The technology applies an internet of things and artificial intelligence to enhance controlled environment agriculture in advanced greenhouse scenario.
The technology applies an internet of things and artificial intelligence to enhance controlled environment agriculture in advanced greenhouse scenario.
Soilless growing systems inside greenhouses, known as controlled environment agriculture, promise to advance the year-round production of high-quality specialty crops, according to an interdisciplinary research team at Penn State. But to be competitive and sustainable, this advanced farming method will require the development and implementation of precision agriculture techniques. To meet that demand, the team developed an automated crop-monitoring system capable of providing continuous and frequent data about plant growth and needs, allowing for informed crop management.
“Traditionally, crop monitoring in controlled environment agriculture soilless systems is a critical, time-consuming task requiring specialized personnel,” said team lead Long He, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering. “And traditional crop-monitoring methods do not allow frequent data collection to capture plant growth dynamics throughout the crop cycle. Automated crop-monitoring systems allow continuous monitoring of the plants with frequent data collection and a more efficient and informed management of the crop.”
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Image: The researchers discuss the project in its early stages. From left are Aline Novaski Seffrin, doctoral candidate in plant science; Francesco Di Gioia, associate professor of vegetable crop science; and Chenchen Kang, a former post-doctoral scholar in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. (Credit: Penn State)
