PLC- and IIoT-based smart irrigation system for Moringa oleifera: Improving efficiency and productivity

Irrigation is essential for the growth of Moringa oleifera, and the techniques differ depending on soil and climatic conditions. Gravity-based surface irrigation requires the farmer to be physically present in the field. Drip irrigation needs farmers to control the gate valves, and irrigation duration relies on the farmer's expertise and specific circumstances. A relay-controlled drip irrigation system is ideal for small-field agriculture because it interfaces the input to the relay module. Arduino-based methods can interface with only a limited number of inputs and output devices, making them unsuitable for large-scale farming. To overcome these limitations, the proposed system introduces a PLC-based Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) concept for Moringa plant irrigation. The system sustains optimal soil moisture through PLC-based threshold control. The field experiment with 112 plants demonstrated that the IIoT-based strategy dramatically reduced irrigation time, usage of energy, water, and labor requirements compared with traditional systems. The results demonstrate the potential application of IIoT-enhanced PLC-based systems to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Moringa oleifera irrigation. The performance of the system was also tested for seasonal variations, including the monsoon season with rainfall, and found to be working well.