Wireless Sensor Networks for Precise Phytophthora Decision Support
Daan Goense, John Thelen · 2005 Tampa, FL July 17-20, 2005 · 2005
The development of wireless sensor networks opens the possibility to extend spatial information withtemporal information for precise decision support in agriculture. Possibilities of measuring themicroclimate in a potato crop for a new generation Phytophthora control system are investigated.Experiments are carried out with mica2dot nodes to study the propagation of radio waves in a cropcanopy. An architecture is developed to collect sensor data in agricultural fields for use in decisionsupport systems. Results on propagation showed that a dry, full developed crop canopy limits the distance that radioscan cover to around 11 meters when placed near the soil surface. Wet conditions improvepropagation. A number of 140 nodes collect data on temperature and relative humidity in a potatocrop. This information is forwarded by an energy efficient protocol to a gateway at the side of thefield. From there it is forewarded to a data warehouse and a decision support system. It is shown thatprinciples of the ISO11783 standard can be used for both infield wireless communication and fordata exchange between the field and the decision support systems.