Cloud-Based Precision Irrigation System: Optimizing Water Usage With Real-Time Environmental And Crop Factor Data

Global freshwater resources are diminishing, and water scarcity is becoming a critical issue; there is a pressing need for efficient irrigation in agriculture. In India, nearly 40-50% of water is lost due to inefficient irrigation practices. Over or underwatering can hinder plant growth and reduce crop yield. The current research employs IoT to enable precision irrigation by utilizing meteorological data obtained in real-time, in addition to cloud analytics to regulate water utilization. Water requirement calculation of the considered plant crop (potato) is done by regularly monitoring soil moisture data and evapotranspiration rates. The sensor data are pushed into the digital ocean cloud platform, where various parameters like moisture level thresholds, humidity levels, temperature, Evapotranspiration rate, and precipitation levels obtained from the OpenMeteo API are used to make watering decisions. The system utilizes the predefined crop factor data and the seed sown date to calculate the water in liters for the given area dynamically. The water quantity in litres is then communicated to the main controller. The main controller actuates the motor for watering purposes based on pipe parameters. Calculated watering enhances future water resource scheduling and helps the users analyze water trend requirements for a given plant type, leading to sustainable agricultural practices.