A research trial was conducted in the greenhouse of the Community of Mollepata in Ayacucho, Peru. The objective of the work was to develop an automated irrigation system with an Arduino control board in order to grow hydroponic crops.
The system uses an Arduino ATmega328P board to connect different components, such as a real-time clock module, LCD I2c screen, two one-channel relay modules and electrical resistors in order to obtain a micro programmable controller that turns on and off the water pump of a greenhouse in times determined according to the development of the crop. This is particularly relevant when growing different varieties of lettuce crops.
For this, it’s necessary to use different control techniques and to carry out several experimental tests in order to adjust certain control parameters, especially humidity and temperature - and that's what is done in the greenhouse of the Community of Mollepata in Ayacucho. within the three-year agreement "Inti, the energy that feeds the Earth". This agreement is realised by the National University of San Cristóbal de Huamanga (UNSCH) and the Regional Committee of Education for Development Lanaudière International (CREDIL – JOLIETTE) - Canada.