DECLARATION

We declare that this senior project entitled by “Smart irrigation system using
Arduino” is the result of our own research except as cited in the references. The senior
project has not been accepted for any degree and is not concurrently submitted in
candidature of any other degree.

Names

Abdulkadir Yasin Mohamed Signature ____________________

Muktar Ahmed Barre Signature ____________________
Yusuf Said Mohamed Signature ____________________

Date: ____/_____/2022

i
 APPROVAL PAGE

I hereby declare that I have read this senior project and, in my opinion, this
senior project is sufficient in terms of scope and quality for the award of a LAUREA
MAGISTRALE of electrical engineering and I accepted for the submission to the
examining panel.

Yours Sincerely,

Name: ___________________________________
Title: ____________________________________
Signature ________________________________

Date:___/______/________________

ii
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, we would want to express our gratitude to Allah for allowing us to
complete our proposed thesis and, indeed, our entire lives: we can accomplish
everything with him, who gives us strength.

Second, we would like to express our gratitude to our best supervisor, Mr.
Abdulahi Ali Amed, for his professional direction, follow-up, and tremendous
assistance, as well as for his valuable thoughts, remarks, and participation throughout
the proposal's learning process.

We would also want to express our gratitude to the people who took part in our
study and gave up their valuable time. We would want to express our gratitude to our
dear friends for their unconditional support throughout the process, both in terms of
maintaining our harmony and assisting us in fitting the puzzle pieces together. We will
be eternally thankful for your efforts. Of course, without the subjects' cooperation, this
proposal thesis would not have been conceivable.

Last but not least, we would like to thank our parents for their unconditional
support, both financially and emotionally throughout our academic endeavors. In
particular, the patience and understanding shown by our mothers, Fathers, sisters,
brothers and our friends during the time of this course, is greatly appreciated.

iii
 ABSTRACT

In agriculture, the smart irrigation system is an automatic watering system that

is commonly utilized. In farms where water is scarce, irrigation is used. This smart
irrigation system is a fully automated and farmer-friendly irrigation system. Human
intervention is not required for this technology to work. By building and installing a
smart irrigation system, this initiative addresses water shortage and food insecurity. It
describes an automated irrigation system that provides the precise quantity of water
necessary based on soil moisture, reducing water waste. The moisture content of the
soil is collected using a network of sensor nodes and sent to a distant station for
analysis.

This project proposes smart irrigation system using Arduino microcontroller

which is cost effective and can be used in a farm or in an average home garden. The
proposed system is developed to be automatically watering the plants when the soil
moisture sensor detected water insufficiency in the soil by using the Arduino as the
center core. The smart irrigation system is a fully functional prototype which consists
of a soil moisture sensor, an LCD display to show the moisture content and pump
status, a relay module which is used to control the on and off switch of the water pump,
and a water pump.

When the soil moisture sensor senses the dry soil, it will show the moisture
level on the LCD display, and the relay module will switch on the water pump
automatically to start the watering process or vice versa. Hardware testing is conducted
to ensure the proposed system is fully functional.

iv
 TABLAE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE

DECLARATION I
APPROVAL PAGE II
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS III
ABSTRACT IV
TABLAE OF CONTENTS V
LIST OF FIGURES VIII
LIST OF TABLES IX
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS X
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1
1.0 Overview 1
1.1 Background of the Study 2
1.2 Problem Statement 5
1.3 General Objectives: 6
1.4 Specific Objectives 6
1.5 Research Question 6
1.6 Significance of the study 6
1.6.1 Advantages of the System 7
1.6.2 Others Advantages 8
1.6.3 Area of Application 8
1.7 Scope of the Study 8
1.7.1 Time Scope 8
1.7.2 Geographical Scope 8
1.7.3 Content scope 9
1.8 Definition of key terms 9
CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW 11
2.0 Introduction 11
2.1 Reviewed Literature 11

v
 2.1.1 Web Based Service to Monitor Automatic Irrigation System for the
Agriculture Field Using Sensors. 11
2.1.2 Automated Irrigation System 12
2.1.3 Prototype for Automatically Navigated Water Irrigation System 13
2.1.4 Moisture Based Automatic Irrigation System 13
2.1.5 The Development of an Automated Irrigation System Using an Open Source
Microcontroller 13
2.1.6 Design and Implementation of Automatic Plant Irrigation System 14
2.1.7 Arduino Based Automatic Irrigation System 14
2.2 Conclusion 15
2.3 Irrigation systems history (ancient) 15
2.4 Modern irrigation methods 18
2.4.1 Surface irrigation 18
2.4.2 Sprinkler Irrigation 19
2.4.3 Drip irrigation 20
2.5 Smart Irrigation System 21
2.6 Need of Smart Irrigation 22
CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY 23
3.0 Introduction 23
3.1 Functional block diagram 23
3.2 Components of automation 25
3.2.1 Microcontroller 25
3.2.2 Arduino Uno 26
3.2.3 Arduino IDE 28
3.2.4 The Soil moisture sensor 31
3.2.5 LCD and I2C (IIC) 33
3.2.6 Water Pump 34
3.2.7 Relay Switching Circuit/Connection 35
3.2.8 Breadboard 37
3.2.9 Jumper wire 38
3.3 Software Design (Programming) 39
3.3.1 Proteus 39
3.3.2 Programming 39
vi
CHAPTER FOUR RESULT AND DISCUSSION 42
4.0 Introduction 42
4.1 System implementation 42
4.1.1 Main construction 42
4.2 System operation 44
4.3 System installation 45
4.4 Cost of smart irrigation system 46
4.5 Result 47
CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 48
5.0 Conclusion 48
5.1 Recommendation 49
5.2 Future Work 49
REFERENCES 51
APPENDICES 53

vii
 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1 Shaduf irrigation 16

Figure 2.2 Diagram of a typical Qanat System 17
Figure 2.3 Persian water wheel (sakia). 17
Figure 2.4 Surface irrigation 19
Figure 2.5 Sprinkler irrigation 20
Figure 2.6 Drip irrigation 21
Figure 3.1 Functional block diagram 24
Figure 3.2 Components of the project 25
Figure 3.3 Arduino Uno 27
Figure 3.4 Arduino IDE 29
Figure 3.5 Soil moisture sensor 32
Figure 3.6 LCD (16x2) 34
Figure 3.7 Inter – integrated circuit (IIC or I2C) 34
Figure 3.8 Water pump 35
Figure 3.9 5V DC coil relay 36
Figure 3.10 Single channel relay 37
Figure 3.11 Breadboard 38
Figure 3.12 Jumper wires 38
Figure 3.13 Starting of Arduino IDE 40
Figure 3.14 Arduino IDE interface 41
Figure 3.15 Arduino IDE 41
Figure 4.1 Core construction 43
Figure 4.2 System operation 45
Figure 4.3 Dry soil 46
Figure 5.1 Irrigation system control with 4 different lands 50

viii
 LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 Web based service to monitor automatic irrigation using sensors 11
Table 2.2 Automated watering system 12
Table 2.3 Prototype for automatically navigated water irrigation system 13
Table 3.1 Arduino functions 28
Table 3.2 Arduino IDE 29
Table 3.3 Soil moisture sensor specifications 33
Table 4.1 System connection 44
Table 4.2 Cost of smart irrigation system 47

ix
 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

LCD Liquid crystal display

DC Direct current
AC Alternative current
LED Light emitted diode
IDE Integrated Development Environment
USB Universal serial bus
VCC Voltage common collector
GND Ground
IIC (I2C) Inter – Integrated Circuit
PWM Modulation of pulse width
NO Normally open
NC Normally closed

x
 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.0 Overview

A smart irrigation system is one that operates with little or no manual

intervention aside from observation. Using timers, sensors, computers, or mechanical
appliances, almost any system (drip, sprinkler and surface) may be automated. It
improves irrigation efficiency and allows workers to focus on other critical farming
duties.

Irrigation is an artificial application of watering the land for agricultural

production. The requirement of water to the soil depends on soil properties such as soil
moisture and soil temperature. Effective irrigation can influence the entire growth
process and automation in irrigation system using modern technology can be used to
provide better irrigation management. (HASSAN et al. 2019)

In general, most of the irrigation systems are manually operated. These

traditional techniques can be replaced with automated techniques of irrigation in order
to use the water efficiently and effectively. Conventionally, farmers will present in
their fields to do irrigation process. Nevertheless, nowadays farmers need to manage
their agricultural activity along with other occupations. (HASSAN et al. 2019)

The background of the study, the problem statement, the purpose of the
research, specific objectives, research questions, scope of the study, significance of the
study, and definition of key terms were all covered in this chapter.

1
1.1 Background of the Study

The greatest crisis in modern day and age is a great disparity in the agricultural
sector turnover. The great losses incurred in agriculture: material losses or financial
losses – most of them are attributed to crop health and quality. If the crops are
determined to be not up to par, this may result in a loss. In order to prevent this, we
need to maintain the quality of crops and keep them at maximum health. On a practical
basis, this is nearly impossible for a farmer who has large lands to observe and
maintain. However, this is currently being managed manually. There is a danger in
this; many of the laborers prefer to work at white collar jobs, and as a result, there is a
large deficiency in manpower. This makes automated farming a necessary part of the
future. The greatest cause for the crops being not on par is improper irrigation (other
than natural calamities). If the irrigation issues are resolved, most of the problems are
solved. Hence this is the pinnacle point that needs to be renovated with technology.
Automating this part of the process will be extremely beneficial to farmers. (Anand.
2015)

The automated plant irrigation system will help to reduce the work load on
farmers, and help to keep the farmlands well irrigated at all times. Most of the farmers
all over the world suffer to maintain their crops with proper watering methods, but find
them helpless. This system will help farmers irrigate their lands even single-handedly,
without the need of additional manpower. Its user friendly simple circuitry will make
the user feel comfortable in using this system. The user only needs to install the circuit
and sensors and connect the pump to the circuit and its complete. The system will start
functioning upon power-up, and will need no trigger to keep it running. Automated
irrigation system provides a promising solution to farmers where the presence of a
farmer in the farm is not compulsory anymore during the process of irrigation.(Anand.
2015)

Agriculture is developing from mechanized by simple methods in the twentieth

century to being automated in the 21st century. There is evolving in field operation in
agriculture section, which requests a high accuracy in processes to optimize output and

2
quality of the crops, in addition, limiting the production cost. To reach these
prerequisites, automation systems must be introduced. It is important that producer
considers on the early framework periods of mechanics and actualizes, so can achieve
an elevated level of automation(Anand. 2015)

Water is the most important cultural practice and most labor intensive task in
daily greenhouse operation. Without water no plants, no life so watering system ease
the burden of getting water to plants when they need it. Knowing when and how much
to irrigate is two important aspects of watering process. For these all above, we are
making this project so that in less water we can manage to plant and make environment
green. Though this technic we can save water and when there is no water then also we
can plant crops or plants. With the help of this technic farmers will also face less issues
or problems regarding farming or having good yield in their farms. As the unplanned
use of water inadvertently results in wastage of water This can lead to permanent loss
of aquifer capacity, water level quality will also decrease and other problems.(Gaiker,
Fasale, and Varule. 2017)

The new technology and the other application helps to make this area with the
great help as they deliver efficiency and accuracy. In the Automatic Plant watering
system using Arduino, the most significant advantages are the water is supplied only
when the moisture in soil goes below a pre-set threshold value. This saves us a lot of
water. In recent times, the farmers where using manual controls technics for the
applications of farm but now with the help of new technic the farmers irrigate the land
at regular intervals by turning the water-pump on/off when required. But sometimes
this new technic also makes deficiency of water which can be occur because of no time
management or access of water to plant. (Gaiker et al. 2017)

This problem can be perfectly rectified if we use Automatic Plant Watering

System Depending on Soil Moisture in which the irrigation will take place only when
there will be intense requirement of water, as suggested by the soil moisture.(Gaiker
et al. 2017)

3
 The inspiration for this concept comes from places where agriculture is the
main source of income and where climatic circumstances result in a lack of rain and
water shortages. Agriculture is the backbone of our nation. Farmers working on
farmland are completely reliant on rain and bore wells to irrigate their crops. Even if
the farmland has a water pump, farmers must switch it on and off manually whenever
the water is required.

The goal of the project is to use sensors to detect soil dryness and deliver sufficient
water to the plants. To reduce the amount of human labor required by the farmer, this
project makes it simple to manage the plants. The following purposes will be served
by the automated irrigation system:

 As there is no un-planned usage of water, a lot of water is saved from being

wasted.
 The irrigation is done only when there is not enough moisture in the soil and
the sensors decide when the pump should be turned on/off. This saves a lot
time for the farmers. This also gives much needed rest to the farmers, as they
don’t have to go and turn the pump on/off manually.(Anand.2015)

This project is in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the final year mini-
project in electrical engineering for the academic year 2021-2022. (EE). We decided
to research this project because farmers in Somalia, in particular, sometimes use too
much or too little water in their crops, resulting in poor results. As a result, this project
helps in the accurate placement of water. We built our own soil moisture sensor to
capture moisture from the ground. It automatically pumps water into the soil if the
moisture value is less than 300.

4
1.2 Problem Statement

Irrigation of plants is often a time-consuming task that necessitates a

substantial quantity of human resources to complete in a fair length of time.
Traditionally, human carried out all of the stages. Some systems now make use of
technology to minimize the number of personnel or the amount of time it takes to water
the plants.

When plants are watered by humans, the amount of water lost rises, resulting
in enormous crop recession because too much water reaches the roots of the plants.
This can make farmers morally and physically exhausted, resulting in a drop in
agricultural output and gardens in the country.

Aside from the high cost of water, labor is getting increasingly costly. As a
result, if no attempt is made to optimize these resources, more money will be spent in
the same process. Technology is most likely a solution for lowering costs and
preventing resource loss; this project could be a powerful way to deal with such a
situation.

Despite the fact that our country's economy is mostly dependent on agriculture
and that the climate is isotropic, we are still unable to fully use agricultural resources.
Farmers in Somalia use more or less water in their crops, and the results aren't always
flawless. As a result, this project aids in the correct placement of water.

To solve this problem, we'll create a smart irrigation system that monitors soil
moisture levels and autonomously waters plants. The motor pump is turned off when
the circuit detects sufficient moisture in the soil.

5
1.3 General Objectives:

The aim of this project is to build smart irrigation system that sense soil
moisture using Arduino.

1.4 Specific Objectives

 To reduce human meddling while ensuring proper irrigation

 To decrease water waste and increase the efficiency with which water is
utilized and minimize the cost
 To create a smart system that detects when the soil is dry and automatically
irrigates the plants until the soil moisture level reaches an acceptable level.

1.5 Research Question

 How to reduce human interfering while ensuring optimal irrigation?

 How to reduce the amount of water wasted in irrigation, and to minimize the
economic cost for the users?
 How to create a smart system that recognizes when the soil is dry and irrigate
the plants automatically until they reach an appropriate level?

1.6 Significance of the study

At the present time every work can be done in the easiest way by the use of
machines. No doubt, automation increases the productivity and saves a lot of time and
effort. Irrigation is the most significant part of agriculture to yield maximum profit
from your investment in the field. However, there are several machines which can be
used in agriculture field by farmers to ease their work. Unfortunately, such machines

6
are not affordable by farmers due to high cost. All they need is a simple and low-cost
machine that can be used easily for agricultural purposes.

In this project, we'll look at how to make a smart and simple irrigation system
using low-cost components. The goal of this irrigation system is to monitor soil
moisture content and immediately turn on the water pump.

Traditional irrigation system inefficiencies generate overwatering, which

accounts for around half of all water losses. To solve this problem, we'll create a smart
irrigation system that monitors soil moisture levels and autonomously waters plants.
The motor pump is turned off when the circuit detects sufficient moisture in the soil.

1.6.1 Advantages of the System

 Saves water - Studies show that drip irrigation systems use 30 - 50% less water
than conventional watering methods, such as sprinklers.
 Improves growth - Smaller amounts of water applied over a longer amount of
time provide ideal growing conditions. Drip irrigation extends watering times
for plants, and prevents soil erosion and nutrient runoff. Also, because the flow
is continuous, water penetrates deeply into the soil to get well down into
the root zone.
 Discourages weeds - Water is only delivered where it's needed.
 Saves time - Setting and moving sprinklers are not required. A timer delay as
per environment can be added to the system for automatic watering.
 Helps control fungal diseases, which grow quickly under moist conditions.
Also, wet foliage can spread disease.
 Adaptable - A drip irrigation system can be modified easily to adjust to the
changing needs of a garden or lawn.
 Simplest Method - Start by drawing a map of your garden and yard, showing
the location of plantings. Measure the distances required for lengths of hose
or plastic tubing to reach the desired areas.

7
1.6.2 Others Advantages

 Very sensitive
 Works according to the soil situation
 Low cost and reliable circuit
 Complete elimination of manpower

1.6.3 Area of Application

 Roof Gardens
 Lawns
 Agriculture Lands
 Home Gardens

1.7 Scope of the Study

1.7.1 Time Scope

This research was carried out between February 2021 and February 2022,
which is the time frame that the university committee of research has set aside for
students to complete their studies.

1.7.2 Geographical Scope

Mogadishu, Somalia, was the site of this research. Because it is the most active
city in the country in terms of commercial operations, Mogadishu is an appropriate
location for this type of research.

8
1.7.3 Content scope

This project entails the transition from manually watering to automatically

watering. The automated watering system is used to irrigate flowers that are grown for
decoration in a house, institution, or other organization. The soil moisture sensor is
used to operate the irrigation system.

1.8 Definition of key terms

Arduino is an open source programmable circuit board that can be integrated

into a wide variety of maker space projects both simple and complex. This board
contains a microcontroller which is able to be programmed to sense and control objects
in the physical world. By responding to sensors and inputs, the Arduino is able to
interact with a large array of outputs such as LEDs, motors and displays.

Soil Moisture Sensor: is a sensor connected to an irrigation system controller

that measures soil moisture content in the active root zone before each scheduled
irrigation event and bypasses the cycle if soil moisture is above a user- defined set
point.(Group et al. 2008)

Relay- Relay is an electromechanical device that uses an electric current to

open or close the contacts of a switch. The single-channel relay module is much more
than just a plain relay, it comprises of components that make switching and connection
easier and act as indicators to show if the module is powered and if the relay is active
or not.

Irrigation artificially supplying and systematically dividing of water for

agriculture and horticulture in order to obtain higher or qualitatively better production
various types of irrigation techniques differ in how the water obtained from the source
is distributed within the field. In general, the goal is to supply the entire field uniformly

9
with water, so that each plant has the amount of water it needs, neither too much nor
too little.( Www.Eijkelkamp)

Smart irrigation system is the operation of the system with no or just a

minimum of manual intervention beside the surveillance. Almost every system (drip,
sprinkler, surface) can be automated with help of timers, sensors or computers or
mechanical appliances. It makes the irrigation process more efficient and workers can
concentrate on other important farming tasks.

10
 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

Literature Review is a very important aspect in a research or project where the

literature reviewed can give the reader another view on how that system can be
developed and be constructed so that it can operate more smoothly and completely.

2.1 Reviewed Literature

2.1.1 Web Based Service to Monitor Automatic Irrigation System for the
Agriculture Field Using Sensors.

Table 2.1 Web based service to monitor automatic irrigation using sensors

Author Title Method Description Result

S.KAMALES Web "smart 1. This method can 1. The owner
H AND based irrigation be used by the of the
M.USHA service system using designer to keep agricultural
RANI(2014) to monitor the Arduino the motor and the field can any
automatic microcontrolle sensor, for the time check
Irrigation r with grove plant keep active. the moisture
system for moisture 2. The level and the
the sensor and communication moisture
agricultur water flow will status. The
e field sensor" be established motor’s
using using ZIGBEE functionality
sensors protocol. will also be
send to the
farmer’s
mobile
using GSM.

11
 In this paper is shown that the author is using web based system to monitor the
data of the irrigation system developed. Arduino with grove moisture sensor and water
level sensor are used to detect the moisture level of water in the pot of plant and to
monitor the water level is to determine if the water has been used up or decrease and
cannot irrigate the plant anymore. They designed this to keep the system still works
even when there is no worker to irrigate the plant and to monitor water consumption
of the plant. With the help of the web based system the admin can monitor how much
water is being used for irrigating the plant that day. Zigbee protocol is used for the
Arduino microcontroller and the system to communicate with each other.

2.1.2 Automated Irrigation System

Table 2.2 Automated watering system

Author Title Method description Result

H.T Automated Automated To insure that A moisture and

INGALE irrigation irrigation system the farmer can temperature sensor
N.N system microcontroller do their reads
KASAT based drip work knowing analog values and
(IJERD irrigation system the system is microcontroller
2012) automated converts
it to digital values.
Based on values
read water pump is
switched
on and off The
status of system is
shown on led.

12
2.1.3 Prototype for Automatically Navigated Water Irrigation System

Table 2.3 Prototype for automatically navigated water irrigation system

Author Title Method Description result

Pratik A. Prototype for Automated The GSM Farmer can
PATALI automatically wireless drip module allow knew if the time
ET AL navigated irrigation farmer to send that is usually
(IJES2015) water system using SMS to trigger needed to
irrigation GSM automated trigger
system module. irrigation by irrigation.
turning it on or Farmer
off. can control the
irrigation
systematically

2.1.4 Moisture Based Automatic Irrigation System

The moisture sensors measure the moisture level of the different plants. If the
moisture level is found to be below the desired level, the moisture sensor sends the
signal to the Arduino board which triggers the Relay to turn ON the Water Pump and
supply the water to respective plant. When the desired moisture level is reached, the
system halts on its own and the Water Pump is turned OFF.(Truneh and Balcha 2021).

2.1.5 The Development of an Automated Irrigation System Using an Open Source

Microcontroller

An automated irrigation using microcontroller system which is cost effective

and can be used in a farm or in an average home garden. The proposed system is
developed to be automatically watering the plants when the soil moisture sensor
detected water insufficiency in the soil by using the Arduino as the center core. The
automated irrigation system is a fully functional prototype which consists of a soil
moisture sensor; an LCD display to show the moisture percentage and pump status; a
relay module which is used to control the on and off switch of the water pump; and a
water pump. When the soil moisture sensor senses the dry soil, it will show the
13
moisture percentage on the LCD display, and the relay module will switch on the water
pump automatically to start the watering process or vice versa. Hardware testing is
conducted to ensure the proposed system is fully functional.”(HASSAN et al. 2019)

2.1.6 Design and Implementation of Automatic Plant Irrigation System

An adequate water supply is important for plant growth. When there is

insufficient rainfall it is necessary to provide additional irrigation to the plant. Our
project aims to automate this procedure by analyzing the moisture content of the soil
and atmospheric temperature. The input from the moisture sensors and the temperature
sensor is analyzed by the microprocessor (Arduino) and the plants are watered using a
specifically designed matrix system. The water is obtained from a reservoir kept at a
height to provide potential energy for the water. The sensors are activated only when
the soil is dry. If there is more than one signal the microcontroller will prioritize the
received signal based on a first come first served basis and irrigate the field
accordingly. India’s GDP is primarily dependent on agriculture.(Sengottuvel and
Hussain 2018)

Therefore, This automated irrigation system will reduce human labor and water
consumption thereby increasing productivity. This type if automated irrigation system
is ideal for indoor agriculture or vertical agriculture etc. It could also be used for home
gardening needs or could be used in multiple potted plants. (Sengottuvel and Hussain
2018)

2.1.7 Arduino Based Automatic Irrigation System

The main objective of this paper is to provide a system leads to automatic

irrigation thereby saving time, money & power of the farmers, gardeners in
greenhouses etc. Manual intervention is common in traditional farm-land irrigation
techniques. This paper presents a technique for Arduino based Automatic Irrigation

14
System. With this automated technology of irrigation, human intervention can be
minimized. The moisture sensors will be bed in on the field. Whenever there is a
change in water concentration, these sensors will sense the change and gives an
interrupt signal to the micro-controller. Soil is one of the most fragile resources whose
soil pH property used to describe the degree of the acidity or basicity, which affects
nutrient availability and ultimately plant growth. Thus, the system will provide
automation, remote controlling and increased efficiency. Humidity sensor is connected
to internal ports of microcontroller via comparator; whenever there is a fluctuation in
temperature and humidity of the environment, these sensors sense the change in
temperature and humidity and give an interrupt signal to the micro-controller and thus
the motor is activated. A buzzer is used to indicate that the pump is on.(Minz, Saha,
and Dev 2019).

2.2 Conclusion

Based on the research papers reviewed earlier there are procedures that can be
used for the system to be used for cooperating with each other. This project must also
take account of how it can further be used to help the user. As we know this project,
Smart Irrigation System aims to irrigate the plant automatically with the help of
Arduino microcontroller, sensor and system to monitor the information. This can be
used to aid the development of this project to its completion better.

2.3 Irrigation systems history (ancient)

6000 BC Irrigation began at about the same time in Egypt and Mesopotamia
(present day Iraq and Iran) using the water of the flooding Nile or Tigris/Euphrates
rivers. The flood waters, which occurred July through December, were diverted to
fields for 40 to 60 days. The water was then drained back into the river at the right

15
moment in the growing cycle. (AHMED, MUTAZ, OMER and AHMED November
2016))

1700 BC (Shaduf) The Egyptian “Shaduf” (Figure 2.1) and the water wheel, or
“noria” or “sania” are probably among the earliest devices for lifting water from the
Nile River for irrigation and domestic uses. A modified version of the shaduf, called
locally Diou or Dlou, was developed in North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula at the
beginning of the ca 12th century BC. It was refined later on with the introduction of a
pulley and animal traction for lifting water from deep wells.(Angelakis et al. 2020)

Figure 2.1 Shaduf irrigation

50-331 BC (Qanat) Subterranean tunnel-wells (qanats) are extremely

important in the history of irrigation and human settlement in the arid lands of the Old
World.' Apparently originating in pre-Achaemenid Persia, tunnel-wells spread to
Egypt, the Levant, and Arabia in Achaemenid times (550- 331 B.C.). The Arabs
carried qanats across North Africa into Spain and Cyprus; they are also found in
Central Asia, western China, and on a more limited scale in dry regions of Latin
America. In modern times, more than twenty terms are used to identify these horizontal
wells; the Arabic word qanat meaning "lance" or "conduit" is used in Iran, the Persian
term kariz is used in Afghanistan, while in Syria, Palestine, and North Africa fuqara
(pronounced foggara) is the most common term. In all of these regions, tunnel-wells
are still being constructed in the traditional manner, and many settlements depend on
them for irrigation and domestic water. Where used, qanats have strongly influenced
16
village socio-economic organization and patterns of ownership and tenure.( American
Philosophical Society, 2010)

Figure 2.2 Diagram of a typical Qanat System

500 BC (Sakia) the first use of what is now called a pump. This device was an
endless series of pots on a rope which ran over two pulleys. The oxen-powered device
powered a cogged wheel allowing the pots to enter the water supply, fill and then be
raised and emptied. The Sakia was similar to the Noria except that it was powered by
an external force rather than the flow of the river’s current. (AHMED, MUTAZ,
OMER and AHMED November 2016))

Figure 2.3 Persian water wheel (sakia).

17
2.4 Modern irrigation methods

2.4.1 Surface irrigation

Surface irrigation is the oldest and most common method of applying water to
crops. It involves moving water over the soil in order to wet it completely or partially.
The water flows over or ponds on the soil surface and gradually infiltrates to the
desired depth. Surface irrigation methods are best suited to soils with low to moderate
infiltration capacities.(FAO. 2001).

Efforts to classify surface systems differ substantially, but generally include

the following:

 Basin irrigation,
 Border irrigation,
 Furrow irrigation, and
 Wild flooding.

Each surface system has its own unique advantages and disadvantages
depending on such factors as:

 Initial development costs,

 Size and shape of individual fields,
 Soil characteristics,
 Nature and availability of the water supply,
 Climate,
 Cropping pattern,
 Social preferences and structures, and
 Historical experience.

18
 For the most part, the most often used characteristics to distinguish surface
irrigation systems are physical features of the irrigated fields. (Walker 2003)

Figure 2.4 Surface irrigation

2.4.2 Sprinkler Irrigation

Sprinkler irrigation is a method of applying water in a manner similar to rain.

It is suited for most row, field and tree crops. Water can be sprayed over or under the
crop canopy. If a site is known to be windy most of the time, sprinkler irrigation will
not be suitable. The sprinkler breaks up the water into droplets sized 0.5–4 mm. The
drop size is controlled by pressure and nozzle size of the sprinklers. The average rate
at which water is sprayed onto the crops is measured in mm/hour. The application rate
depends on the size of sprinkler nozzles, operating pressure and distance between the
sprinklers. The application rate must not exceed the maximum allowable infiltration
rate for the soil type. Excess application rate will result in water loss, soil erosion and
surface sealing. There may be inadequate moisture in the root zone of crops or plants
after irrigation and they may get damaged. The force with which the water flows out
of the sprinkler is known as its ‘water pressure’. Water pressure is measured in pounds
per square inch (psi). (https://ncert.nic.in/ 2019)

Sprinklers are, therefore, designed to work at certain pressure levels, which are
recommended as their operating pressure. If the pressure is above or below than the
recommended level, then the distribution of water will be affected. When the pressure
19
is low, the water drops become larger and they cannot irrigate the crops that are far
from the system. If the pressure is high, then the droplets will be smaller and the crops
will not be irrigated evenly. It can also damage the sprinkler heads. Although
sprinklers are adaptable to most soils, they are best suited for sandy soil. These can be
used for irrigating lawns, gardens and agricultural fields.(https://ncert.nic.in/ 2019)

Figure 2.5 Sprinkler irrigation

2.4.3 Drip irrigation

Drip irrigation is an efficient approach that delivers water to crops at or below

the soil surface. Compared to overhead irrigation, drip irrigation can reduce water use
by up to 50%. This is because drip irrigation applies water directly to the soil around
the bottom of plants, rather than over an entire bed or field. Reducing the surface area
over which water is applied also reduces evaporation. This allows for both water and
energy efficiency, as you will need less energy to pump less water to your crops
compared to overhead or flood irrigation. Because drip irrigation allows you to avoid
overhead spraying and excess leaf wetness, it can also help reduce some crop foliar
diseases. It is appropriate to use this approach for crops with both high- and low water
demand. Growers commonly lay drip lines under plastic mulch or on bare ground.
Other options include laying drip lines under organic mulches, or slightly buried in
perennial crops. Sub-surface drip delivers water directly to the root zone, which means
you can also deliver soluble fertilizer right to the plant.(Schattman and Boutelle 2018)

20
 Figure 2.6 Drip irrigation

2.5 Smart Irrigation System

A Smart irrigation system performs its function well and has a good influence
on the environment in which it is installed. Once it is implemented in an agricultural
field, water distribution to crops and nurseries becomes simple and does not require
ongoing human assistance. Automatic watering may also be accomplished with the
use of mechanical devices such as clay pots or a bottle irrigation system. Irrigation
systems are difficult to deploy due to their high cost and intricate design. We have
developed certain projects on autonomous irrigation systems utilizing various
technologies after taking some essential elements into mind from experts' help.

The automated irrigation system on soil moisture sensing project aims to create
an irrigation system that uses relays to turn on or off submersible pumps in response
to soil moisture levels.

21
2.6 Need of Smart Irrigation

Irrigation systems that are intelligent are convenient. Smart irrigation systems
may save you money and help with water conservation if installed and programmed
properly. Lawn grass and plants that have died must be replanted, which can be costly.
However, the cost reductions from automated irrigating systems can be substantial.
Watering using a hose or an oscillator wastes water since neither approach is precise
enough to target plant roots. Water conservation is promoted through automatic
irrigation systems that may be set to release more exact amounts of water in a particular
region.

22
 CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction

A Smart Irrigation System Using Arduino is an irrigation system that answers

automatically to watering plants and plays vital role for irrigating. Irrigation process
can be used for the cultivation of agricultural crops during the span of inadequate
rainfall and also gardens; it does the operation of system without requiring manual
involvement of persons. Every irrigation system such as drip, sprinkler and surface
gets automated with the help of electronic appliances and detectors such as computer,
sensors and other mechanical devise.

3.1 Functional block diagram

The diagram below shows a functional block diagram of the proposed smart
irrigation system using Arduino. It contains a number of functional blocks, namely:
acquisition block, microcontroller block, monitoring block, and automatic functional
block.

 Acquisition block
This block consists of one soil moisture sensor that collects data from the soil.
Whether to transmit high or low voltage to the microcontroller to indicate whether the
soil is wet or dry is dependent on the moisture level of the soil. It will deliver a low
output voltage when the soil is moist and a high output voltage when the soil is dry.
This sensor is directly connected to the Arduino.

23
  Microcontroller block
The Arduino Uno is the microcontroller. In this block and it is the project's
basic hardware. It collects data from the soil moisture sensor and processes it according
to the microcontroller's requirements.

 Monitoring block
This block is made up of a single LCD that displays the moisture level as well
as the status of the DC water pumps as received from Arduino.

 Automatic Functional Block

This block is responsible for the system's automatic watering. The relay
module and the DC watering pump make up the automated function's core controlling
hardware. A relay is an automated electric switch that moves from OFF to ON or vice
versa using an electromagnet. The electric signal that flows through the water pump is
controlled by the switch. When the moisture level falls below a certain threshold,
Arduino sends a signal to the relay module, which opens the way for the electric to
flow via the water pump and water the plant. When the system detects a suitable
quantity of water in the soil, the relay closes the electric line, and the water pump
immediately stops pumping water.

Figure 3.1 Functional block diagram

24
3.2 Components of automation

In the proposed smart irrigation using Arduino we are using the following
component and give each suitable explanation. As shown in figure 3.2 the system uses
Arduino Uno, LCD, Soil moisture sensor, relay, water pump, Breadboard, Battery and
so on.

Figure 3.2 Components of the project

3.2.1 Microcontroller

A microcontroller is a controller chip with a high level of integration. A

microcontroller, sometimes known as an embedded controller, is a microprocessor
comparable to those found in personal computers, but with a lot more capability
packed into the same monolithic semiconductor substrate. Microcontrollers, often

25
known as single-chip microcomputers, are used to operate a variety of electrical and
mechanical devices. Microcontrollers have advanced to the point where they can be
used for more complicated applications since their introduction. Some modern
microcontrollers are also programmable, allowing them to be utilized in a wider range
of applications.

Arduino is an open source programmable circuit board that may be used in a

variety of maker space projects, both simple and complicated. This board features a
microcontroller that may be designed to sense and monitor items in the real world. By
responding to sensors and inputs, the Arduino can integrate with a wide range of
outputs such as LEDs, motors, and displays.

Arduino has become a popular choice for designers and developers looking to
create innovative hardware projects due to its simplicity and low cost. Massimo Banzi
established Arduino in 2005 in Italy as a method for non-engineers to have access to a
low-cost, easy-to-use resource for hardware project creation. Because the board is
open-source, it is distributed under a Creative Commons license that allows anybody
to create their own. Hundreds of Arduino compatible clones and variations are
accessible on the internet, but only the Arduino-branded boards are approved.

3.2.2 Arduino Uno

A microcontroller is used in this project (Arduino, Uno). There are 14 digital

input/output pins, a USB port, a power jack, an ICSP header, and a reset button on this
board. It comes with everything you'll need to get started with the microcontroller;
simply plug it into a computer with a USB connection or power it with an AC-to-DC
converter or battery. The Arduino Uno is one of the most well-known Arduino boards.

26
 Despite the fact that it was not the first board to be published, it is still the most
extensively used and documented. Due to its widespread popularity, the Arduino Uno
offers a plethora of online project guides and forums to assist you in getting started or
getting out of a bind. We like the Uno a lot because of its great features and ease of
use.

Figure 3.3 Arduino Uno

27
Table 3.1 Arduino functions

Number Name Function

1 Reset Button This button will restart any code that is loaded to the
Arduino board
2 AREF Stands for “Analog Reference” and is utilized to set an
external reference voltage
3 Ground Pin There are a few ground pins on the Arduino and they all
work the same
4 Digital Pins 0-13 can be used for digital input or output
Input/Output
5 PWM The pins marked with the (~) symbol can simulate analog
output
6 USB Used for powering up your Arduino and uploading
Connection sketches
7 TX/RX Transmit and receive data indication LEDs
8 ATmega This LED lights up anytime the board is plugged in a power
Microcontroller source
9 Power LED This LED lights up anytime the board is plugged in a power
Indicator source
10 Voltage This controls the amount of voltage going into the Arduino
Regulator board
11 DC Power This is used for powering your Arduino with a power
Barrel Jack supply
12 3.3V Pin This pin supplies 3.3 volts of power to your projects
13 5V Pin This pin supplies 5 volts of power to your projects
14 Ground Pins There are a few ground pins on the Arduino and they all
work the same
15 Analog Pins These pins can read the signal from an analog sensor and
convert it to digital

3.2.3 Arduino IDE

The Arduino Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is a cross-platform

application with functions written in both C and C++ (for Windows, for mac OS, for
Linux). This is how programs are written and uploaded to Arduino-compatible boards.
The internal structure of the Arduino IDE is shown in the diagram below.

28
 Figure 3.4 Arduino IDE

Table 3.2 Arduino IDE

NO Name Function
1 Menu Bar Gives you access to the tools required to create and save
Arduino sketches.
2 Verify Compiles your code and checks for errors in spelling or
Button syntax.
3 Upload In this case, send the code to the board that is connected like
button Arduino Uno. When uploading, the lights on the board blink
rapidly.
4 New Sketch Opens a new tab, with a blank drawing
5 Sketch Name When the sketch is saved, the sketch's name is shown here.
6 Open Allows you to open a saved drawing, or one of the examples
Existing stored.
Sketch
7 Save Sketch This saves the sketch that you are currently opening.
8 Serial This will show your Arduino's serial details when the board
Monitor is connected
9 Code Area This region is where you write the sketch code which tells the
board what to do.
10 Message Area This area informs you the saving status, compiling code,
errors and such more.
11 Text Console Shows descriptions of an error messages, the size of the
compiled program and additional information.
12 Board and Tell you which board it is using and which serial port it is
Serial Port attached to.

29
Steps for Using Arduino Ide are following:
1. There are several different varieties of Arduino microcontrollers. The Arduino
Uno is the most popular, although there are more options. Before you start
developing, do some research to determine which version is the best fit for your
project?
2. To get started download and install the Arduino Programmer (also known as
the integrated development environment) (IDE)
3. Connect your Arduino to your computer's USB port. This may need the use of
a special USB cable. If you're using various Arduinos, you'll need to adjust the
port because each one has a separate virtual serial-port address.
4. In the Arduino Programmer, choose the board type and serial port.
5. Use one of the Arduino Programmer's preloaded programs, or sketches, to test
the microcontroller. To load one of the sample sketches, open it and hit the
upload button. The Arduino should start responding to the program: for
example, if you configure it to blink an LED light, the light should begin to
blink.
6. To upload new code to the Arduino, you'll either need access to code that you
can enter into the programmer or you'll have to write it yourself using the
Arduino programming language. A typical Arduino sketch consists of five
sections: a header describing the sketch and its author; a section defining
variables; a setup routine that sets the initial conditions of variables and runs
preliminary code; a loop routine where you add the main code that will execute
repeatedly until the sketch is stopped; and a section where you can list other
functions that activate during the setup and loop routines. The setup and loop
procedures must be included in all drawings.
7. Disconnect your Arduino from your computer after uploading the new sketch
and integrating it into your project as suggested.
8. Simply click the "Upload" button in the environment to begin uploading the
software. Wait a few seconds; the RX and TX covers on the board should be
flashing. The message "Done uploading." will show in the status bar if the
upload is successful.

30
Why Arduino?

 Inexpensive - Arduino boards are relatively inexpensive compared to other

microcontroller platforms.
 Cross-platform - The Arduino Software (IDE) runs on Windows, Macintosh
OSX.
 Linux operating systems.
 Simple, clear programming environment - The Arduino Software (IDE) is
easy-to-use for beginners.
 Open source and extensible software - The Arduino software is published as
open-source tools, available for extension by experienced programmers.
 Open source and extensible hardware - The plans of the Arduino boards are
published under a Creative Commons license.

3.2.4 The Soil moisture sensor

This sensor has two electrodes. The moisture content surrounding this soil
moisture sensor is measured. A current is transmitted through the soil between the
electrodes, and the resistance to the current indicates the soil moisture. Water
resistance will be low if the soil has more water, allowing more current to move
through. When the soil moisture is low, the sensor module, on the other hand, produces
a high amount of resistance. There are digital and analogue outputs on this sensor.
Digital output is easy to use; however it is not as precise as analogue output. The soil
moisture sensor is frequently integrated in some type of insulation. Insulation is
frequently used for electrical reasons, such as electrical isolation of the sensor. Soil
moisture sensors are used to determine how much water is present in the soil. Multiple
soil moisture sensors form a soil moisture probe.

Except that dissolved salts considerably modify the water conductivity and can
mislead the experiments, soil electrical conductivity is simply tested using two metal
conductors spaced apart in the soil. Embedding conductors in a porous gypsum block

31
that releases calcium and sulphate ions to flood the soil background level of ions is a
cheap remedy. Over the range of -60 to -600 kPa, the water absorbed by the block is
associated with soil water potential, giving a tertiary indication for usage in medium
to heavy soils. Internal calibration methods are used to offset changes owing to solutes
and temperature in non-dissolving granular matrix sensors with a more stringent
specification for the range 0 to -200 kPa.

Methods for exploiting soil dielectric properties actually measure proxy

variables that more or less include a component due to the soil electrical conductivity
and are thus inherently sensitive to variations in soil salinity and temperature as well
as water. Measurements are also affected by soil bulk density and the proportion of
bound and free water determined by the soil type. Nevertheless, good accuracy and
precision can be achieved under specific conditions and some sensor types have
become widely adopted for scientific work.

In this project we will use soil moisture sensor LY-69 to sense moisture content
of the soil. In agriculture, soil moisture measurement is essential for farmers to better
manage their irrigation systems. Farmers can not only use less water to raise a crop in
general, but they can also boost yields and crop quality by managing soil moisture
during important plant growth phases.

Figure 3.5 Soil moisture sensor

32
Table 3.3 Soil moisture sensor specifications

Working Voltage 5v
Working Current <20mA
Interface type Analog
Working Temperature 10°C~30°C

3.2.5 LCD and I2C (IIC)

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens are electrical display modules that may
be used in a variety of ways. A 16x2 LCD display is a relatively simple module that
may be found in a variety of devices and circuits. The reasons for this are as follows:
LCDs are inexpensive; they are simple to program; they have no restrictions on
showing unique and even bespoke characters (unlike seven segments), animations, and
so on.

A 16x2 LCD can display 16 characters per line on each of its two lines. Each
character is presented in a 5x7 pixel matrix on this LCD. Command and Data are the
two registers on this LCD. The LCD command instructions are stored in the command
register. A command tells the LCD to perform a certain activity, such as initializing it,
cleaning its screen, setting the cursor location, managing the display, and so on. The
data to be shown on the LCD is stored in the data register. The ASCII value of the
character to be shown on the LCD is the data. It’s a flat panel display that makes
advantage of liquid crystals' light modifying characteristics. The backlight will create
screen images for displaying the content generated by the Arduino's code.

The LCD screen is utilized in this project to display the soil moisture level as
well as the pump status, which is programmed into the ARDUINO board early on. An
LCD is a text-display device. LCDs are available in a number of formats, including
multi-character, multi-line displays. A typical LCD format is 16x2 that means, it can
show two lines of 16 characters each.

33
 Figure 3.6 LCD (16x2)

Inter – Integrated Circuit (IIC or I2C) is a serial computer bus is seen in Figure
3.7. It's a tiny connector that connects CPUs and microcontrollers to lower-speed
peripheral ICs. The I2C has four ports and they are VCC, GND, ASDA, and ASCL
those ports connect I2C to Arduino. It was utilized to link the LCD to the Arduino in
this project.

Figure 3.7 Inter – integrated circuit (IIC or I2C)

3.2.6 Water Pump

A water pump is a device that is used to provide water for a specific purpose.
By connecting it to a microcontroller, it may be operated electrically. It can be turned
on and off with the use of signals. Pumping is a term used to describe the process of

34
providing water artificially. Water pumps come in a wide variety of designs. In this
project, pumping water to the plants is accomplished with the help of a tiny DC water
pump (DC mini water pump).

Pumping water is a basic and practical approach, considerably more so than

scooping it up with one's hands or lifting it in a bucket. This is true whether the water
is obtained from a fresh source, transported to a desired area, filtered, and utilized for
irrigation, cleaning, sewage treatment, or evacuating water from an undesirable site.
Whatever the conclusion, the energy required to pump water is an enormously energy-
intensive aspect of water use. Water falling from a higher height or a pressured
plumbing system are required or advantageous in all other procedures.

Figure 3.8 Water pump

3.2.7 Relay Switching Circuit/Connection

A relay is an electromechanical device that opens or closes the contacts of a

switch using an electric current. When a current is delivered to this electromagnetic
switch, it activates. A relay switches large currents using tiny currents. Most relays
work on the electromagnetic principle, although others, such as solid state, are also
utilized. A contactor is a special form of relay that can manage the high current needed

35
to drive an electric motor or other loads directly. Solid state relays contain no moving
components and switch using semiconductor chips.

Figure 3.9 5V DC coil relay

Because relays are switches, the same terminology that applies to switches also
applies to them. A relay is a device that switches one or more poles, each of which
contacts can be thrown in one of three ways.

 When the relay is activated, NO contacts link the circuit; when the relay
is inactive, NO contacts disconnect the circuit.
 NC contacts disconnect the circuit when the relay is activated; the
circuit is connected when the relay is inactive.
 CO or double-throw (DT), contacts control two circuits: one normally
open contact and one normally-closed contact with a common terminal.

An electromagnet controls the relay module, which is a switch. It is used to

turn the DC watering pump on and off by opening and shutting the electric line that
leads to the watering pump. The Arduino code is in charge of controlling it. A single
channel relay is used in this project.

36
 Figure 3.10 Single channel relay

3.2.8 Breadboard

A breadboard is a plastic board that is used to carry wires and electrical

components like transistors and resistors. A breadboard is a solder less device used to
prototype electronics and test circuit designs on a temporary basis. Most electrical
components in electronic circuits can be linked by slipping their leads or terminals into
the holes and connecting them with wires where necessary. Underneath the breadboard
are metal strips that connect the holes on the top of the board. The metal strips are
arranged as illustrated in the diagram below. The top and bottom rows of holes are
horizontally connected and divide in the middle, while the remaining holes are
vertically connected.

37
 Figure 3.11 Breadboard

3.2.9 Jumper wire

Jumper wires are just cables with connector pins on both ends that may be used
to link two sites without having to solder them together. Jumper wires are commonly
used with breadboards and other prototyping devices to make quick adjustments to a
circuit.

Figure 3.12 Jumper wires

38
3.3 Software Design (Programming)

3.3.1 Proteus

Engineers may use Proteus to perform interactive circuit design simulations of

actual designs. It includes a collection of animation models for associated peripheral
devices like as LED and LCD screens, keypads, and more, as well as simulator models
for common microcontrollers. Without access to a physical prototype, it is possible to
mimic full microcontroller systems and consequently write software for them.

It used the program Proteus ISIS to mimic our hardware model. Simulator
models such as the Atmega328, LED, LCD display, switches, pots, relays, resistors,
transistors, and sources were employed, and the results were cross-checked against
hardware results.

3.3.2 Programming

The Arduino IDE software may be used to program the Arduino Uno. The
Arduino microcontroller is a simple-to-use yet powerful single-board computer that
has gained popularity in both the hobby and professional markets. Because the
Arduino is open-source, the hardware is inexpensive and the development software is
free. The Arduino Uno board has a 5 V Atmel ATmega328 microprocessor with 2 KB
of RAM, 32 KB of flash memory for program storage, and 1 KB of EEPROM for
parameter storage. The clock speed is 16 MHz, which amounts to 300,000 lines of C
source code being executed every second. There are 14 digital I/O pins and 6 analog
input pins on the board. When executing software while not connected to the host
computer, there is a USB port for communicating to the host computer and a DC power
jack for attaching an external 6-20 V power source, such as a 9 V battery. Headers are
supplied for connecting 22 g solid wire or header connectors to the I/O pins.

39
 Arduino is a simplified version of C/C++ programming language.
Programming the Arduino will be familiar if you know C. There's no need to worry if
you don't know C because only a few instructions are required to execute useful
operations. The ability to develop control software on the host PC, download it to the
Arduino, and have it execute automatically is a key feature of the Arduino. If you
disconnect the USB wire from the PC, the software will continue to run from the top
each time you press the reset button. Remove the battery and store the Arduino board
for six months in a closet. The last program you saved will execute when you reconnect
the battery. This means you connect the board to the host PC to build and debug your
software, but you don't need the PC to run it after that's done.

Figure 3.13 Starting of Arduino IDE

40
Figure 3.14 Arduino IDE interface

Figure 3.15 Arduino IDE

41
 CHAPTER FOUR

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.0 Introduction

This chapter demonstrates the development and evaluation of Smart Irrigation

System using Arduino .It will cover all aspects of the implementation, including core
construction, system operation, cost analysis, as well as the outcome.

4.1 System implementation

The implementation of this system will provide a summary of certain critical

project-related information.

4.1.1 Main construction

Let us construct the core assembly part of our system and their collaboration
which contains the following elements: Soil moisture sensor, Arduino, Relay, LCD,
water pump, connecting wires and breadboard,

42
 Figure 4.1 Core construction

As shown in the figure above, the link between components and how they work
together is demonstrated. The soil moisture sensor connects with the Arduino using
three ports: A0, ground, and Vcc. Ground and Vcc are used as power sources, and A0
reads the soil moisture level as analog data, which is then passed to the Arduino via
pin A0, which processes the data and converts it to digital, after which the Arduino
sends the information to the relay, which determines whether it is HIGH or LOW, and
displays the result on the LCD. The Arduino is connected to the relay through three
ports: pin 7, ground, and VCC. Ground and VCC pins provide electricity, while pin 7
receives instructions from Arduino to connect or detach the power supply to the water
pump. The liquid crystal display is connected to the I2C LCD Module through 16
Connections, and the I2C LCD Module has four ports: VCC, GND, SDA, and SCL,
which are connected to the Arduino via VCC, GND, A4, and A5 respectively. The
ground and VCC pins have been utilized to power the LCD. The Arduino and
breadboard serve as the major processing and connecting center for the various parts
of the system.

43
Table 4.1 System connection

Arduino Uno Soil Moisture Sensor

A0 Pin A0 Pin
( +5V ) VCC VCC , ( + 5V )
GND ( Ground ) GND
Arduino Uno I2C LCD Module
A4 Pin ( SDA Pin ) SDA Pin
A5 Pin ( SCL Pin ) SCL Pin
( +5V ) VCC VCC
GND ( Ground ) GND
16 * 2 LCD I2C LCD Module
16 Connect 16 Connect
Arduino Uno Single Channel Relay Module
D7 Pin IN1
VCC VCC
GND GND
DC Water Pump DC Supply (Battery) Single Channel Relay Module
Normally Open
Positive Common
Terminal 1 Normally Closed
Terminal 2 Negative

4.2 System operation

The Arduino is the center of this system, connecting all of the essential
hardware, as seen in Figure 4.2. The process starts from the soil moisture sensor. The
soil moisture sensor collects data from the soil and sends it to the Arduino board for
processing and decision-making. Next the value that the Arduino receives from the
moisture sensor is displayed on the LCD display. At the same time, the gathered data
will also be sent to the relay module, which determines whether the water pump should
be turned on or off. If the circumstance necessitates turning on the water pump, the
water pipe connected to the pump will begin to pull water from the water source and
push it to the other side of the water pipe to finish the soil watering operation.

44
 Figure 4.2 System operation

4.3 System installation

We combined the main construction to produce the desired result. The primary
portion of the system is where the instructions are given and where the code is written
using the Arduino IDE (integrated development environment), which decides and
monitors if the soil needs to be irrigated or not, as well as how it is doing. When the
soil humidity reaches 100%, the soil moisture sensor reads the soil level as LOW and
sends analog data to the Arduino, which processes the data and sends information to
both the LCD and the relay. The LCD displays the word "irrigation cont." and the
sensor level to indicate that the soil requires water. When the relay gets the
information, it connects to the water pump to provide electricity. And the irrigation
will continue until certain circumstances are met, at which point the water pump will
begin to pump out the water. The representation of the statement above is shown in
the diagram below.

45
 Figure 4.3 Dry soil

4.4 Cost of smart irrigation system

To analyze the cost of an Smart irrigation system we must consider the

component required to work the system well, so we use Arduino whose price is $7 also
one LCD that is $2.5 and one soil moisture sensor that has price of $1.76, and one
relay that is $1.17, breadboard and jumper wire are $2 and $1.52 respectively, and
there are also we one DC Mini Water Pump whose price $1.4, and DC Supply (Battery)
which has price of $1.5.

46
Table 4.2 Cost of smart irrigation system

No Component Name Quantity Price

1 Arduino Uno 1 $7

2 Soil Moisture Sensor 1 $1.76

3 16x2 Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) 1 $2.50

4 Jumper Wire 65 $1.52

5 Breadboard 1 $2

6 Single Channel Relay Module 1 $1.17

7 DC Mini Water Pump 1 $1.40

8 12 Volt DC Adaptor 1 $4

9 DC Supply (Battery) 1 $1.50

Total 22.85

4.5 Result

The implementation and result have been detailed in this chapter. With our
project, we were able to demonstrate that we were effective in meeting the project's
objectives. Finally, the project is finished and ready for usage. We discuss and
demonstrate the outcome of our experiment in a few sentences. We'll show you a few
examples and try to simplify things for you. We also included the cost analysis and
additional Advantages. As a result, we expect that our project will aid gardeners and
farmers in watering their plants and gardens.

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 CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.0 Conclusion

Thus, the “SMART IRRIGATION SYSTEM USING ARDUINO” has been

designed and tested successfully. The purpose of this project was to save time, money
and water consumption by providing smart control irrigation system this is a
significant study in energy and ecological sector. It has been developed by integrated
features of all the hardware apparatuses used. Existence of every module has been
reasoned out and placed wisely, thus contributing to the best working of the unit. The
system has been tested to operate automatically.

The soil moisture sensor measures the moisture level (water content) of the
plants. If the moisture level is found to be below the desired level, the moisture sensor
sends the signal to the Arduino which generates the Water Pump to turn ON and supply
the water to plant. When the preferred moisture level is reached, the system halts on
its own and the Water Pump is turned OFF. As a result, the complete system's
functionality has been thoroughly examined, and it is stated to work properly.

Farmers and gardeners who do not have enough time to irrigate their
crops/plants are the most essential beneficiaries of this endeavor. It also covers farmers
who waste water while irrigating their crops. The project can be expanded to include
greenhouses where manual supervision is scarce. The concept can be used to develop
fully automated landscapes and farms. When combined with the notion of rainwater
collection, it has the potential to save a lot of water if done correctly. This technique
can be used to generate remarkable outcomes with most types of soil in agricultural
fields with significant rainfall shortages. The smart irrigation system was designed,
implemented, and met the research objectives:

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 • Use the soil moisture (humidity) sensor to detect soil moisture.
• Use the LCD screen to display the humidity data from the sensor.
• An Arduino is programmed and connected to a cell phone to control the watering
system automatically.
• To automatically turn on and off the water pump in order to irrigate the plant's
land when the soil is dry or moist.

5.1 Recommendation

The following are the primary considerations that should be considered when
developing irrigation strategies that are efficient for risk and based on water resources:
Preliminary assessment of site conditions. Choosing the right soil moisture sensors is
crucial. Installation and maintenance of sensors, as well as the selection of suitable
areas. The proper interpretation and application of soil humidity data.

5.2 Future Work

Since the project's goal was to use a water pumping system for irrigation and
control it with an Arduino, there were a few things that might be done to make it better.
To irrigate the field with the appropriate amount of water, water level sensors could
be fitted. A noise sensor might also be installed to safeguard the farm field from
animals or even humans approaching the farm by emitting a loud sound such as an
alarm. This project can be developed in the future by adding a GSM module to make
a text message or telephone call for the alarm.

Another proposal for this project is to include electronic gate valves so that
multiple farms can be irrigated separately at different times using a single system, as
shown in Figure 4.4. Each land area should have its own sensors as an input to the
controller. In addition, the electronic gate valves should be connected as an output to
the controller.
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Figure 5.1 Irrigation system control with 4 different lands

50
 REFERENCES

Anand, Tanveer. 2015. “AGRARIAN- Automatic Plant Irrigation System.”

International Journal of Computer Applications 132(7):22–26. doi:
10.5120/ijca2015907485.
Angelakis, Andreas N., Daniele Zaccaria, Jens Krasilnikoff, Miquel Salgot, Mohamed
Bazza, Paolo Roccaro, Blanca Jimenez, Arun Kumar, Wang Yinghua, Alper
Baba, Jessica Anne Harrison, Andrea Garduno-Jimenez, and Elias Fereres.
2020. “Irrigation of World Agricultural Lands: Evolution through the
Millennia.” Water (Switzerland) 12(5). doi: 10.3390/W12051285.
Anon. n.d. “Automated Irrigation.”
Ariff, Muhammad, and B. I. N. Azlan. 2018. “SMART IRRIGATION SYSTEM (
INTERNET COMPUTING ) WITH HONOURS.”
AHMED, MUTAZ, OMER and AHMED (2016) “DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
OF GSM BASED AUTOMATED SPRAY IRRIGATION SYSTEM
PROTOTYPE.”.
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4396.
Gopal, T. Venu, and Aziz Nagar. 2018. “SMART IRRIGATION SYSTEM.”
119(15):1155–68.
Group, Bonita Bay, Shadow Wood Preserve, Lee County, Central Florida, and Student
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Guptha, Batchu Sriraj, Dalli Vamsidhar Reddy, and K. Ramya Laxmi. 2019. “Smart
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Hashan, Antor Mahamudul, and Abdullah Haidari. 2020. “Automatic Water
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HASSAN, A., WM Shah, and N. Harum. 2019. “The Development of an Automated
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 APPENDICES

CODE
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 16, 2);
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
lcd.init();
lcd.backlight();
lcd.clear();
pinMode(7, OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(7, HIGH);
delay(1000);
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("IRRIGATION");
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print("SYSTEM IS ON ");
lcd.print("");
delay(3000);
lcd.clear();
}
void loop() {
int value = analogRead(A0);
Serial.println(value);
if (value > 950) {
digitalWrite(7, LOW);
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("Water Pump is ON ");
} else {
digitalWrite(7, HIGH);
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("Water Pump is OFF");
}
if (value < 300) {
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print("Moisture : HIGH");
} else if (value > 300 && value < 950) {
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print("Moisture : MID ");
} else if (value > 950) {
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print("Moisture : LOW ");
} }

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