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APCBEE Procedia 4 (2012) 79 87

ICAAA 2012: July 23-24, 2012, Singapore

Solar Powered Automated Fertigation Control System for

Cucumis Melo L. Cultivation in Green House
J. E Mohd Salih, A. H Adom and A.Y Md Shaakaf
School Of Mechatronic Engineering,Universiti Malaysia Perlis,Arau 02600,Perlis,Malaysia

Abstract
Production of vegetables and fruits in Malaysia using fertigation methods been experiencing accelerated growth.
Fertigation allow farmers to automatically deliver adequate nutrient quantity and concentration through drip irrigation to
plants active root area throughout the growing season. Conventionally, three separate preset digital timers are used to turn
ON/OFF injector and irrigation pumps for fertilizer mixing and setting daily frequency of irrigation. The quality of
nutrients solution level is manually checked using Electrical Conductivity (EC) meter to determine quality of the nutrient
solution. This project was developed and tested to provide low cost solution for precise control of fertilizer mixing and
irrigation to local farmers. A predefined EC value will be used as single input that control all automated processes in
cucumis melo L. cultivation using fertigation system. The developed system powered totally by solar power system and
tested on its effectiveness to control the nutrient mixing process and injecting nutrient solutions according to plants growth
rate and in the same time monitor all key parameters in fertigation system.

byby
Elsevier
B.V.B.V.
Selection
and/orand/or
peer review
under responsibility
of Asia-Pacifi
c Chemical,
2012
2012Published
Published
Elsevier
Selection
peer review
under responsibility
of Asia-Pacific
Biological
Environmental
Engineering Society
Open access
under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Chemical,&Biological
& Environmental
Engineering
Society
Keywords: FERTIGATION, ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY (EC), TIME BASED IRRIGATION

1. Introduction
Fertilizers injected through drip irrigation systems in a process called fertigation are one type of microirrigation system [1]. Fertigation allows the delivery of nutrients to plants in the correct quantities and at the
appropriate time for a specific stage of plant growth. Irrigators wishing to inject chemicals have a variety of

Corresponding author. Tel.:+604-9885210; fax:+604-9885167.

E-mail address: jefri_salih@unimap.edu.my.

2212-6708 2012 Published by Elsevier B.V. Selection and/or peer review under responsibility of Asia-Pacific Chemical, Biological & Environmental Engineering Society Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
doi:10.1016/j.apcbee.2012.11.014

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injection equipment from which to choose, including differential pressure or batch tanks, bladder tanks,
devices, and positive displacement pumps [2]. The major factor in the irrigation process is the time and the
key in fertigation is striking to correct balance for optimal plant life with optimal use of water [3,4].
Fertigation controllers are divided roughly into two main classes, open loop and closed-loop controller. The
open loop controller is based on a predefined control concept, with no feedback from the controlled object.
Therefore, the open-loop controller uses a periodic irrigation policy [5]. In this policy, the irrigation is based
on the relevant amounts of water that must be given periodically, normally fractions of total volume daily.
These types of controllers, though relatively cheap, do not provide the optimal solution to the irrigation
problem. Mean while the close loop controller is based on a combination of pre-defined control concept (feed
forward) and feedback of the necessary data to determine the amount of water needed for irrigation [6]. The
commercial fertigation controller normally used pH, electrical conductivity (EC) sensor to determine the
correct ratio of fertilizers and water in nutrient solutions. Flow sensor combines with solenoid valves will give
feedback signal to control irrigation process by controlling the ON/OFF periods for pump. Commercial
fertigation controller is not affordable to majority of local farmers due to high set-up and maintenance costs.
Another important factor that affects fertigation of micro-irrigation systems is the performance of the
injecting device. Fertilizer uniformity could be greatly influenced by injection method and management
during the injection process [5]. Commonly there are three types of injection method namely proportional
pump, venturi injector and differential pressure tank. The venturi injector systems utilize a venturi restriction
in the water line to suck the fertilizer solution into the water stream and therefore the system does not require
electrical power. With venturi systems, the concentration of fertilizer in the water stream remains constant
throughout the irrigation cycle, but pressure loss in main irrigation line required a booster pump and the
quantitative aspect of fertigation is difficult to obtain [2]. So, it was preferred that fertilizer be prepared
through mixing rather than to be directly injected to the mainline of the fertigation system in the irrigation
cycle. The positive displacement pumps accurately measure and supply a constant amount of fertilizer into the
irrigation water stream thus maintaining a constant concentration of fertilizer in the water stream throughout
the irrigation cycle. Any crop must receive all of the nutrients at a specific EC. Therefore, the fertigation must
be carried out according to the EC of the irrigation water. Another advantage of irrigation according to EC
control is the ability to maintain the desired concentration of the fertilizer in the water regardless of
preparation error, material chemistry and construction [7].
This project was developed to provide low cost solution for precise control of fertilizer mixing and
irrigation to local farmers. A predefined EC value will be used as single input that control all automated
processes in cucumis melo L. cultivation using fertigation system. The developed systems was powered
totally by solar power system and were tested on its effectiveness to control the nutrient mixing process and
injecting nutrient solutions according to plants growth rate and in the same time monitor all keys parameter in
fertigation process.
2. Methods and Materials
Cucumis melo L. or Rock Melon is one of suitable plants largely planted using fertigation system due to
high return and short period of growth. For rock melon grown in closed fertigation systems, desired EC is
between 1.5 dS/m to 2.5 dS/m with growth period between 70 to 80 days. The amount of daily consumption
of nutrient ranges from 500 ml/daily to 2000 ml/daily according to plant growth stage. Table 1 shows the
recommended nutrient delivery for rock melon suggested by Agriculture Department of Perak for the whole
planting season. Small amounts of fertilizer used in the early crops season. Dosage is increased as fruit load
and nutrient demands grow as plants approach the end of the crop's cycle.

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2.1. Mechanical Design

The system was developed using three cylindrical polyethylene tanks. The stocks of fertilizers were placed
in two 30 litre tanks, and another 60 litre tank was used for mixing. Fig. 1 shows the developed architecture of
mixing and irrigation system. The fertilizer injectors (pump A & pump B) used are water pumps with a flow
rate of 55 litre/hour rated at 6 V and irrigation pump had a flow rate of 250 litre/hour rated at 12 V. Three
units of 12 V solenoid valve used in this system to control water flow to the mixing tank and to control
nutrient flow to the irrigation piping system. An ultrasonic sensor used as level sensor to monitor nutrient
level in the mixing tank.
Table 1. Schedule for Nutrient Delivery for Rock Melon

Age
(week)

EC Level
(dS/m)

Daily
Nutrient
Volume
(ml)

Daily
Irrigation
frequency

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
2.0
2.2
2.4
2.4
2.5
2.5

500
750
1000
1000
1500
1500
2000
2000
2000
2000
2000

5 x 100ml
5 x 125ml
5 x 200ml
5 x 200ml
5 x 300ml
5 x 300ml
5 x 400ml
5 x 400ml
5 x 400ml
5 x 400ml
5 x 400ml

Time
Morning
8.00 am
8.00 am
8.00 am
8.00 am
8.00 am
8.00 am
8.00 am
8.00 am
8.00 am
8.00 am
8.00 am

10.00 am
10.00 am
10.00 am
10.00 am
10.00 am
10.00 am
10.00 am
10.00 am
10.00 am
10.00 am
10.00 am

Evening
12.00 pm
12.00 pm
12.00 pm
12.00 pm
12.00 pm
12.00 pm
12.00 pm
12.00 pm
12.00 pm
12.00 pm
12.00 pm

2.00 pm
2.00 pm
2.00 pm
2.00 pm
2.00 pm
2.00 pm
2.00 pm
2.00 pm
2.00 pm
2.00 pm
2.00 pm

5.00 pm
5.00 pm
5.00 pm
5.00 pm
5.00 pm
5.00 pm
5.00 pm
5.00 pm
5.00 pm
5.00 pm
5.00 pm

Fig. 1. The developed architecture of nutrient mixing and irrigation system

2.2. Solar Power and Controller System Design

The solar power supply used consists of a 20 watts mono-crystalline photovoltaic (PV) solar panel, solar
charge controller and a battery. The specifications of the solar panel are shown in Table 2. In Table 2, Vpp is
the voltage at peak power, Ipp is the current at peak power, Vcc is open circuit voltage, Isc is short circuit

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current, and L, W, T, are the length, width, and thickness of the PV panel, respectively. Solar charge controller
from Morningstar Corporation rated at maximum 6 A for solar panel and load. The controller will maximize
the amount of solar energy into the battery and avoid it drying out. The charge controller has regulation
voltage at 14.3 V, low voltage disconnects at 11.5 V and 12.6 V reconnected voltage respectively [8]. It also
has LEDs display status information and battery level helps the user to better operate the solar power system.
The 12 V and 6 Amp/hour battery which are used as backup supply in the absence of sunlight due to overcast
skies or rain, are rechargeable, sealed, and leadacid type.
Table 2. Solar panel specifications
Vpp
[V]

Ipp
[mA]

Vcc
[V]

Icc
[mA]

Dimensions (mm)
W

Weight
[kg]

17.82

1140

21.96

1270

662

299

34

2.7

A BasicStamp 2 microcontroller based system (Fig. 2) was developed to control all electrical components
to perform nutrients mixing and irrigation process. The developed control board consists of the main
components such as multiple voltage regulator (9V, 6V and 5V) circuitry, wireless communication and
control modules integrated onto a single Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

Fig. 2. Schematic diagram showing various parts of the system

Nutrient mixing and irrigation process in the control module uses five inputs and six outputs. Table 3
shows the connections between input/output and BasicStamp 2 microcontroller for overall developed system.
For EC measurements, EC stamp and EC probe from Atlas Scientific are used in this project. The EC Stamp
design configuration allows the user to accurately monitor EC range of 10 s/cm to 65,000 s/cm [9].

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Table 3. List of input/output pins connections to BasicStamp 2 microcontroller

Pin
P0,P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6,P7
P8,P9
P10
P11
P12
P13
P14
P15

Connection
X-bee module serial in , serial out
Start Button
Potential meter
Ultrasonic sensor
LCD
EC stamp serial in , serial out
pH stamp serial out , serial in
Relay circuit 1
Relay circuit 2
Relay circuit 3
Relay circuit 4
Relay circuit 5
Relay circuit 6

Functions
Wireless communication with field sensors
To start mixing and irrigation process
Weekly EC setting
level measurement
Display nutrients and process parameters
Communication with EC stamp for EC measurement
Communication with pH stamp for pH measurement
ON/OFF solenoid valve 3
ON/OFF solenoid valve 2
ON/OFF solenoid valve 1
ON/OFF irrigation pump
ON/OFF injector pump A
ON/OFF injector pump B

2.3. Nutrient Mixing and Irrigation Process

In this study, two separate nutrient solution formulations namely stock A and B were used. This nutrients
solution contains approximately nine substances. These stocks were prepared separately in a concentrated
form to avoid low solubility and chemical reaction that will produce unwanted salt crystal in the nutrients
stock. The insoluble precipitate can clog the drip tube and lead to nutrient deficiency. When various amounts
of a certain concentrated solutions are added to the water, the changes that occur in the total salt concentration
C in mEq/l and in the electrical conductivity EC in dS/m, may be approximately related to each other through
the equation (1), where a is a factor depending on the composition of the particular concentrated solution,
C = a (EC)

(1)

During nutrient solution preparation, addition of stock solutions increases the electrical conductivity by
equation (2);
EC =ECd ECw

(2)

Since the fertilizer concentration in each of the stock solutions is identical, regardless of recycling
application or not, the respective dilution ratios of the stock solutions Ai are related with C through the
equation (3);
C =Ai

(3)

Thus, the desired electrical conductivity ECd for stock solution are derived by substituting equations (2)
and (3) into equation (1);
ECd = Ai /a + ECw

(4)

If fertilizer dispensers that give a constant injection rate are used, the amount of each stock solution added
when a fresh solution is prepared, has a linear relationship to injection time. For each stock solution, the
injection time T in sec, is related to Ai by the equation (5), where f is the injection rate of the stock solution
dispensers in 1/s.
T = Vn / f

(5)

The irrigation process is mainly controlled by irrigation pump. The total volume of nutrient solution
injected to each plant, Vi are proportional to pump flow rate. Equation (6) shows the relationship between

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pump flow rate, Q and nutrient volume for every plant, Vi. Timer, Tpump is ON period for pump in seconds
and n total number of plant in irrigation pipeline.
Vi = QTpump / n

(6)

2.4. Control Algorithm

The BasicStamp 2 microcontroller was programmed to execute the nutrient mixing and irrigation process
based on EC level set by user using a potential meter according to planting period in Table 1. The EC level
selected by user will determine the ON period for both injector pumps. The total volume inside mixing tanks
was set at 40 liters and measured by ultrasonic level sensor. A subroutine inside the program will convert the
distances in centimeter receive by ultrasonic sensor into nutrient volume inside the mixing tank. Fig.4 shows
the program flow for the system. The process parameters such planting periods in number of weeks, days and
hours will be displayed by LCD. User also can monitor other process parameter status such as current EC
level of nutrients solution, nutrient volume and irrigation counter on the LCD.

Fig. 3. Program flow for nutrient mixing, monitoring and irrigating process

2.5. Experimental Set-up

In order to verify the fertilization, irrigation system and algorithm developed in this project, a fertigation
system for rock melon cultivation was set-up in naturally ventilated tropical green house located in School of
Mechatronics, Universiti Malaysia Perlis from January 2012 to Mac 2012. Seedlings of rock melon were
planted inside 39 units of plastic pots filled with coco pet. The irrigation piping system was constructed using
poly pipe and micro tubing divided into 4 rows and each row contains 10 plants. The nutrient solution was
injected via 2 liter/hour dripper installed at every 39 pots plus one extra dripper installed for daily volume
measurement. EC level and total volume of nutrient injected to the plants are measured daily. Fig.4 shows the
details of physical system set-up inside the greenhouse.

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Fig. 4. (a) Actual prototype system installed inside the greenhouse; (b) system connection to solar panel; (c) rock melon plant inside
planting pod in 2nd week of planting period

3. Results and Discussions

3.1. Solar Power Performance
Hourly voltage level were measured during sunny day and cloudy conditions. During sunny days the solar
panel will produce an average voltage level at 19.3 V and 16.4 V during cloudy days. Average power
generated by solar panel was around 140 watt-hours/day. Power consumption for the system only required an
average of 10 watt-hours/day. The reserved energy stored inside the battery can hold up to 72 watt-hours/day,
and hence the system can operate up to 7 days without sunshine.
3.2. Relationship between EC, fertilizer volume and injector pump rate
Prior to this development, relationship between EC and ratio between nutrient volume and water volume
need to be measured. The system was programmed to fill up the mixing tank at maximum volume of 40 liters.
Fertilizer stock A and B were then manually added into the water with volume increments of 100 ml each. Fig.
5 show the linearity relationship between 40 liters water volume and fertilizer volume that give the increment
measurement of EC. Equation (8) show the relationship between EC value of and fertilizer volume, where
is differential factor of nutrient concentration in (ds/m)/ml, Vn is total volume of fertilizer A and B and EC0 is
initial EC value for the water measured at 0.05.
EC = Vn+ EC0

(8)

The value calculated was 0.0019. The injector pump produced an average flow rate, Qi of 14.9 ml/s at
5.98 V regulated voltage level produced by controller board. The total volume of fertilizer injected is given by
equation (9) where T is ON period of for each pump.
Vn = Qi (2T)

(9)

By substituting all of the values of and Qi in equation (9) into equation (8), to achieve desired EC level
set by user, each pump are programmed to turn ON for T period of times in seconds based on equation (10).
For example, to achieve EC value of 2.0 ds/m during 6th week of planting season both pumps will
automatically calculated to turn ON for 34.4 seconds.
T = (EC 0.05)/0.05662

(10)

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J. E Mohd Salih et al. / APCBEE Procedia 4 (2012) 79 87

Fig.6. Relationship between EC and fertilizer volume mix with 40 liters of water.

3.3. Overall System performance

The developed system was installed and tested inside a greenhouse. Observed values of daily EC were
obtained via EC probe and displayed on LCD panel. The daily volume of discharge were obtained via volume
measurement station. The daily EC and daily discharge volume were recorded for 28 days (4 weeks) and
weekly average of EC and daily nutrient volume were calculated. Table 4 shows the comparison between
measured weekly EC and daily nutrient volume compared to desired EC and daily nutrient intake for 4 weeks
of planting season. Based on results obtained from the experiment (Fig. 7) the developed prototype is proven
reliably to be to be installed in large size fertigation plantations.
Table 4. Results weekly average of EC and nutrient volume

Week

Date

3-9 Jan 2012

Weekly Average EC Value (ds/m)

Daily Average Nutrient Volume, V (ml)

ECset

ECmeasure

Error (%)

Vcalculate

Vmeasure

Error (%)

1.5

1.52

1.33

500

508

1.6
1.73

10-16 Jan 2012

1.6

1.63

1.87

750

763

17-23 Jan 2012

1.7

1.72

1.18

1000

1022

2.2

24-39 Jan 2012

1.8

1.83

1.67

1000

1018

1.8

Fig. 7. Results between desired EC and volume and measured EC and volume by days

J. E Mohd Salih et al. / APCBEE Procedia 4 (2012) 79 87

4. Conclusions
Evaluation of the developed system has established that system was able to maintain nutrients EC level and
daily nutrient to each plants accordingly. Hopefully this system can be used as a prototype for Malaysian
farmers to automatically control and monitor nutrients deliver system. By being fully operated with solar
energy the system can be installed at rural and remote locations to achieve reductions in costs and produce
better yield for rock melon or other crops cultivated using fertigation systems.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to express their appreciation to Universiti Malaysia Perlis for funding this project under
Short Term Grant Scheme (Grant number: STG 9001-00355). Thank also to all contributors, local farmers
and agriculture agency for advises to successfully develop the system.
References
[1] Saiful Farhan M. Samsuri, Robiah Ahamd, Mohd Hussien. Development of Nutrient Solution Mixing on Time Based Drip
Fertigation System. Proceedings of the 4th Asia International Conference on Mathematical /Analytical Modelling and Computer
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FruitQuarterly, Horticultural Society of N.Y, vol. 12, 2004.
[3] Evans, R., R.E. Sneed and D.K. Cassel, 2006.Irrigation scheduling to improve water and energy use efficiencies, North Carolina
Cooperative extension Service (AG 452-4).
[4] Reuter, D.C. and R.S. Everett, 2000. Control theory and applications: Neural-fuzzy controller for lawn irrigation.
[5] Burman, R. and L.O. Pochop, 2004. Evaporation evapotranspiration and climatic data. Elsevier,Amsterdam.
[6] P. Javadi Kia, et al. Intelligent Control Based Fuzzy Logic for Automation of Greenhouse Irrigation System and Evaluation in
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[7] Noble Abraham, et al. Irrigation automation based on soil electrical conductivity and leaf temperature, Journal of Agricultural
Water Management 45 (2000) 145-157
[8] MorningStar. The SHS 6A solar charge controller manual.2008
[9] Atlas Scientific. EC Stamp micro footprint electrical conductivity manual. Version 1.32. 2011

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