Adaptive smart irrigation systems for variable soil salinity and moisture environments

In cases where soil does not have the necessary moisture for ideal plant growth, the optimal results can only be achieved by irrigation applications. Especially in arid and semi-arid climates, over irrigation can cause waterlog and salinity. Salinity has a seriously negative impact on the efficiency of crop that varies depending on the climatic conditions. Wireless monitoring and detection network is a new technology with a very high potential of applicability on different scenarios and with the possibility of data gathering in an interactive approach, this data can be evaluated and used collectively. Basically, a wireless monitoring and detection network (K2A) consists of independent wireless stations with different capabilities that are connected together with over the air technologies. As a result of the rapid development in Microelectromechanics (MEMS) and Radio Frequency Systems (RF), it is now easier than ever to develop wireless detectors with efficient power consumption, network connectivity and low price. These station clusters can help gathering of critical data such as temperature, moisture and salinity etc. A research on this project, that focuses on the adaptation of irrigation depending on the soil moisture and salinity factors has been developed and currently been worked on by GAP Agricultural Research Institute in Sanliurfa, Turkey.