Intelligent water and fertilizer integration apparatus with remote automatic control system via mobile phone for agricultural irrigation

When you hear aboutintelligent water and fertilizer integration apparatus, you immediately imagine a panel with a bunch of buttons and complex settings. But in reality, everything is different - the main thing is that the system understands what the field needs, and not only knows how to turn on the water on a schedule. Many people still think that automation is simply replacing a manual crane with a remote one, but this is a mistake, due to which half of the projects do not provide the expected savings.

Why old methods don't work

We used to set simple timers for watering, but they did not take into account either soil moisture or rain forecast. As a result, water was wasted, and fertilizers were washed into groundwater. Once in the Krasnodar Territory, this approach led to salinization of the soil - the top layer had to be completely changed. Then I realized: without data integration and accurate dosing, any automation is useless.

The system should not just water, but “think”: compare data from weather sensors, analyze the type of crop, and even take into account the growth phase of the plant. For example, for tomatoes during the flowering period, an increase in phosphorus by 15% gives an increase in yield, but if you overdo it, the roots will “burn out”. That's where you need itintelligent water and fertilizer integration apparatus, not just a sprinkler with Wi-Fi.

Speaking of Wi-Fi, there are often connection problems in the fields. It is necessary to combine GSM modules with backup local protocols. Once in the Rostov region, due to a thunderstorm, a tower fell and the entire system stopped working. It’s good that there was a backup mode via the radio channel, otherwise the wheat would have dried out within a day.

How does remote control via phone work?

Modern systems, e.g.Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltd, allow you not only to turn on watering from your phone, but also to see the history of fertilizer application, work schedule and even efficiency forecast. But there is a nuance here: the interface should be simple. I’ve seen solutions where, in order to change the schedule, you need to go through five menus - farmers hate that.

Ideally, one touch for urgent changes and flexible settings for the agronomist. On the websitelyzhihuinongye.ruThey show an example where you can mark a zone with your finger on the map and immediately set parameters. This is close to what is needed, but in life you often have to modify it for a specific farm.

I remember last year we set up a system for a vineyard in Crimea. The owner wanted to control it from his phone, but was afraid of accidentally pressing the wrong button. We made a two-step confirmation for critical commands - now he is calm, and the grapes receive exactly as much water as they need.

Problems of integration with existing infrastructure

Often old greenhouses or fields already have drip lines, but without automation. Simply installing a new controller is not the solution. It is necessary to redo the wiring, install pressure sensors and filters.Shandong Lingyao Co.,Ltdoffers comprehensive solutions, including design, but even their equipment sometimes requires adaptation.

For example, in the Moscow region we had to change all the valves to electromagnetic ones because the old ones did not hold pressure. This added 30% to the cost of the project, but without this, accurate dosing was impossible. Speaking of valves, their remote control must have backup power. Once the battery died and the system was unable to turn off the water - the seedlings were flooded.

Another point: filtering. If the water from a well is filled with sand, even the smartest device will clog within a week. You have to install multi-stage filters, which means additional costs and maintenance. But without this everythingremote automatic control systemturns into a pile of metal.

Economics and payback

Many people ask why spend hundreds of thousands on smart watering. The answer is simple: saving water and fertilizers pays for the system in 2-3 seasons. In the Stavropol Territory, after implementation, water consumption per hectare fell by 40%, and yield increased by 15%. But this is if everything is configured correctly.

There are also failures. Once in Tatarstan they installed an expensive system, but did not train the staff. As a result, agronomists continued to water “by eye”, and the automation was idle. Conclusion: technology is useless without people who understand how to work with it.

By the way,Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltdprovides not only equipment, but also training. This is important because even the most advanced technology cannot replace human experience.

Future and minor improvements

We are now experimenting with predictive algorithms so that the system itself suggests changing the watering schedule based on data for 5 years. So far it’s turning out crooked, but the direction is promising. We are also adding sensors for nitrate content in the soil - this will help more accurately dose fertilizers.

Little things are important too. For example, the color of the indicator on the control panel - if it is bright blue, farmers confuse it with backlighting. I had to change it to green. Or sound alerts - they may not be audible in the field, so we duplicate the SMS.

In general,intelligent water and fertilizer integration device with remote automatic control system via mobile phone- This is not a gadget, but a tool. And like any tool, it must lie in the hands of a master. Otherwise, control it from your phone or from the remote control - the result will be disastrous.