Development and Performance Evaluation of an IoT-enabled Automated Aeroponic System for Sustainable Crop Production in Kerala, India

Abstract

Aeroponics, a soilless cultivation technique that delivers nutrient-rich mist to plant roots, offers a viable solution to increasing food production sustainably while conserving water, reducing land use, and enabling agriculture in urban and resource-scarce environments. Traditional farming faces issues such as inefficient water use, land scarcity, and soil degradation, which are further exacerbated by urbanisation. This research investigates the development and assessment of an IoT-enabled automated aeroponic system for Palak cultivation at the KCAEFT Campus in Tavanur, Kerala. The system includes essential components such as a growth chamber, misting units, PVC fittings, and storage tanks for water and nutrients. A microcontroller-based control unit, integrated with a Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) Module and various sensors, viz. pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC), Total Dissolved Soilds (TDS), temperature, humidity, and level sensors, facilitates real-time data transmission to the ThingSpeak IoT platform for monitoring and automation. The system maintains optimal conditions, with temperatures ranging from 23°C to 27°C and humidity levels between 75% and 95%. Performance evaluation revealed a yield of 9.29 kg over 80 days, with a water use efficiency of 66.88 kg/m³ and nutrient use efficiency of 2.86 kg per kg of nutrients. The benefit-cost ratio was recorded as 1.19. Integrating IoT with aeroponics enhances precision agriculture by automating irrigation and nutrient management, addressing challenges such as water scarcity and food security. Expanding the system to larger greenhouse setups can further optimise resource utilisation, while small-scale urban applications enable local food production. Despite implementation challenges, aeroponics remains a promising approach to sustainable farming. Due to rapid land-use changes and urbanization, Kerala is experiencing a steady decline in cultivable land, which is putting a strain on traditional farming methods. These limitations draw attention to the need for creative solutions that can improve food production while effectively utilizing scarce resources and space, such as indoor and urban farming systems. The created IoT-based aeroponic system provides a scalable, resource-efficient, and sustainable farming solution, directly addressing these issues. However, the system’s time efficiency and scalability make it an attractive solution for modern agriculture, particularly in urban or indoor environments. Future research could focus on expanding its application to other crops and enhancing its scalability and energy efficiency.