SISTEMA DE AUTOMAÇÃO PARA O MANEJO DA SUBIRRIGAÇÃO EM AMBIENTE PROTEGIDO

Abstract

The automation of subirrigation systems in greenhouses is growing in importance due to the cost reduction it affords plus a decreased consumption of supplies and water, which fosters sustainable agricultural activity. The aim of this research was to develop an automation system for subirrigation management in the yellow passion seedlings greenhouse production. The automation system consisted of a microcontrolled electronic circuit and firmware which development took into account the plant water consumption quantification method, the number of treatments related to different water depths as well as the subirrigation system components. A Microchip Technology PIC16F877A microcontroller chip was used. The circuit was tested in its development stages first in a computational application and then on a prototyping board and on the definitive printed circuit board. It was concluded that the automated subirrigation control system performed satisfactorily and efficiently showing no malfunctions. Further, given the quantity and cost of the electronic components and other materials employed, assembling the definitive circuit board resulted in a total cost of US$ 772.76, significantly low for a prototype.