World population growth, increase in life quality demand in countries currently developing, water loss due to human activities and pollution, climate change: these are the main reasons that will become increasingly important to properly manage and optimize the use of water. Agriculture represents 70% of total freshwater withdrawal by humans for use as irrigation in agriculture (UNESCO, 2015), so it's mandatory to promote sustainable agricultural practices. We propose a fully integrated agro-meteo-hydrological monitoring network aimed to manage water use and soil conservation in an efficient way, combining WSN (Wireless Sensor Network) tools, advancing sensing techniques (fixed and mobile), VRT (Variable Rate Technology) actuation tools, all managed by an integrated DSS (Decision Support System). This network will work to give direct prescriptions to irrigation systems, systems for phytosanitary treatments (traditional by mechanical means or fixed plants), anti-frost systems by water spraying and to aid the farmers for agronomic choices about soil management. The system is aimed at work in the context of orchards and/or vineyards. The main challenge will involve the development of an integrated system which is efficient, low cost and above all easy to use for end users (farmers), including plug&use or plug&manage technologies. The expected project activities will consist in industrial research, design and field testing of new or improved tools and of the whole integrated system; two pilot actions in southern Spain and in Italy will be provided. Among research activities related to sensor network, a smart sensor network, visual inspection system that allows plant hydrological status and leaf density will be developed, which can be easily integrated by the farmers into existing irrigation, spraying and decision support systems to increase the water usage. To reach this goal, advanced image processing techniques are going to be optimized in order to make them able to work in real time in mobile platforms (tablets, smartphones) and in smart cameras. A new DSS platform will be implemented using open source and low-cost architectures enabling the integration of monitoring systems with weather forecast and crop models, in order to support the scheduling of agronomic operations, such as irrigation, management of frost risk, weed control and phytosanitary treatments. The innovative system will be a fully integrated system, starting from various monitoring ways (WSN, remote sensing using drones, direct surveys, runoff and soil erosion monitoring, lab analysis) and involving a new DSS and some new or improved tools. The planned activities will consist largely in industrial research and partly in experimental development of new or improved tools and software platforms, conducted through a really multidisciplinary and transnational approach, using stakeholders among research bodies, enterprises and farmers. All the aspects related to risk, data and IPR management will be evaluated and shared among partners, including the terms of patenting and protection of expected technological innovations. At last, an adequate dissemination plan will be provided, aimed to raise awareness and promote the scientific results of the project, through newspapers, TV, web channels, scientific publications, conferences, public demonstrations and participation in trade fairs.
SWAMAN Project: Sustainable WAter Management for Agricultural Needs
Danilo Rabino;Marcella Biddoccu;Giorgia Bagagiolo;
2015
Abstract
World population growth, increase in life quality demand in countries currently developing, water loss due to human activities and pollution, climate change: these are the main reasons that will become increasingly important to properly manage and optimize the use of water. Agriculture represents 70% of total freshwater withdrawal by humans for use as irrigation in agriculture (UNESCO, 2015), so it's mandatory to promote sustainable agricultural practices. We propose a fully integrated agro-meteo-hydrological monitoring network aimed to manage water use and soil conservation in an efficient way, combining WSN (Wireless Sensor Network) tools, advancing sensing techniques (fixed and mobile), VRT (Variable Rate Technology) actuation tools, all managed by an integrated DSS (Decision Support System). This network will work to give direct prescriptions to irrigation systems, systems for phytosanitary treatments (traditional by mechanical means or fixed plants), anti-frost systems by water spraying and to aid the farmers for agronomic choices about soil management. The system is aimed at work in the context of orchards and/or vineyards. The main challenge will involve the development of an integrated system which is efficient, low cost and above all easy to use for end users (farmers), including plug&use or plug&manage technologies. The expected project activities will consist in industrial research, design and field testing of new or improved tools and of the whole integrated system; two pilot actions in southern Spain and in Italy will be provided. Among research activities related to sensor network, a smart sensor network, visual inspection system that allows plant hydrological status and leaf density will be developed, which can be easily integrated by the farmers into existing irrigation, spraying and decision support systems to increase the water usage. To reach this goal, advanced image processing techniques are going to be optimized in order to make them able to work in real time in mobile platforms (tablets, smartphones) and in smart cameras. A new DSS platform will be implemented using open source and low-cost architectures enabling the integration of monitoring systems with weather forecast and crop models, in order to support the scheduling of agronomic operations, such as irrigation, management of frost risk, weed control and phytosanitary treatments. The innovative system will be a fully integrated system, starting from various monitoring ways (WSN, remote sensing using drones, direct surveys, runoff and soil erosion monitoring, lab analysis) and involving a new DSS and some new or improved tools. The planned activities will consist largely in industrial research and partly in experimental development of new or improved tools and software platforms, conducted through a really multidisciplinary and transnational approach, using stakeholders among research bodies, enterprises and farmers. All the aspects related to risk, data and IPR management will be evaluated and shared among partners, including the terms of patenting and protection of expected technological innovations. At last, an adequate dissemination plan will be provided, aimed to raise awareness and promote the scientific results of the project, through newspapers, TV, web channels, scientific publications, conferences, public demonstrations and participation in trade fairs.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
