Albert Einstein

• Mechanization of agriculture was considered one of the top ten engineering achievements of the previous century

• The incorporation of electronics and control systems will be one of the next great achievement in ag equipment

Vision document: ASABE

Sensor Based Applications including Bio-indicators

Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering

University of California, Davis22.04.2010 to 20.07.2010 (3 months)

P. K. Sahoo(sahoopk_1965@rediffmail.com)

Division of Agricultural Engineering

Indian Agricultural research Institute

Pusa, New Delhi-110012

Research Work undertaken/techniques learned during training

Machine vision system for VRA

Automatic weed controller

Wireless sensor network for precision fertigation

• Problem - variability in soil, elevation, genetics, plant type, localized pest/disease

• Goal : site-specific control

– divide field into smaller management units

• Valve wiring - time, cost, connectors,

damage, max length, retrofit difficult

Wireless control

• Application in nurseries, landscapes,

greenhouses, orchards, vineyards

Field Controller

Node #1

Node #2

Node #5

Node #4

Node #6

Node #3

Mesh Network

Example

Wireless Node Prototypes

Ni-Cd battery

Wireless module (MICA 2)

I/O terminals

Latching valve

Dipole antenna

Solar panel

Fertigation Uniformity Tests

Site-specific fertigation with a wireless irrigation control network

Robert Coates, Pramod K. Sahoo, Michael Delwiche

ASABE Annual Meeting 2010Paper #1009246

Fertigation techniques for use with multiple hydrozones in simultaneous operation

Robert Coates, Pramod K. Sahoo, Lawrence J. Schwankl, Michael Delwiche

Precision AgricDOI 10.1007/s11119-011-9239-0

Teaching: Machinery Systems for Precision Agriculture (M.Tech. & Ph.D. students)

National Training on “Sensor based application for enhancing input use efficiency by wireless irrigation and fertigation control” (14.02.2012 to 27.02.2012)

Resource Person in NAIP sponsored training on “Enhancing the input application efficiency by using precision farm machines, remote and ground sensor” at PAU, Ludhiana (14th–23rd Nov.,

2011)

Resource Person in the International Training Programme on “Application of Remote Sensing & GIS in Agricultural Surveys” held at IASRI, New Delhi (8th Jan. to 7th Feb., 2012 and 24th Jan. to

13th Feb., 2013)

Sensor based application for enhancing input use efficiency by wireless irrigation and fertigation control

Trainees from: 6 states (Delhi, UP, Karnataka, Rajasthan, J&K and Meghalaya)

4 ICAR Institutes (IARI, IISR, DMR, ICAR Res. Complex for NEH)

3 SAUs (MPUAT, Udaipur; UAS, Raichur; SKUAST, Kashmir, J&K)

7 Disciplines (SWCE, Agronomy, FMP, Soil Science, Horticulture,

Soil Physics, SCAC)

Faculty: International

Dr.S.K.Upadhyaya, Professor & Advisor PG Studies

Biological and Agricultural Engineering, UC Davis, California

ICAR Institutes: IARI; NCIPM; CIAE, Bhopal; IISR, Calicut

CDAC, Hyderabad

NCPAH, MoA, GOI

Netafim Irrigation Ltd; Jain Irrigation Pvt. Ltd; Metos India Pvt. Ltd;

Trimble Systems; Harvel Irrigation Pvt. Ltd; Automat Industries

Impact Assessment of the National Training

Research Projects:

Sensor based application of N in wheat crop

Precision input applications using plant and soil sensors in major cropping systems in different ecological regions of India

Development of wireless sensors based variable rate applicator for precise application of water and fertilizers

Precision input applications in crops and cropping systems using plant and soil sensors in different eagro-climatic regions of India

Students’ thesis:

Development of sensor based scheduling in micro-irrigation system

Development of indigenous sensor network based irrigation system for improving agricultural water productivity

Design and Development of metering system for variable rate fertilizer applicator