Modeling the Dynamic Response of Plant Growth to Root Zone Temperature in Hydroponic Chili Pepper Plant Using Neural Networks

Galih Kusuma Aji,Kenji Hatou,Tetsuo Morimoto

doi:10.3390/agriculture10060234

Galih Kusuma Aji, Kenji Hatou + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture10060234

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Journal: Agriculture	Publication Date: Jun 17, 2020
Citations: 11	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Ehime University, Universitas Gadjah Mada

Abstract

One of the essential factors in the root zone environment that affects plant growth is temperature. Determining the optimal root zone temperature condition in a hydroponic system during cultivation could lead to an improvement in plant growth. An optimal control strategy can be determined by identifying the eco-physiological process using a dynamic model. However, it is difficult to develop a dynamic model of the responses of plant growth to root zone temperature because the eco-physiological processes of plants are quite complicated. We propose an intelligent approach that can deal with this complex system. Non-linear autoregressive with exogenous input (NARX) neural networks were used to develop a dynamic model of the responses of plant growth to root zone temperature. The responses of chili pepper plant growth as affected by root zone temperature were measured during 60 days of cultivation inside a growth chamber using a non-destructive and continuous system based on a load cell. Five datasets of dynamic responses of plant growth were obtained for system identification. The results suggest that the application of a neural network is useful for modeling the dynamic response of plant growth to root zone temperature in hydroponic cultivation, with promising performance.

Highlights

In recent years, there has been growing interest in adopting hydroponic systems for crop production worldwide
These results show how the model simulates the dynamic characteristics of step response for different input conditions, which illustrates the ability of Root Zone Temperature (RZT) in various ranges to control plant growth in a dynamic system
The dynamic responses of plant growth as affected by changes in the RZT were examined using an automatic plant weight measurement system based on a load cell

Summary

Introduction

There has been growing interest in adopting hydroponic systems for crop production worldwide. In combination with protected agriculture such as greenhouses and plant factories, about 3.5% of the worldwide area has adopted hydroponic systems for crop production [1]. The benefits of adopting a hydroponic system for growing plants are flexibility and accuracy in controlling the root zone environment. By using a hydroponic system, the root zone environmental factors that influence crop growth and development can be controlled in optimal conditions during each cultivation stage [1]. The crops can grow to their maximum potential. Hydroponic culture is categorized as an intensive method of crop production. In comparison with soil culture, hydroponic systems can offer a higher yield, yet lower water and land usage [1]

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