Monitoring soil elements for irrigation management using Internet of Things (IoT) sensors

Abstract Smart farming focuses on three crucial areas: soil quality, weather conditions, and crop health. Because of the significant impact of weather and irrigation factors, many smart farming solutions are tightly integrated with smart environment and smart water (pollution, turbidity, nutrients) systems for a holistic approach. The Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionizing soil monitoring, giving farmers and growers the means to optimize yields, minimize disease risks, and rationalize resource use. Thanks to IoT sensors, it is possible to measure various parameters such as soil temperature, NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium) levels, and soil moisture. The information collected by these IoT sensors is then transmitted to a central point or stored in the cloud server for in‐depth analysis, visual representation, and trend identification. The application of the IoT in agriculture is widely referred to as smart farming. The IoT is an essential pillar of precision agriculture, enabling more targeted and efficient management of resources. Smart sensor systems provide more information about water and crop water requirements. This information can be used to mechanically manage the water supply system and help farmers optimize their irrigation system. The information acquired by the first sensors is transferred to the cloud server. This article proposes and evaluates the concept of remote sensing systems. Three sites were selected to test the IoT system. At each site, five sensors were employed, specifically designed for soil and irrigation water analysis. The sensors dedicated to soil pH, moisture, and NPK demonstrated commendable accuracy; equally, the irrigation water pH and turbidity sensors exhibited notably precise measurements. The results were noteworthy, with an R 2 value surpassing 90% across all sensor measurements. These IoT sensors could facilitate effective crop monitoring without excessive expenditures and serve to safeguard groundwater from nutrient contamination.