Development and evaluation of greenhouse automation system using microcontroller

Abstract

Today a major problem in Kerala is its heavy dependency on neighbouring states for food products. One of the main reasons for decline in agriculture in our state is the lack of availability of cheap labour in our state. This problem can be overcome by automation in agriculture. The introduction of “automated greenhouse system” can bring a green revolution in agriculture. Introducing this system can help in increasing the cultivation in a controlled environment. Greenhouse environment, used to grow plants under controlled climatic conditions for efficient production, forms an important part of the agriculture and horticulture sectors. Appropriate environmental conditions are necessary for optimum plant growth, improved crop yields, and efficient use of water and other resources. Automating the data acquisition process of the soil conditions and various climatic parameters that govern plant growth allows information to be collected with less labour requirements. The study entitled “Development and evaluation of greenhouse automation system using microcontroller” was taken up to fabricate an automated system for naturally ventilated greenhouse situated in the KCAET campus and which is suitable for the climatic conditions of Kerala. For analyzing the performance of the automation system, the climatological parameters inside and outside greenhouse before and after the installation of automation system are observed from 24-11-18 to 06-12-18 at an interval of 1hr from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm. And it was found that the automation system installed was successful in reducing the temperature and for maintaining the required relative humidity inside the greenhouse.