A networked platform for agricultural management systems

Greenhouse control computers are an essential part of modern greenhouse ope ration. Climate, irrigation and nutrient supply must be controlled, in an e conomical way, to produce the best crop conditions. Current research on CO2 enrichment and optimal growth strategies implies the use of powerful tools , either based on hardware or software. This paper describes the design and implementation of a distributed data acquisition and control system for co mputerised agricultural management systems that is being developed at Unive rsidade of Tras-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real. Different communicatio ns platform concepts, such as Controller Area Network (CAN), Wireless Techn ologies, Ethernet and Internet tools supported by Transfer Control Protocol /Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and e-mail tools supported by Simple Mail Trans fer Protocol (SMTP) were used to achieve a network with a low-cost, flexibl e, and functional characteristics. The system management and maintenance ta sks are divided into two types of performance levels. At a lower supervisio n level, a Local Controller placed in the greenhouses performs the monitori ng/control and communications actions. The management decisions are perform ed at the higher level. The techniques and tools, which provide to the user a transparent, friendly and intuitive Graphical User Interface (GUI) will be presented. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.