Sistema automatizado para irrigação de estufas

Abstract

The interest in irrigation in Brazil emerge under different conditions of climate, soil, culture and socioeconomics. There is no ideal irrigation system able to satisfactorily meet all of these conditions and the interests involved. However, in the case of crop irrigation in greenhouses, the microsprinkler system has had good results. In southwest region of Paraná, farmers use microsprinklers manually. Each greenhouse has a micro sprinkler system connected to pipes that communicate through a system of water valves to the pumping of water from a dam. The opening and closing of valves for each greenhouse is manual. This process consumes water than necessary but also creates the need for the presence of the farmer for manipulation of valves. The automation of a process may involve mechanisms from simple to more complexes, this being possible by the development of mechanical devices and electronics that allow the drive without human intervention, i.e., activation and/or deactivation of a process. This paper presents the construction of a prototype to irrigate greenhouses that use microsprinklers. The prototype uses moisture sensors, solenoid valves, a microcontroller and a network interface. The system uses a free server to store a database containing appropriate amounts of moisture levels for different crops. The determination of these moisture levels was done experimentally with a farmer. Was also developed a site where the farmer/user can track records and verify system information.