Or what do faculty members do when they are not in the classroom….

What is a Wireless Sensor Network?

Production areasIrrigation Controller

Sensors Valves

WirelessCommunicationNetwork

Local Computer

Grower Input

IrrigationScheduler

FarmZoningModule

Crop Response Model

Crop Database

Decision Support System

Remote Computeror Smartphone

What is a Wireless Sensor Network?

• Hardware • Sensors• Nodes• Valves

• Software• Data visualization• Decision making

nR5

• Water savings

• Disease management

• Plant growth

• Height control

• Statham, GA

• Perennial Grower• Small container size

• Quick production cycles

• Tremendous diversity of crops

• Information-addict

nR5 node at Evergreen

Water Use StudyA problem crop… 2010-11

Results:• Water Savings: None

•(0.5% difference, July 28 - Dec 7, 2011)

• Crop health: Excellent•Sold 15% more plants than expected

• Finish time: Spring instead of Fall 2011

Month

Feb

201

1

Mar

ch 2

011

Apr

il 20

11

May

201

1

June

201

1

July

201

1

Aug

ust 2

011

Sep

t 201

1

Oct

201

1

Nov

201

1

Dec

201

1

Jan

2012

Feb

201

2

Mar

ch 2

012

Apr

il 20

12

Num

ber

of p

lan

ts

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

Forecast sales

Crop Sales

Month

Feb

201

1

Mar

ch 2

011

Apr

il 20

11

May

201

1

June

201

1

July

201

1

Aug

ust 2

011

Sep

t 201

1

Oct

201

1

Nov

201

1

Dec

201

1

Jan

2012

Feb

201

2

Mar

ch 2

012

Apr

il 20

12

Num

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of p

lan

ts

0

2000

4000

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Forecast salesActual sales

Crop Sales

23,400 plants

New Crop - 2012

Ready Sept. 2012

4 month production

cycle

Is it real?

12

Profitability of Wireless Sensor Networks

Potential benefits found include:

• Water/energy/labor savings

• Reduced losses

• Reduced management time

• Accelerated production time

Analysis by Erik Lichtenberg, Univ. of Maryland

Month

Feb

201

1

Mar

ch 2

011

Apr

il 20

11

May

201

1

June

201

1

July

201

1

Aug

ust 2

011

Sep

t 201

1

Oct

201

1

Nov

201

1

Dec

201

1

Jan

2012

Feb

201

2

Mar

ch 2

012

Apr

il 20

12

Num

ber

of p

lan

ts

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

Forecast salesActual sales

Crop Sales

23,400 plants

New Crop - 2012

No Sensors

Sensor-Based

Irrigation

Annualized Revenue

$66,297.36 $

145,505.64

Annualized Production Costs

$30,539.11 $50,039.93

Annualized Sensor System Cost $ 0.00 $3,755.24

Annualized Profit

$35,758.24 $91,710.47 Annualized Profit per Square Foot $1.79 $ 4.59

Percent Change from Base Case +156%

The system payback was less than one month!

No Sensors

Sensor-Based

Irrigation

Fertilizer rates 3,000 lbs/acre $1,500 lbs/acre

Bags of CRF/year/acre 60 30

Cost per bag $80 $80

Annual fertilizer costs $4,800/acre $2,400/acre

•Production of poinsettias; intensive use of growth regulators (PGR)

•Potential of controlled drought to control height

Days after pinching

0 20 40 60 80

Hei

ght (

cm)

15

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25

30

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55

Days after pinching

0 20 40 60 80

Hei

ght (

cm)

15

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55Control

Days after pinching

0 20 40 60 80

Hei

ght (

cm)

15

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55Control Drench Spray

Days after pinching

0 20 40 60 80

Hei

ght (

cm)

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55Control Drench Spray Water deficit

35.6 cm 39.4 cm 43.2 cm control

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