Improved growth of coffee seedlings (Coffea canephora) under SMART irrigation system

Abstract

Water stress in plants due to the effects of climate change resulted in reduced growth and yield of coffee in the tropics. Efficient use of water through the use of SMART irrigation systems available provides a promising solution to address such a problem. Thus, a study utilizing a combined climate- based and soil moisture SMART irrigation system has been conducted to assess its effects on the growth of Robusta coffee seedlings compared to practiced manual irrigation. The experimental design utilized a Complete Block Design (CBD) approach. Additionally, water consumption was measured to determine any significant differences. Over the course of the two-month experiment, 20 replications per treatment, it was observed that coffee seedlings subjected to the automated irrigation system (T1) exhibited significant improvements in both plant height and number of leaves, with growth rates of 72.56% and 65.29%, respectively, compared to manually irrigated plants (T0). Although the water savings achieved under the automated system were not statistically significant, there was an 18.95% reduction in water consumption. These findings highlight the potential benefits of automating irrigation systems using an IoT approach, specifically in terms of enhancing coffee seedling productivity. By utilizing real-time data from sensors, the SMART irrigation system effectively optimized water usage and resulted in improved growth and yield. This research underscores the importance of implementing such technological advancements to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on coffee cultivation in tropical regions.