Automatically controlled multi-channel intelligent fertilizer applicator, water and fertilizer integration apparatus for greenhouses

When you hear aboutintelligent water and fertilizer integration apparatus, a panel with a bunch of buttons and autonomous operation immediately appears. In fact, even advanced systems like those supplied by Shandong Lingyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology LLC require constant monitoring. Many people think that automation solves everything, but without understanding how the soil works in a particular greenhouse, even the best equipment will fail.

Why automation is not a panacea

We somehow tookmulti-channel intelligent devicefor a greenhouse complex near Krasnodar. Humidity, EC, pH sensors - everything is according to the textbook. But after two weeks the tomatoes began to turn yellow. It turned out that the calculations did not take into account the temperature difference between the zones of the greenhouse. The automation poured the same amount of solution, but in the colder part the soil did not have time to dry out.

I had to set up separate programs for each zone. And this is not a lack of equipment - it’s just that the initial setup required more empirical data. This is where the experience of Shandong Lingyao came in handy, where they immediately warned about the need to monitor the microclimate before launch.

By the way, their website https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru is not just a catalogue, there are real cases on adapting systems to Russian conditions. For example, how to upgrade filters for hard water, which is often found in our country.

How omnichannel works in practice

Ideallyautomatically controlled vehiclemust distribute nutrient solutions among sections with different crops. But here’s a nuance: if you use one tank for everyone, then when you change the program, the remaining fertilizers are mixed. You have to either install separate containers or run the wash between cycles.

The same Shandong Lingyao in modifications for greenhouses has an option with separate highways. More expensive, but for farms where they grow both herbs and vegetables, it’s worth it. Especially if you take into account the difference in needs according to growth phases.

At one of the facilities in the Lipetsk region, we were just faced with the fact that strawberries and cucumbers require different pH values. We had to modify the system - we added a second control unit and additional valves. Without multichannel, such a project is simply impossible to implement.

Pitfalls of water and fertilizer integration

The most difficult thing is not just mixing water with fertilizers, but doing it adjusted for the initial composition of the water. In the Moscow region, water is often high in iron. If you don’t take this into account, sediment will form and clog the droppers.

Therefore, kits from Shandong Lingyao always focus on preliminary water analysis. Their technologists suggest installing additional filters or changing the composition of fertilizers to minimize risks.

I remember last season we saved money on the filtration system - we decided that the existing one was enough. As a result, within a month of work, three injectors failed. The repairs cost more than the additional cleaning would have cost.

Automation that really works

Modern systems like those designed by Shandong Lingyao can already adapt to changing weather conditions. For example, in cloudy weather, reduce the supply of solution, and in hot weather, increase it. But this is not magic, but algorithms that need to be fine-tuned.

In the Voronezh region they somehow connected a weather station towater and fertilizer integration apparatus. It would seem ideal. But for the first two weeks, the system overfilled the solution - they did not take into account the inertia of the soil. We had to introduce correction factors.

We have now developed standard profiles for different crops. For example, for small-volume tomatoes we use a different watering curve than for hydroponic lettuce. This is the very intelligence that comes with experience.

What breaks most often and how to avoid problems

Metering pumps are the most vulnerable point. Especially if you use fertilizers with crystals that do not completely dissolve. The solution is regular washing and quality control of fertilizers.

Another common problem is sticking solenoid valves. In systems from Shandong Lingyao, valves with a manual override are installed, which is very helpful when you urgently need to water, but the automation is faulty.

From the unobvious: it happens that pH sensors begin to lie due to aging of the electrode. Therefore, now we always keep a calibration log - we check all sensors once every two weeks. It’s a small thing, but it saves you from serious mistakes.

Prospects and limitations of technology

Now many people want completely unmanned greenhouses. But in practice even the bestintelligent device for greenhouseswill not replace an agronomist. It can collect data and perform routine tasks, but strategic decisions still require human expertise.

Of interest: in Shandong Lingyao they are testing systems with machine learning that analyze historical yield data. These are pilot projects for now, but for perennial crops such as cucumber, results are already visible - the system is learning to predict the need for fertilizing.

The main thing is not to chase fashionable words, but to select solutions for specific problems. Sometimes a simple timer with manual adjustment of the solution gives better results than a sophisticated automatic system that has no one to service.