for a day, and suddenly you eat 6 McDonalds Big Macs and 2 liters of water. How do you think you will feel? Not so well right? Now imagine you’re doing that for months!!
The same feeling with our gentle plants, you simply not working efficiently if you are watering your plants once or twice a day.
Therefore, we have the automation units – to save your plants, your time, and money.
Automation allows you to optimize these processes, create and maintain the best conditions for plants and animals for their life and development.
Types of automation-
Devices and automation systems are now widely used, ranging from a small flower garden by your house to greenhouse complexes, poultry houses, livestock farms, and the open field.
Automation allows you to significantly increase production, improve product quality, yield and productivity, facilitate labor, and eliminate errors caused by the "human factor".
Automation is produced at various levels of complexity, ranging from simple, inexpensive controllers to complex computer systems capable of considering numerous parameters and determining the optimal mode for a controlled object.
Why do we need automation, if we can work normally without it?
Of course, you can! But it’s simply not efficient. Let's try to figure out why.
Drip or sprinkler irrigation systems allow strict regulation of water supply to plants. After all, we know that one dropper, of one hour of its operation, 1.2 liters of water will fall into the ground, for example. We also know that excessive moisture, as well as its lack, will certainly affect the condition of plants, and it will have a negative effect!
Suppose we are watering a garden with tomatoes. Considering the size of the bush, climatic conditions, and other factors, we can calculate the water consumption, and, if necessary, adjust the irrigation rate for each plant. The initial data on water consumption by plants can be found in the specialized literature. Let's say we calculated that one tomato plant needs 4 liters of water per day. Based on this, water should be supplied to the system for 2 hours every day. Please note that this is a conditional count!
What is the best way for us to proceed?
The easiest option is to use an alarm clock so as not to forget to turn ON the water and then turn it OFF. And the most important thing is not to forget to set the alarm! An even simpler option is to entrust the watering work to relatives or our employees.
An easier option is to purchase an automation system! Of course, this will require certain costs, very small, but the advantages are obvious:
The ability to accurately dose the exact amount of water supplied for irrigation.
The possibility of fractional watering - if we know that the total watering time should be 2 hours a day, we can water, for example, every 3 hours for 15 minutes! And your plants will receive a precisely defined amount of water per day, but not immediately, but gradually!
The system works without your participation, without days off, holidays, vacations, and other breaks.
The ability to connect a rain sensor that will block the water supply if it rains.
The ability to turn on irrigation at a convenient time for you, for example, at night, when there is water in the water supply.
Single-channel and multi-channel controllers:
The controller is an easily programmable minicomputer that allows you to set the watering program for your plants and control the watering according to its needs.
There are varieties of controllers divided for 2 groups - single and multi-channel controllers.
What are their differences and advantages?
Single-channel controllers:
Allows automating the watering of one irrigated zone.
Combined with a solenoid valve.
Battery-powered. One battery is enough for the whole season.
Have a low cost.
Multichannel controllers:
If your site has several irrigated zones, then you can use several single-channel or one multi-channel controller.
Multi-channel controllers of different types allow you to program up to 12 independently operating irrigation zones and set individual programs for each zone separately.
If you have 4 or more irrigation zones, the relative cost of automating each individual zone is lower than using multiple single-channel controllers.
Such devices also have additional options for connecting sensors, for example, a rain sensor, which allows you to consider the state of the environment and adjust the initially set irrigation program, turning OFF the water supply during rain, and turning it back ON.
MEDIUM AND LARGE OPEN GROUND CONTROL SYSTEMS
Automation system. Control systems for medium and large areas of open ground are based on more powerful controllers that allow not only setting and controlling irrigation parameters but also adding fertilizers, pesticides, and other components to irrigation water.
These systems include various types of controllers with similar software characteristics but with different hardware, designs to meet different needs. The irrigation control system can be built based on one or several controllers. Most of these systems could output data to a computer, from which the operator can monitor and control several irrigation facilities at once.
Recently, more and more often for irrigation systems in open ground, remote wireless data transmission systems are used. Thus, for example, a farmer can control the irrigation process of several fields located hundreds of kilometers on his home computer.
GREEN/Net House AUTOMATION
For irrigation of greenhouses, special controllers have been developed that provide control and management of the acidity (pH) and electrical conductivity (EC) of irrigation water and include devices for accurate dosing of liquid fertilizers and adjusting the acidity of the solution by supplying concentrated formulations from containers.
Automation systems for greenhouses today are usually fully functional computer systems that control not only irrigation but also temperature, humidity, illumination, etc. Which allows them to completely regulate and maintain the microclimate in the greenhouse at an optimal level.
HUMIDITY CONTROL
Moisture controllers are designed to control the moisture content of fogging systems in greenhouses.
They are designed for two purposes:
The first is water spraying to reduce the temperature inside the greenhouse and is controlled by a temperature sensor, and the second is to maintain the humidity in the room at the level set by the program.
In temperature lowering mode, the controller operates in a cyclic mode and the cycle times depend on the set temperature. In addition, it is possible to set the work exact time.
In the mode of fogging or maintaining the set humidity, it works regardless of temperature and time.
METEOCONTROL
Meteorological monitoring systems are increasingly being used to monitor the environment and adjust automatic control systems. Own mini-meteorological station allows not only to monitor the current state of the weather but also to adjust the operation of equipment, such as irrigation, ventilation, temperature control.
All modern mini-weather stations can connect to a computer and save weather data for the whole year. This helps the farmer to better plan agricultural technologies and make corrections based on data analysis for the future.
Compact and reliable mini meteorological stations have been developed, easily installed, and connected to a common computer that controls the automation of a greenhouse or other object.
SUMMARY
This was a short brief on automation systems, but we didn’t cover even half of the systems list used to automate irrigation processes. We in Agrosheriff will be pleased to help in developing your farm into the most efficient one!
All you have to do is simply message our official page and ask us your questions or concerns, and we will be happy to help!
After the pandemic, we all understand which business the best is to maintain – not gadgets, or clothes BUT food. And we will help you through the process.
Please share this post with your friends to help them learn and expand their knowledge!
Thank you, and till the next time!
Roman from Agrosheriff ltd.
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