AN INTELLIGENT SYSTEM TO FACILITATE EFFICIENT CROP IRRIGATION

ABSTRACT

Demand for water continue to increase as a result of increase in world population, climate variation and increase in industrial water need. Globally, irrigation gulp higher percent in the use of water. Inappropriate application of water for irrigation always result in production loss and nutrient leaching. Thus, it is essential to irrigate more efficiently in order to optimize crop water use. This research focus on development of intelligent crop water requirement system. The system determined the volume of water to replenish the soil moisture content or volume of water to allow percolating around the crop area. The system was developed using ATmega328P, reference evapotranspiration obtained using Blaney-Criddle method, crop coefficient, field capacity, instant crop evapotranspiration crop evapotranspiration and crop area to irrigate. The developed system was used to monitor crop water requirement of Cochorus olitorus and it was discovered that the intelligent crop water requirement system necessitate less water (74.89 %) than the conventional calculated irrigation water requirement (100 %).

Keywords: Irrigation, crop water requirement, field capacity, crop evapotranspiration, crop area