Hydroponic vegetable cultivation with nutrient film technique system in a greenhouse based on the Internet of Things

Hydroponic is one of the popular methods to be applied when it comes to soilless farming. In the absence of soil, plant growth conditions must be maintained according to plant needs to grow optimally. This study aims to design a plant care system that can be carried out remotely via the internet of things (IoT). This study utilizes nutrient film technique (NFT) hydroponic system installed in a greenhouse. Using Arduino Mega 2560 as a microcontroller, DHT-11 sensor module to measure air temperature and humidity, HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor to measure the remaining water level, DS18B20 temperature sensor to read water temperature, a TDS Gravity sensor to read nutrient concentration, and relays to activate and deactivate actuators. In this greenhouse system, data like air temperature and humidity, water temperature, water level, and nutrient concentration can be monitored remotely via Blynk IoT platform. The designed system combines all sensor readings and receives real-time sensor data, which farmers can monitor and perform interventions remotely. This study compared the growth of water spinach that grew outside the greenhouse and those insides and equipped with IoT, both using the NFT method. The results indicate that the water spinach grown in the greenhouse with IoT produced 7% heavier fresh weight, 6.35% higher plant height, and was free from insect bites compared to those grown outside the greenhouse without IoT.