Smart Orchard Water and Fertilizer Coordination System: Precision Variable Irrigation Based on Crop Models

Smart Orchard Water and Fertilizer Coordination System: Precision Variable Irrigation Based on Crop Models

The Smart Orchard Water and Fertilizer Coordination System is a modern agricultural technology that organically combines irrigation and fertilization, and manages them with precision and variable methods based on fruit tree growth models. It changes the traditional extensive model of uniform water and fertilizer application in orchards, aiming to achieve synchronized water and fertilizer supply, on-demand supply, and precise regulation, thereby improving fruit quality, conserving resources, and reducing environmental burden.

The core of the system is the establishment of a dynamic digital model of fruit tree growth. This model integrates fruit tree variety, tree age, current phenological stage (such as budding, flowering, fruit setting, and fruit enlargement), historical yield, and real-time environmental data (such as soil temperature and humidity, and leaf transpiration). Through this model, the system can continuously determine the water and fertilizer requirements (especially the required ratios of key elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) of fruit trees at specific growth stages, like an experienced agronomist, providing a scientific basis for precise decision-making.

Precision variable irrigation practices are automatically executed based on model-based decisions. The system automatically generates and executes irrigation and fertilization plans based on the water and fertilizer requirements calculated by the model. During irrigation, the system uses a variable-control fertilizer applicator to precisely mix soluble fertilizer into the irrigation water according to a preset ratio, achieving integrated water and fertilizer delivery. More importantly, it supports zoned variable management: by deploying sensors in different areas of the orchard, the system can identify differences in soil fertility, moisture, or tree vigor, and implement different irrigation volumes and fertilizer formulas for different areas, truly achieving "one policy per area" and correcting uneven growth within the orchard.

This practice transforms orchard management from a "fuzzy art" relying on manual experience into a data-driven precision science. It not only significantly improves water and fertilizer use efficiency (typically saving over 30% water and over 20% fertilizer), but also optimizes the fruit tree growing environment, improving fruit sugar content, color, and uniformity. It is a key technology system for promoting high-yield, high-quality, high-efficiency, and environmentally friendly goals in modern orchards.