Journal ID : AMA-23-12-2021-10977
[This article belongs to Volume - 53, Issue - 01]
Total View : 390

Title : ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INTO DRIP IRRIGATION OF ROSELLE’S (HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA LINN) CULTIVATION DEVELOPMENT

Abstract :

Hand-made irrigation systems for growing crops is laborious and prone to huge water shortage. Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa-linn) is one such crop grown for its high economic and medicinal value which watering is done by hand. It is application includes the production of zobo-a locally produced drink in Nigeria and some West African countries. This work is designed to grow on Roselle crop in the form of an orchard, balcony, gardening, and in offices with watering being automated. A preliminary study of the nature of the soil in the biological garden of the University of Lagos was carried out in 2020. Roselle seeds were purchased locally and they were planted according to standard practice with the seed germinated within 1 - 2 weeks. 6-Soil bags filled with the sampled soil were used for the planting of Roselle which was planted in three rows by two columns in a nursery. The threshold level to irrigate Roselle crops, reference evapotranspiration, Kc were determined from weather data using the Blaney-Criddle method. The Rainfalls and temperatures data in Lagos State, Nigeria, were gathered for one year covering May 2019 to February 2020. The daily water requirement of the Hibiscus sabdariffa for this area was calculated and set as a threshold. There was a link between the Roselle plant through several computer programs and sets of artificially intelligent devices, sensors, pumps that control the water application process. For instance, below the input threshold value, the pump is thus activated through the sensors for irrigation. The Roselle water irrigation systems were developed locally at the Department of Systems Engineering, the University of Lagos as materials for construction sourced locally. They include the Arduino control system, breadboard, power bank, Raspberry Pi, the breadboard, soil moisture meter, Homasy 80 Submersible Water Pump, a USB cord, and a casing were purchased locally at hub360 Arena Oshodi Lagos and the fabrication, coupling, and testing were carried out. The control unit of the irrigation systems sensed the moisture level of the soil under the Roselle plant and were transmitted to the control unit which in turn compared with the predetermined threshold level. The Roselle drip irrigation systems worked perfectly with the set conditions. The soil moisture was measured with a moisture meter in percentage mapped into 0-100 range. Once the moisture value of the soil beneath the Roselle was lower than the calculated threshold value of 3.9 mm/day (39%), the relay will turn ON and the valve automatically opens in readiness to apply the required amount of water(mm). Whenever the moisture value was higher than this threshold value, the relay then tripped off and the pump valve was closed. This system can irrigate about 10m by 10m farm planted with Roselle. All these are displayed for reading on the Nokia LCD 5110 connected to the Arduino board system. To reduce human intervention in monitoring the growth of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa). The automated systems have about 60-70% water management, reduce loss of water and minimize human-labored to the barest minimum.

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