ITOFOG Operational Group: Smart tool for optimizing irrigation in olive cultivation under different production frameworks

The main objective of this project is to develop an intelligent tool for monitoring and managing water supply strategies, based on the needs of olive groves throughout their annual cycle.

To this end, the project proposes the use of low-cost hardware technologies to bridge the digital divide in rural areas. The result is a functional prototype of an irrigation controller that will implement new strategies for applying water inputs in different production settings during the various stages of the crop cycle. This offers a new, easy-to-use technology that combines the necessary tools for evolving crop management and optimizing resources.

Other benefits include: > Reduction in water consumption: Water doses will be adjusted to crop demands based on its phenological state, thanks to information obtained from the sensor network. > More efficient crop management: Effective strategies for stimulating fatty acids during olive ripening can be established, identifying critical moments for irrigation. > Reduction in nitrate emissions: Avoiding the contamination of aquifers and inland waters from agricultural drainage with excess nitrates and phosphates through controlled irrigation applications that prevent excessive percolation. > Reduction in environmental impact: Erosion damage on sloping soils will be reduced, and good water uniformity will be achieved. > Reduction in alternate bearing: With the new tool, the crop will request the necessary water supply at key moments, covering this factor to the greatest extent.