Why use wireless sensors
As greenhouse horticulture becomes increasingly complex, minor disruptions in crop conditions can impact significantly on the crop result. There is therefore a growing need to have more control over the climate in every square meter of the greenhouse. Wireless sensors will help you achieve just that. Plus, they are affordable and easy to install and move around.
An integrated solution
To help you meet every challenge you encounter as a grower, we work with various partners. One of these partners is Aranet, an expert in wireless sensors for horticulture. Integrating Priva-Aranet wireless sensors into your Priva system allows automatic crop control based on your measurements. You can use multiple measurements as input for a control strategy, for example, with the option to use minimum, average, or maximum readings. This enables you to match your climate and irrigation even more effectively to the crop and avoid risks that impact on production quality.
The data from the Priva-Aranet sensors is clearly displayed in Priva Operator, our online application for remote climate, water, and energy management. In your dashboard and graphs you can analyze data and obtain new insights. The measurements are, of course, also available in Priva Office Direct.
Some practical examples
Moisture content
With pot plants, the moisture content of the substrate in the pot can vary depending on where the plants are located, regardless of whether they are placed on a bench or on the floor. By measuring the moisture in different places, you are able to adjust the irrigation to the ‘driest’ reading. This is of course also possible for determining the moisture content in bed crops and crops on different types of substrate.
Temperature & relative humidity (RH)
Nowadays, growing crops means pushing control towards the boundaries of what is possible. When temperatures are low and humidity is relatively high, this can lead to condensation on the plant as the temperature drops close to the dew point. This is particularly common in plants growing near the side walls. With one sensor per compartment you can only respond to that particular sensor. With additional wireless sensors, e.g., in every known cold spot, the computer can react to the lowest sensor reading and start the required action.
PAR
An inside PAR sensor for measuring photosynthetic active radiation will always encounter shade during the day due to greenhouse construction or installations. When you add more PAR sensors it will not reduce the shade, but by using multiple sensors in a compartment it is possible to control your screen based on the highest measured value of the connected sensors. (assuming that all PAR sensors are not in the shade at the same time.) Another option is to compare the PAR measurement below and above the curtain.
