Application of Sensors and Instrumentation in Precision Agriculture
Ramesh Kumar Sahni
ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Mahendra Kumar Sharma *
College of Agricultural Engineering, Bihar Agricultural University, Ara, Bhojpur, Bihar, India.
Satya Prakash Kumar
ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Deepak S Thorat
ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Chetan Yumnam
ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Sapna Soni
ICAR-Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Khushbu Kumari
Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Anshu Kumari
College of Agricultural Engineering, Bihar Agricultural University, Ara, Bhojpur, Bihar, India.
Rajesh Yadav
Department of Agricultural and Food Technology, IIT, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India.
Sanjay Kumar
Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University Pusa, Samastipur, Bihar, India.
Mohan Kumar Sinha
Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bihar, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Precision agriculture is a modern farming method that maximizes agricultural productivity and resource efficiency by utilizing state-of-the-art technologies. Using sensors and instrumentation systems that allow for real-time monitoring and data-driven decision-making throughout different stages of crop production is essential to this approach. Application of several sensor technologies, including temperature, nutrient, and soil moisture sensors, in conjunction with remote sensing instruments like satellites and drones, to gather vital agronomic and environmental data. By integrating these sensing devices with wireless communication networks, GPS, GIS, site-specific field management is made possible, which lowers input costs and improves sustainability. Additionally, predictive modelling and automated farming operation control are made possible by the convergence of data analytics and the internet of things IoT, significantly enhancing precision agriculture's potential. This paper highlights the potential of sensor-based systems in transforming contemporary agriculture and promoting long-term food security and environmental stewardship by analysing current trends, technological developments, implementation problems, and future opportunities.
Keywords: Sensors, instrumentation, precision agriculture, GIS, GPS, drones