
When people talk about popular irrigation systems, they immediately think of something like smart valves or humidity sensors, but in reality the key thing is the integration of water and fertilizers. Many people still confuse irrigation automation with a full-fledged intelligent system, but the difference is like between a watering can and precise dosing for each plant.
Last year we worked with a Chinese companyShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltd— their approach confused me at first. They don’t just install controllers, but immediately design all the hydraulics for specific crops. For example, for vineyards in the Krasnodar region, calculations were made not only on soil moisture, but also on the electrical conductivity of fertilizers.
I noticed an interesting detail: their systems always turn onwater filtrationthree-stage, and with backwashing. This seems like a small thing, but without it, any automation gets clogged within a season. Once in the Rostov region they tried to save money on filters - as a result, the drip lines failed after 4 months.
By the way, their website https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru shows well the integrated approach - they don’t just sell equipment, but immediately offer design for specific soils. This is rare; usually companies focus on either hardware or software.
The main country of purchase of such systems is, of course, Russia, but not because we have advanced technologies, but because the scale allows us to recoup the investment. Although there is a nuance: many farms still prefer to buy components separately - sensors from some, valves from others, controllers from others.
Working withShandong Lingyao Co.,Ltd, I saw how they get around this problem: they make test zones on 5-10 hectares, where they show real savings in fertilizers. The numbers are usually impressive - up to 30% savings in nitrogen fertilizers, but only with proper calibration.
I remember a case in the Stavropol Territory: a farmer at first swore that the system was too complicated, but when he saw the difference in the quality of grain in areas with manual watering and with automation, he himself began to demand additional adjustments to the night air temperature.
Frequency converters are, of course, good, but if there are power surges in the household, as we often do in rural areas, then without stabilizers all this precision equipment will not last long. Bsmart irrigation deviceLinyao has taken this into account - they always have shock protection of up to 15% in their basic configuration.
Another important point: many do not take into account that moisture sensors need to be regularly calibrated for a specific soil type. I saw systems that showed an error of up to 25% in chernozem - can you imagine the excess consumption of fertilizers?
Remote control of valves - what could possibly go wrong? But in practice, it turns out that in some regions the LTE signal disappears precisely when it is most needed - on hot days. We had to work with engineers from Shandong Linyao to develop a hybrid version with local logic on the controller.
Last season, an integrated irrigation system was installed on 200 hectares of sunflower in the Voronezh region. It was interesting to see how the approach was changing: at first, agronomists tried to duplicate the automation with visual control, then they realized that the system was more accurate than the human eye.
The main mistake that is repeated is that they try to save money on design. It seems that you can take a standard project and adapt it, but each site has its own slope, soil composition, and water depth. CompanyShandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology Co.,Ltdhere he shows integrity - work does not begin without geodetic survey.
An interesting point: it turned out that different crops require different irrigation algorithms, even within the same farm. For example, for corn and soybeans in neighboring fields you have to use different programs - the system allows this, but requires fine tuning.
Nowadays, many are keen on 'smart farms', but forget about reliability. In field conditions, equipment must operate at -30 in winter and +40 in summer, with dust, humidity and other delights. In this regard, Chinese manufacturers like Linyao have made a serious breakthrough - their equipment is being tested in real conditions.
If we considerintelligent device for irrigation and fertilizationAs an investment, the return on investment is highly dependent on the culture. For greenhouse vegetables - 1-2 seasons, for grains - 3-4 years. But there are also hidden benefits: labor savings, application accuracy, yield predictability.
The main advice I always give is: don’t chase maximum automation. Start with a pilot zone, train staff gradually, and be sure to demand from the supplier not just installation, but training and technical support. https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru understands this - they have Russian-speaking engineers for consultations.
After a dozen implementations, I realized: an ideal system does not exist. There will always be trade-offs between accuracy and cost, between automation and simplicity. But the trend is clear - the future lies in integrated solutions, where irrigation and fertilizer are managed as a single process.
By the way, many people underestimate the importance of compatibility with existing infrastructure. The sameShandong Lingyao Co.,LtdFirst they study what pumps, what pipes, what kind of energy is already on the farm - and only then they offer solutions.
In the end, I will say this: the popularity of such systems in Russia will grow not because it is fashionable, but because it is economically justified. Especially taking into account climate change - when watering needs to be calculated literally hourly, human capabilities are no longer enough.