An Integrated Management Information Systems in Hydroponics A. Liopa Tsakalidis1, G.N. Mavrogiannopoulos2, H.C Passam3, D.Savvas4, A.B. Sideridis5 C.P, Yialouris6 1 National Agricultural Research Foundation, Institute o f Plant Protection, L. Amerikis and National Road, P.O. Box 5149, 26004 Patras, Greece E-mail:
[email protected] A gricultural University o f Athens, Laboratory o f Farm Structures,75 Iera Odos, Athens 11855, Greece E-mail:
[email protected]~ 3 Agricultural University o f Athens, Laboratory o f Horticulture, 75 Iera Odos, Athens 11855, Greece E-mail:
[email protected] 4 Technological Educational institute of Epirus, Faculty o f Agricultural Technology, Department o f Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, P.O. Box 110, Arta 47100, Greece, E-mail:
[email protected] 5 Agricultural University o f Athens, Informatics Laboratory, 75 Iera Odos, Athens 11855, Greece E-mail:
[email protected] A gricultural University o f Athens, Informatics Laboratory; 75 Iera Odos, Athens 11855, Greece E-mail:
[email protected]
Abstract In the present paper the design o f an Integrated Management Information System in Hydroponics is proposed. This system will provide information and advice to those who are involved in hydroponics. The system’s architecture consists o f the information and hydroponics subsystem and an information subsystem o f decision support. The system is aimed at encouraging the development o f Hydroponics in Greece and could be considered as a project proposal.
1. Introduction Plant- cultivation in greenhouses is internationally based ever increasingly on automated control systems. The existing infrastructure in contemporary greenhouses allows the producer to exploit the advanced information and communication systems such as the Internet and Databases. Databases also assist the user to record, classify in tables and present in graphic form various data connected to various applied techniques such as data yield, disease control, plant physiology and market conditions. The result is improved yield and increased quality production. There is sufficient work in the international literature today, could be used to design an integrated, effective and useful Decision Support Systems for integrated management of hydroponic cultivation. Studies which are referred to indicatively are those o f Acher et al. (1997), Adams and Massey (1984), Adams and Ho (1989), Daum and Schenck (1998), De Kreij (1995), De Kreij and Van Os (1988), De Kreij et al. (1997), De Rejck and Schrevens (1997a, 1997b, 1998a, 1998b, 1998c, 1999), Graves (1983), LiopaJTsakalidis et al., (2000), Ohtani et al. (2000), Mavrogiannopoulos et al,, (1999), Raviv et al. (1998), Runia (1995), Schwartz (1995), Sonneveld (1981, 1982), Sonneveld and Straver (1994) and Sonneveld et al
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(1999). A much more complete comparison in the bibliography sources which could be used for this purpose is given by Hannan (1998) and Savvas (2001a, 2001b). Systematic research is already taking place in Greece regarding the issue o f automated hydroponic cultivation management (Savvas and Manos, 1999, Savvas and Adamidis, 1999, Savvas, 2001a, Savvas and Gizas, 2002). Today, Hydroponics is defined as every plant cultivation method above ground with or without the use o f some solid sub-layer as a means o f plant root growth, which is completely based on hydro-fertilisation to meet the water and dietary needs o f plants. Hydroponic cultivation constitutes an alternate cultivation method for vegetable and ornamental plants in greenhouses, which presents many advantages and very few disadvantages: • Radical root disease management o f greenhouse cultivation. • There is no need to combat weeds, which compete with cultivating plants. • There is no need to disinfect the soil. • Reduction in pesticide application and consequently production o f healthier vegetables and flowers. • Management o f fertility problems, which appear in many greenhouse soils. • Control and monitor o f desired minimum temperature in the root environment may be more easily achieved and at a lower cost granted that the plant roots grow within a restricted mass o f the substrate or into nutrient solution. • Plant nutrition is much more precise; it can be controlled and monitored more efficiently and reliably; moreover it can be readily and quickly re-adjusted in the case o f an error. • Plant cultivation above ground saves the grower from soil preparation. • The better physical and chemical properties o f the substrate in comparison with the soil, the optimal nutrition and capability o f keeping higher temperatures in the root layer during the annual cold season finally result in an increased yield in hydroponic cultivation. • The hydroponic cultivation may include recycling of the run-off solution and consequently the restriction or even the elimination o f nitrate pollution problems. • In reality, the basic disadvantage of hydroponics is the fact that it concerns a cultivation method, which is based on the application o f modem technology and equipment and consequently requires know how. \ In countries where hydroponics is developed, the problem has been' resolved by means o f developing efficient advisory support system provided to farmers, which includes not only public service authorities, but also the private sector. In all such cases, the advice support to farmers is based on the existence o f standardised information systems, through which individualised layouts are designed for each producer and the necessary re-adjustment of nutritient solution is decided during the course of cultivation. In Greece, until today, there is nothing comparative and as a result, various agricultural· supplies providers, who are active in this sector, are co-operating with corresponding European private agents to provide scientific and technical support which is rather standard than flexible accordingly to the farmers needs. It is obvious from the above that it is necessary to develop an Integrated Information System for the support of hydroponic cultivation by taking into account the Greek reality in the fields o f greenhouse cultivation. For the above reasons, today: • Hydroponics, along with • Hydroponic Cultivation Support Centre constitute the two technology points in the field o f greenhouse cultivation.
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2. Description of the system As it has already reported, the study concerns the establishment o f a Hydroponic Cultivation Support Centre. The Integrated Information System will consist o f a Hydroponic Computer Subsystem and simultaneously of an Information Decision Support System for Integrated management o f hydroponic cultivation. The communication setting o f the information system will be user-friendly, interactive and will provide the user with the appropriate information and advice. This advice will be provided in form o f diagrams, illustrations, tables, graphic figures. The architecture o f the system is illustrated in Fig 1. The system will be also used as a diagnostic tool. All the information will be selected from databases, which will provide high performance, achieving: • Management o f huge amount of data. • High-speed operation. • Multimedia-type data support. • Safety o f data in different levels (user accessibility depending on their code, e.g. Administrator, user, etc.). • Simultaneous access control and synchronisation. • Base form development (e.g. New functions, sectors, queries, etc.). • Management through a user-friendly graphic environment. • Communication with other existing databases. • Remote management with the use o f web browsers. The planning o f the network will allow the easy update o f the system and updates of technology, techniques and protocols. Some o f the environment requirements, which will be satisfied: • The continuous and unobstructed information update and propagation towards the public. • The support o f *a strategic implementation, which will preview the system’s geographic distribution, as well as its users’ increase (copying ability - mirroring for the service’s use from more than one points, aiming public’s faster access). • The efficient integration (economically and technically) o f already existing applications and products (e.g. databases).
2.1 Computer Subsystem in Hydroponics Introduction, general information and basic training in hydroponics The aim is to further train the user regarding hydroponics. The application content will include a relatively large variety o f data. The module “Introduction, general information and basic training regarding hydroponics” will be constructively organised in such a way that the correspondence o f the title and the linked databases will be possible and efficient. The capability o f complementing the application with new elements and data is provided. The basic aim o f this task section constitutes keeping the interested party informed regarding the transition purpose in hydroponics, its advantages, its disadvantages, and means o f dealing with them, its demands, the species o f hydroponic cultivation, the disposable types o f substrate cultivation. Similarly, the acclimatisation o f the user with the general function framework o f a hydroponic cultivation.
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Greenhouse establishment and greenhouse equipment which will be utilised for establishing hydroponic cultivation The user will have the opportunity to introduce to the system a series o f information regarding his/her individual needs and aims concerning the technical and financial data o f the area, the market the user prefers to address, the area where the greenhouse will be established, the existing infrastructures in transfers, transport, etc. and will receive corresponding examples and advice (recommendations).
Establishment o f hydroponic system A system o f information entry and desires (eg. regarding the physiology, plant research team as well as alternate choices being given to the user for the integrated design o f a hydroponic system).
2.2 Decision Support Subsystem for integrated management of hydroponic cultivation Design o f nutrition layout Given the data o f the related crop, the user will receive a suggested nutrition layout for his hydroponic cultivation. Specifically, the basic information which the user will enter into the system is the cultivated plant species, the plant growth stage, the hydroponic system utilised (open or closed, sublayer type, etc.) the mineral composition o f the water used and the season of the year. Using a set o f alternative algorithms, the system will be able to make a recommendation about the final nutrition layout in a form, which is completely comprehensible even to the farmer (required kilos o f fertiliser, target values o f pH and electrical conductivity o f the nutrient solution which will be supplied to the plants, frequency o f supply).
Readjustments and corrections in nutrition layout in the course o f cultivation By entering the data o f chemical' analyses from the root zone (nutrient solution or water extract from the substrate), the growth stage o f cultivation, the application or not o f recycling devices and possibly some o f user’s preferences, the user will receive specific suggestions to re-adjust the nutrition formula that has been followed until then in an absolutely comprehensible and applicable form.
Regulation o f environmental conditions in the greenhouse By entering the necessary information requested by the system, the user can be informed by the system about best environmental conditions for a certain cultivation as well as their successful methodology, especially in hydroponic cultivation.
Problem solving A complete diagnostic and problem-solving guide will be created to deal with problems in hydroponic cultivation. In this way, even in the case o f something going wrong with the plants either for objective or subjective reasons, a timely and even possibly effortless solution of the problem will be possible. Such problems may be nutrient deficiencies or toxicities, physiological disorders due to unfavourable environmental conditions, problems due to insufficient or excessive humidity in the root region, unsatisfactory plant growth and low production due to incorrect crop management or other use, etc.
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WWW BROWSER
Subsystem crop nutrition management
Uers interface
WEB SERVER INTERFACE WWW«-* RDBMS
RDBMS Databases
Establishm ent o f nutrition 'ormulae________ Greenhouse establishment Introduction, genera! i f « » * » " « equipment information and Basic wWc? . ! f 7 be utilized fo r establishing hydroponic Training in hydroponics cultivation
Establishment o f hydroponic system Plant Nutrition Parameters DB
Figure 1 System’s architecture
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Crop S pecies requirem ents DB
3. Conclusions The study will contribute to an integrated and more efficient operation o f hydroponic greenhouses with certain financial benefits which will result from: - Excellent quality and competitive product within the country and abroad. - Programmed quantity and quality o f product during the whole production period. - Energy saving due to brevity o f the whole production process. - Innovation which aims at upgrading farming products in combination with technological knowledge in a laboratorial and pilot scale. - Reinforcement o f the virtually non-existent co-operative relationship between scientific research and the production sector in our country, which signifies the introduction o f new technology in crop production and transmission o f highlevel knowledge.
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