IoT-Enabled Smart Drip Irrigation System Using ESP32

Abstract

Agriculture, or farming, is the science of cultivating the soil, growing crops, and raising livestock. Ever since the days of the first plow from sticks over ten thousand years ago, agriculture has always depended on technology. As technology and science improved, so did the scale at which farming was possible. With the popularity and growth of the Internet of Things (IoT) in recent years, there are even more avenues for technology to make agriculture more efficient and help farmers in every nation. In this paper, we designed a smart IoT-enabled drip irrigation system using ESP32 to automate the irrigation process, and we tested it. The ESP32 communicates with the Blynk app, which is used to collect irrigation data, manually water the plants, switch off the automatic watering function, and plot graphs based on the readings of the sensors. We connected the ESP32 to a soil moisture sensor, temperature sensor, air humidity sensor, and water flow sensor. The ESP32 regularly checks if the soil is dry. If the soil is dry and the soil temperature is appropriate for watering, the ESP32 opens a solenoid valve and waters the plants. The amount of time to run the drip irrigation system is determined based on the flow rate measured by the water flow sensor. The ESP32 reads the humidity sensor values and notifies the user when the humidity is too high or too low. The user can switch off the automatic watering system according to the humidity value. In both primary and field tests, we found that the system ran well and was able to grow green onions.

Evaluating the Impact of Controlled Ultraviolet Light Intensities on the Growth of Kale Using IoT-Based Systems

“…Emerging IoT technologies in the agricultural sector have brought about a paradigm shift in farming practices, favoring precision agriculture guided by data. In their study, Pereira et al [25] described the effective utilization of IoT applications to monitor soil moisture and climate conditions, directly influencing irrigation practices and resource management. Real-time data collection and analysis have been made possible by IoT technologies, enabling immediate adjustments to be made to enhance plant health and productivity [47].…”

“…Environmental interactions [25,26] UV light interacts with other environmental elements, including temperature and humidity. IoT systems must integrate data from all environmental sensors to optimize UV exposure while preventing the exacerbation of stress conditions.…”

“…For example, scholarly investigations into precision irrigation systems have demonstrated substantial water conservation and enhanced agricultural productivity by utilizing automated irrigation scheduling and real-time monitoring of soil moisture levels [10,22]. The utilization of IoT sensors for soil health monitoring has also allowed farmers to evaluate microbial activity [21], nutrient levels [23], pH balance [23,24], humidity [25,26], and temperature [25,26]. As a result, targeted fertilization and soil management practices have become more feasible.…”

An internet of things-based pump and aerator control system

“…Processor replacement has also been carried out in the previous prototype using Wemos D1 R2, while in the prototype of this development, the ESP32 module was used. ESP32 module has the advantage of more general-purpose input-outputs (GPIOs) and data transfer rates [10].…”

Exploring the Development of a User-Friendly Home Management System with ESP Rainmaker Firmware

“…Leveraging the capabilities of the Internet of Things (IoT), this integration has unlocked a plethora of possibilities for enhancing user comfort, convenience, and energy efficiency through the utilization of smart devices and systems [2]. Notably, the implementation of the ESP Rainmaker firmware from Espressif Systems has emerged as a transformative solution in this sphere [5,6]. By streamlining the complex process of home management, the ESP Rainmaker firmware offers a user-friendly platform for creating a seamless home automation experience.…”