Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling

Murat Yıldırım; Muzaffer Yücel; Umut Mucan

doi:10.15832/ankutbd.1598746

Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling

Abstract

The necessity of irrigation management has become increasingly important in many regions due to water scarcity. With agriculture consuming 72% of the world's freshwater, it is crucial to use water efficiently in all areas of life, particularly in agriculture. Pressurized irrigation systems, when combined with automation, have significantly improved irrigation practices. Currently, there is a growing shift from manual systems to automated operations in pressurized systems, as automation and electronics in agriculture are becoming more widespread globally. In the study, an automatic irrigation system powered by solar energy was used to calculate plant water consumption based on solar radiation throughout the entire growing season. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a solar-powered automatic drip irrigation system compared to manual irrigation, focusing on crop yield outcomes, improving water use efficiency, and reducing labor and energy costs. The developed system utilized solar radiation data to estimate plant water consumption and automatically applied irrigation water equivalent to the crop's evapotranspiration throughout the entire growing season. The system was programmed to activate and deactivate at predetermined times based on calculated water requirements. The study's results showed no statistically significant difference in yield between the manually controlled drip irrigation system (6.72 t/ha) and the automated drip irrigation system (6.80 t/ha); however, the use of solar energy to power the automatic drip irrigation system eliminated irrigation energy costs by 100% during daylight hours, and the integration of automation reduced labor costs. The study indicates a potential 50-60% reduction in labor efforts, as the automated system independently scheduled and executed irrigation without the need for human intervention. Despite an observed over-irrigation in June, the system effectively maintained soil moisture at field capacity throughout the plant's growth stages. This approach prevented excessive water use and nutrient leaching beyond the root zone, thereby making significant contributions to environmental sustainability.

Keywords

Supporting Institution

Scientific Support Program of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University in Turkiye, Research Project Reference No: FBA-2023-4384.

Ethical Statement

No need

References

Abrishambaf O, Faria P, Gomes L & Vale Z (2020). Agricultural irrigation scheduling for a crop management system considering water and energy use optimization. Energy Reports, 6: 133–139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2019.08.031.
Ahmmed F, Shufian A,Islam R, Rahman M, Hoque J A M & Kabir S (2021). Solar powered automatic irrigation system, 2021 IEEE International Conference on Power, Electrical, Electronic and Industrial Applications (PEEIACON), 978-1-6654-7866-3/21/$31.00 ©2021 IEEE. doi: 10.1109/PEEIACON54708.2021.9929686.
Allen R G, Pereira L S, Raes D & Smith M (1998). Crop evapotranspiration: Guidelines for computing crop water requirements—FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 56. Rome, Italy: FAO.
Armaroli N & Balzani V (2011). Energy for a sustainable world. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. Biberci M A (2023). Techno-economical analysis of a solar-powered agricultural irrigation system using PV*Sol Software: A case study in Konya. International Journal of Agriculture, Enviroment and Food Science, 2023;7(1):156-162. https://doi.org/10.31015/jaefs.2023.1.19.
Boobalan J, Jacintha V, Nagarajan J, Thangayogesh K & Tamilarasu S (2018). An IoT-based agriculture monitoring system. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Communication and Signal Processing, Chennai, India.
Cai X & Rosegrant M W (2003). World water productivity: Current situation and future options. In J. W. Kijne, R. Barker, & D. Molden (Eds.), Water productivity in agriculture: Limits and opportunities for improvement (pp. 163–178). Colombo, Sri Lanka: International Water Management Institute (IWMI).
Casadesus J, Mata M, Marsal J & Girona J (2011). Automated irrigation of apple trees based on measurements of light intercepted by the canopy. Biosystems Engineering, 108: 220–226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2010.12.004.
Caya M V C, Balloda A H, Arrogante K C, Biagtan R A J, Cueto P G S & Sarmiento B G R (2018). Automated Irrigation System with the Integration of Internet of Things for Agricultural Applications, AIP Conference Proceedings 2045, 020049 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5080862 Published Online: 06 December 2018.

Demirel K, Genç L & Saçan M (2012). Yarı kurak koşullarda farklı sulama düzeylerinin salçalık biberde (Capsicum annuum cv. Kapija) verim ve kalite parametreleri üzerine etkisi. Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi, 9(2) 7–15
Dong X, Vuran M C & Irmak S (2013). Autonomous precision agriculture through integration of wireless underground sensor networks with center pivot irrigation systems. Ad Hoc Networks, 11: 1975–1987. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adhoc.2012.06.012
Fidelis I S, Idim I A (2020).Design and Implementation of Solar Powered Automatic Irrigation System. American Journal of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Vol. 4, No. 1, 2020, pp. 1-9. https://doi: 10.11648/j.ajece.20200401.11.
Gallardo A H & Tase N (2007). Hydrogeology and geochemical characterization of groundwater in a typical small-scale agricultural area of Japan. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences 29: 18–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2005.12.005
Güngör Y, Erözel Z & Yıldırım O (1996). Sulama. Ankara Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Yayınları No. 1443, Ders Kitabı No. 424. Ankara, Turkey.
Gutiérrez J, Villa-Medina J F, Nieto-Garibay A & Porta-Gándara M A (2014). Automated irrigation system using a wireless sensor network and GPRS module. IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement, 63(1): 166–176. doi: 10.1109/TIM.2013.2276487.
Köksal E S, Tasan M, Artik C & Gowda P (2017). Evaluation of financial efficiency of drip-irrigation of red pepper based on evapotranspiration calculated using an iterative soil water-budget approach. Scientia Horticulturae, 226, 398–405 doi: 10.1016/j.scienta.2017.08.025.
Katsoulas N, Kittas C, Dimokas G & Lykas C (2006). Effect of irrigation frequency on rose flower production and quality. Biosystems Engineering, 93, 237e244. doi: 10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2005.11.006.
Monteith J L (1977). Climate and efficiency of crop production in Britain. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B, 281: 277–297
Nemali K S & Van Iersel M W (2006). An automated system for controlling drought stress and irrigation in potted plants. Scientia Horticulturae 110(3): 292–297. doi. 10.1016/j.scienta.2006.07.009.
Nixon J B, Dandy G C & Simpson A R (2001). A genetic algorithm for optimizing off–farm irrigation scheduling. Journal of Hydroinformatics, 3, 11–22. doi: 10.2166/hydro.2001.0003.
Pernapati K (2018). IoT-based low-cost smart irrigation system. In Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Inventive Communication and Computational Technologies (ICICCT), Coimbatore, India.
Rages J P, Braga E J, Mazza L C & Alexandria A R de. (2016). Inserting photovoltaic solar energy into an automated irrigation system. International Journal of Computer Applications, 134(1-7). doi: 10.5120/ijca2016907751.
Rivera D R, Sharaful-Ilmi P, Uon L,Chua A (2020). Materials Science and Engineering715 (2020) 012089, IOP Publishing doi:10.1088/1757 899X/715/1/012089.
Schütze N, De Paly M & Shamir U (2012). Novel simulation-based algorithms for optimal open-loop and closed-loop scheduling of deficit irrigation systems. Journal of Hydroinformatics 14: 136–151. https://doi.org/10.2166/hydro.2011.073.
Sonneveld C (2000). Effect of sanity on substrate-grown vegetables and ornamentals in greenhouse horticulture (Doctoral dissertation, Wageningen Agriculture University).
Sezen S M, Yazar A, Tekin S & Şengül H (2016). Salçalık biber bitkisinde damla yöntemiyle uygulanan farklı sulama düzeylerinin verim üzerine etkileri ve ekonomik analizi. KSU Doğa Bilimleri Dergisi 19(3): 310–318
Stanhill G, Scholte A J (1974). Solar radiation and water loss from glasshouse roses. Journal of American Society of Horticultural Science, 99, 107–110
Tunez S, Bosh A, Bienvenido F, Marín R & Soria F (1992). Cybernetics and Systems: An International Journal 23: 3–4
Vermeiren I & Jobling G A (1980). Localized irrigation: Design, installation, operation, evaluation. FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 36. Rome, Italy: FAO.
Wang X, Yang W, Wheaton A, Cooley N & Moran B (2010). Efficient registration of optical and IR images for automatic plant water stress assessment. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 74(2), 230–237. doi: 10.1016/j.compag.2010.08.004.
Yıldırım M, Bahar E & Erken O (2016). Solar radyasyon ve bitki su tüketimi arasındaki ilişkinin domates bitkisi için belirlenmesi. Bahçe Bitkileri Kongresi Bildirileri, VII Ulusal Kongre Özel Sayı.
Yıldırım M, Yücel, M & Kılıçarslan Y (2018). Automatic solar-powered irrigation system in a greenhouse. Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi, Özel Sayı, pp. 259–264
Yuan G, Luo Y, Sun X & Tang D (2004). Evaluation of a crop water stress index for detecting water stress in winter wheat in the North China Plain. Agricultural Water Management 64: 29–48. doi: 10.1016/S0378-3774(03)00193-8.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Agricultural Water Management

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Murat Yıldırım ^*
0000-0002-9757-6895
Türkiye

Muzaffer Yücel
0000-0002-7269-6719
Türkiye

Umut Mucan
0000-0002-7126-9774
Türkiye

Publication Date

September 30, 2025

Submission Date

December 9, 2024

Acceptance Date

June 12, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 31 Number: 4

DOI

https://doi.org/10.15832/ankutbd.1598746

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA24HB59TX

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Yıldırım, M., Yücel, M., & Mucan, U. (2025). Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling. Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 31(4), 1012-1023. https://doi.org/10.15832/ankutbd.1598746

AMA

1.Yıldırım M, Yücel M, Mucan U. Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling. J Agr Sci-Tarim Bili. 2025;31(4):1012-1023. doi:10.15832/ankutbd.1598746

Chicago

Yıldırım, Murat, Muzaffer Yücel, and Umut Mucan. 2025. “Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling”. Journal of Agricultural Sciences 31 (4): 1012-23. https://doi.org/10.15832/ankutbd.1598746.

EndNote

Yıldırım M, Yücel M, Mucan U (September 1, 2025) Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling. Journal of Agricultural Sciences 31 4 1012–1023.

IEEE

[1]M. Yıldırım, M. Yücel, and U. Mucan, “Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling”, J Agr Sci-Tarim Bili, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 1012–1023, Sept. 2025, doi: 10.15832/ankutbd.1598746.

ISNAD

Yıldırım, Murat - Yücel, Muzaffer - Mucan, Umut. “Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling”. Journal of Agricultural Sciences 31/4 (September 1, 2025): 1012-1023. https://doi.org/10.15832/ankutbd.1598746.

JAMA

1.Yıldırım M, Yücel M, Mucan U. Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling. J Agr Sci-Tarim Bili. 2025;31:1012–1023.

MLA

Yıldırım, Murat, et al. “Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling”. Journal of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 31, no. 4, Sept. 2025, pp. 1012-23, doi:10.15832/ankutbd.1598746.

Vancouver

1.Murat Yıldırım, Muzaffer Yücel, Umut Mucan. Solar-Powered Automated Drip Irrigation System Scheduling. J Agr Sci-Tarim Bili. 2025 Sep. 1;31(4):1012-23. doi:10.15832/ankutbd.1598746

Cited By

Develi Plain Irrigation Association Performance Analysis

Türk Tarım ve Doğa Bilimleri Dergisi

https://doi.org/10.30910/turkjans.1883615