Internet of things based smart greenhouse design and comparison with traditional greenhouse

With the advancement of technology, the number of devices that simplify human life is increasing. Since the 1990s, the widespread use of the internet has accelerated efforts to connect devices to the internet. The technology known as the Internet of Things (IoT) enables objects to communicate with other devices, humans, and cloud systems over the internet, as well as to be monitored and controlled remotely. IoT offers a wide range of applications in many fields. In Turkey, greenhouse cultivation holds an important place in agricultural activities. However, achieving high efficiency in greenhouses requires regular, continuous, and disciplined human labor. Additionally, errors arising from human-dependent processes can negatively impact production efficiency. In this context, IoT-based smart greenhouse applications minimize human errors in production processes while offering the potential to reduce time and transportation costs and improve water usage efficiency. In this study, two greenhouse models of identical dimensions were designed. In the first model, environmental parameters such as humidity, temperature, soil moisture, and light were monitored and controlled without distance limitations through a mobile application. This IoT-based smart greenhouse automatically manages ventilation, fan, lighting, and irrigation systems according to environmental parameters and alerts users in the event of possible malfunctions. In the second model, no automation system was implemented, and cultivation was carried out using traditional methods. Arugula was cultivated in both greenhouse models, and the obtained products were compared and evaluated in terms of efficiency, early yield, and water consumption parameters.