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Tuesday, 30 June 2015 11:16

What is an intelligent greenhouse?

An intelligent greenhouse has the ability to control the environmental variables that affect the crop.

We list the main systems controlled in an intelligent greenhouse:

Climate control

There are installed two weather stations, one inside to control the climatic parameters of the cultivation, and another one on the outside to control the external environment in order to make the necessary operations such as closing ventilation in case of rain or strong winds.

Irrigation and nutrient application control

Controls the frequency of irrigation and the application of nutrients through a schedule imposed by the farmer or the farm technician, or from external signals using probes soil water status and / or plant through probes of a climate station. The programming of the application of nutrients is from the irrigation scheduling, scheduling a particular nutritional balance for each physiological stage of the crop.

Temperature control

The temperature control is performed by temperature probes in a weather station installed inside the greenhouse. From the temperature measurement a number of actuators depending on the program herself. Thus we can find between automatism opening and closing mechanisms of zenith and side windows and fans for causing the drop in temperature inside the greenhouse and heating systems to increase the temperature.

Humidity control

The relative humidity is monitored in the weather station inside the greenhouse and acts on the functioning of misting systems (fog system) or cooling system to increase moisture or forced ventilation systems to evacuate the air too humid greenhouse.

Lighting control

The lighting is controlled by the drive mechanisms that extend shade screens normally installed inside the greenhouse to reduce radiation incident on the crop when it is too high, which prevents thermal injury in the leaves of plants. You can also increase radiation in certain periods connecting artificial lighting systems installed in the greenhouse in order to provide a greater number of hours of light acting on the photoperiod of the plants causing changes in physiological stages and increases in production due to increased in photosynthetic rate.

Application Control CO2

Controls the application of CO2 systems, based on measurements of the content inside the greenhouse.

Advantages of automatism in Greenhouses:

The advantages of automation of the greenhouse are:

  • Cost savings derived from manpower.
  • Maintaining the optimal environment for cultivation.
  • Fungal diseases control to keep growing under low relative humidity.
  • Control of the physiological processes of the plant.
  • Increases in the production and quality of the crop.
  • It offers the possibility of a data record to assist in determining the weather effects on crops, adjusting the parameters as those measured in the register effects.
  • Greenhouse management of the through telematic communication.
  • Alarm system that warns drivers when they have malfunctions.