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IoT-Based Precision Irrigation System Featuring Multi-Sensor Monitoring and Scheduled Automated Water-Control Gates
Mir Nurul Hasan Mahmud1, Younsuk Dong2, Md Mahbubul Alam1
1Irrigation and Water Management Division, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur 1701, Bangladesh.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 13, 2026
Summary
An automated alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation system significantly cuts water and energy use in rice farming. This precision technology reduces labor needs, boosting water use efficiency and supporting sustainable agriculture.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Engineering
- Agronomy
- Water Resource Management
Background:
- Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) irrigation offers substantial water savings but faces adoption barriers due to infrastructure and labor demands.
- Automated systems are needed to overcome manual monitoring and control challenges in AWD for wider implementation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate an automated precision irrigation system for rice cultivation.
- To assess the system's performance in terms of water use, energy consumption, yield, and water use efficiency compared to continuous flooding.
Main Methods:
- An automated system integrating ultrasonic sensors, soil moisture sensors, a microcontroller, GSM module, and solar-powered gates was designed.
- Field trials were conducted using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four treatments: IRRISAT, IRRI35, IRRI25, and continuous flooding (CF).
- Irrigation was automatically triggered based on sensor thresholds and schedules, with specific water level or soil moisture setpoints.
Main Results:
- The IRRI35 treatment achieved high grain yield (7.76 t ha⁻¹) while reducing water use by 28% and energy consumption by 37% compared to CF.
- Water use efficiency was significantly higher under IRRI35 (9.4 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹) than under CF (6.7 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹).
- The automated system demonstrated reliability and precision in irrigation control, reducing labor requirements.
Conclusions:
- The developed automated AWD system effectively reduces water and energy consumption in rice production.
- Large-scale adoption of this technology can enhance irrigation efficiency and contribute to sustainable water management in agriculture.
- The system's precision and reliability address key barriers to AWD adoption, paving the way for broader implementation.
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