Automatic fertilization and irrigation controller system

When people talk about automation in agriculture, many people immediately think of complex control panels and expensive sensors. But in practiceautomatic fertilization and irrigation controller systemis primarily a matter of balancing accuracy and reliability. I often see how manufacturers overpay for 'smart' functions that turn out to be useless in the field - for example, when humidity sensors fail after the first hailstorm. In our work with Shandong Linyao Intelligent Agriculture Technology LLC, we went through several iterations of such mistakes until we came to solutions that really work in the conditions of Russian fields.

From concept to real components

I remember our first project in the Krasnodar region, where we tried to install a standardcontroller systemwith imported sensors. After just two weeks of operation, it became clear that calibrating pH meters requires daily maintenance—absolutely unrealistic for large farms. We had to urgently switch to a hybrid scheme with Russian analogues, although initially we were counting on a ready-made solution.

Controllers are a different story. Now we mainly use modified versions of equipment from https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru, because their firmware allows you to flexibly configure parameters without completely replacing the software. But even this is not ideal - for example, when working with dry fertilizers, you have to install additional vibration mechanisms to prevent sticking in the bunkers.

An interesting point with solenoid valves: many people underestimate the importance of their location. In a greenhouse complex near Voronezh, we initially placed the valves in a technical room, but it turned out that with long pipelines (over 200 meters) critical response delays arise. I had to redo the entire circuit using distributed control units.

Integration and calibration issues

The hardest thing aboutautomatic fertilization- not so much the hardware as the dosing algorithms. We conducted tests on the experimental fields of Shandong Lingyao LLC, where we compared dynamic application based on sensor data with the traditional method. The results showed that for nitrogen fertilizers, automation gives a clear increase of 12-15%, but with phosphorus fertilizers - only 3-4%, which is almost within the error limit.

Calibrating EC sensors is a constant headache. Last season in the Stavropol region, we encountered the fact that after replacing a batch of fertilizers (with the same chemical composition), the electrical conductivity readings began to deviate by up to 20%. We had to urgently call engineers to reflash the controllers and create separate calibration curves for each batch of reagents.

Another nuance is interaction with filtration systems. When we designedirrigation systemfor vegetable farming, they did not take into account that automatic valves must be synchronized with the backwashing of filters. As a result, the simultaneous opening of the irrigation line and the flushing mode occurred several times - the pressure dropped and the fertilizer dispensers did not work correctly.

Economics and practical efficiency

Many customers ask about the payback periodautomatic application. The numbers strongly depend on the crop: for greenhouse tomatoes it is 1.5-2 seasons, and for field wheat it is already 3-4 years. But there are also hidden benefits - for example, reducing water consumption by 18-22% due to more precise control of soil moisture.

At a potato farm near Bryansk, we implemented a cascade system, where a top-level controller controlled six sections at once. Interestingly, the greatest savings came not from watering itself, but from preventing waterlogging during the tuberization period—it was possible to reduce the incidence of late blight by almost 40%.

We are currently testing a new development from https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru - a predictive analysis module that takes into account the weather forecast. So far, the results are ambiguous: for short periods (2-3 days) the accuracy is quite high, but with weekly forecasting the error reaches 30%, which is unacceptable for precision farming.

Maintenance and Reliability

A common mistake is underestimating service requirements.Controller systemrequires regular checks at least once a month, even in stable operation. Humidity sensors are especially vulnerable - they have to be calibrated every 2-3 months, and even more often in regions with hard water.

Last year, we switched to pulse injectors instead of membrane injectors in systems from Shandong Linyao LLC. The resource has almost doubled (from 8,000 to 15,000 hours), but a new problem has emerged - sensitivity to micro-interference in the network. We had to install additional stabilizers on each injector.

Winter conservation is a separate set of works. If you do not completely drain the water from all the pipelines, in the spring you are guaranteed to get a rupture of at least one pipeline. At the same time, standard procedures from https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru are not always suitable for Russian conditions - they have to be supplemented by blowing with compressed air and installing additional drain valves.

Prospects and limitations of technology

We are now considering a transition to wireless sensor networks instead of wired ones. Technically, this solves many installation problems, but new ones arise - for example, dependence on the weather (in heavy rain, the signal quality drops) and the need to regularly replace batteries.

Integration with other farming systems is the next task. We have started experiments on connectingirrigation systemsto weather stations and even to drones for multispectral imaging. So far it works in fragments - data arrives at different frequencies and does not always correlate with each other.

The main barrier to mass implementation is not even cost, but the lack of qualified personnel. Even modern controllers from https://www.lyzhihuinongye.ru require an understanding of the basics of agrochemistry and hydraulics, and there is a catastrophic shortage of such specialists in the regions. It may be worth developing simplified versions of systems with automatic diagnostics - but this is a matter for the next generations of technology.