Long-Range Low-Power Electronic System for Drip Irrigation in Precision Agriculture

Nowadays, food security is threatened by population growth, wars, climate change, and desertification due to human activities. Precision agriculture is a novel concept to minimize the usage of natural resources in the agriculture field, mitigating the anthropological effects. This is possible by adopting electronic systems to measure plants' requirements and to make optimal decisions on the crop, avoiding wastefulness. One critical aspect of agriculture is the handling of potable water: an essential resource for all living entities. This paper proposes a long-range, low-power electronic system for drip irrigation in orchards, especially Actinidia and apple trees, to control the distributed water to the cultivars. In this way, the irrigation cycle depends on the plants' needs, saving water and energy resources. The node communicates using LoRa radiofrequency protocol, and it can be used in rural areas where no internet connection is present.