WSN in Spice Cultivation

WSN in Spice Cultivation Ravi Kishore Kodali and Anupama Muraleedhar Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering National Institute Of Technology, Warangal WARANGAL 506004 INDIA Abstract—Wireless sensor network (WSN) is an arrangement of sensors that can be used to monitor various physical phenomena. By introducing WSN in agricultural fields, the crop yield and the farm productivity can be improved to a great extent. India is the largest producer of spices in the world and so the profits and exports are bound to increase. This paper presents a detailed account of the history of cardamom, black pepper and clove, along with the cultivation practices in Kerala and the major problems faced by the farming community. WSNs can be used to measure various soil related parameters such as soil moisture, water content, soil temperature and soil nutrients, environmental parameters, the presence of pests among different crop types and appropriate remedial measures that can be undertaken in a timely manner so as to improve quality produce. Keywords: WSN, Agriculture, Spices, Soil Moisture

I. I NTRODUCTION In 2013, India became the seventh largest agricultural exporter in the world [1] with the largest export in wheat, rice, meat, sugar, to name a few [2]. In the field of spices, globally, pepper is the most traded spice [3]. India is the largest producer of spices and produces around 6 million tonnes, of which 12% to 14% are exported [4]. Within India, out of the 29 states, Kerala is leading in the production of cardamom, pepper and cloves. Around 70% of the total cardamom production in India is in Kerala [5]. Within Kerala, the district of Idukki has the highest production in all of the three spices considered. The next highest production is in the district of Wayand, which leads in black pepper and cardamom cultivation. Besides Idukki, Kottayam district is the second highest producer of cloves [6]. According to the data available, Indian production and exports of spices are on the rise but there is still scope for huge improvement, especially to increase the production and the yield of the spices. Taking advantage of wireless sensor networks (WSN) in the field of precision agriculture, it is possible to boost the production as well as improve the quality of the spices. A WSN is a group of sensor nodes which are placed some distance apart and cumulatively collect physical data and organize the collected data at a central location [7]. A basic sensor node has 5 components: memory, R.F. communication device, sensor, micro-controller and power supply as shown in Figure 1. The micro-controller processes all the relevant data, memory stores the data and the programs, sensor is the

Fig. 1: Major Sensor Node Hardware Components interface to the physical world, communication device sends and receives data from other nodes, and the power supply provides energy to the node. WSNs are used mainly to detect an event, for periodic measurement, function approximation and tracking and so WSNs are extensively used in many fields in this modern age such as for disaster relief, biodiversity mapping, precision agriculture, intelligent buildings, medicine and healthcare, logistics to name a few [8]. Integration of technology in agricultural practices to improve the productivity and yield is called precision agriculture. Depending on the type of sensor used in the WSN, the farmer receives messages from these nodes so that appropriate measures can be undertaken [9]. II. R ELATED W ORK Ronal A. Cardenas Tamayo designed a system which senses the surroundings and can predict the risks of insects and plagues for tomato and pumpkin zucchini crops, both in greenhouses and in open fields. The system provides real time information about the soil and the crops. Due to this information presented by the system, the negative impact on the environment can be greatly minmized and be able to reduce the cost of production. N. Rajput did a similar experiment with WSNs in apple farming. The advantages of using WSNs in apple farming were discussed and also the problems that were faced [10]. III. S MALL C ARDAMOM Small cardamom, a member of the Zingibaraceae family, is known as the queen of spices and is the third most expensive spice in the world after saffron and vanilla. India used to be the largest producer of this spice until Guatemala pushed India to be now known as the second largest producer [5]. In India,

cardamom is cultivated in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Most of the cultivation in Kerala is concentrated in Idukki, Palakkad and Wayanad. In Karnataka, this spice is grown in the districts of Coorg, Chikmagalur and Hassan. In Tamil Nadu, it is cultivated in Pulney and Kodai hills [11].

during the months of April and May after the pre-monsoon showers. The pits are normally filled with rock phosphate and manure or a combination of top soil and compost. But since Kerala has many hills and mountains, it is necessary to cultivate on sloppy lands. The major obstacle that lies is during the monsoon season; the soil erodes due to the heavy rainfall. To prevent soil erosion, soil moisture must be adequate which, upon research, was found that a trench system was better at retaining soil moisture than the pit system. Trenches can be built with a width of 45cm and depth of 30cm along the contour of the slope or across the slope. The disadvantage with the trench system is that it requires relatively more labor than pits [11]. Talking about irrigation, it is essential in the months from January to May. The plants are irrigated in an interval of 10-15 days using drip, sprinkler or hose methods before the onset of monsoon. Since Kerala is a hilly area in general, cultivating on gentle slopes requires rectangular slit pits (1.0X0.5X0.6m) between four plants to help in water conservation. On steeper slopes, stone pitching walls are built and trenches are dug up to collect water [12]. TABLE I: Comparison of Cardamom, Pepper and Clove

Fig. 2: Cardamom plant Soil Type Temperature Rainfall Sea Level

Small Cardamom forest loam soils 15-35 ◦ C 150-250 cm 600-1200 m

Black Pepper

Clove

red laterite soil

loamy and red soil 16-27 ◦ C 150-300 cm 0 to 1500 m

10-40 ◦ C 125-200 cm 0 to 1500 m

B. Production In the year 2012-13, India exported 2371.59 M.T of which Saudi Arabia was the highest consumer of Indian produced cardamom. Within India, Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu lead the list of states which grow cardamom [13]. Looking at Kerala, out of the 14 districts, only 7 districts cultivate this expensive spice, Idukki and Wayanad being the top two producers respectively. In Idukki, 80% of the total agricultural area is used in cultivating cardamom, whereas in Wayanad, only 10% is used. According to statistics, in 2013-14, Idukki produced 13,040 tonnes and Wayanad, 650 tonnes [6]. IV. B LACK P EPPER Fig. 3: Stem of a Cardamom plant A. Cultivation For cultivation of small cardamom, the region must have 150-250 cm of annual rainfall with a mean temperature of 15◦ C to 35◦ C and 600-1200 m above mean sea level. The spice grows well in forest loam soils [12]. There are two varieties grown in Kerala, namely, Mysore and Vazhukka. These are grown in 60X45X45 cm pits which are left open

Black pepper is of the Piperaceae family and is both a spice and medicine. It is called the king of spices [3] and is native to Kerala but is also produced in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu [13]. A. Cultivation Pepper is a vine so for the support that it needs to grow, the vine is wrapped around coconut, jack fruit or areca nut trees. It grows best in humid climate with 125-200 cm of rainfall, with temperature between 10◦ C and 40◦ C with soil temperature between 26◦ C to 28◦ C for the root system growth. This crop

Fig. 4: Pepper vine

Fig. 5: Clove tree

can be sown into a wide range of soils but red laterite soil, above 0 to 1500 m mean sea level, suits this crop the best. During the non-monsoon months, summer irrigation technique is used to water the plants [14]. Another method is to dig a trench 75 cm deep, 30 cm wide, having a suitable length and filling it with rooting material usually forest soil, sand and farmyard manure in a ratio of 1:1:1. If it is not possible to use the support of trees, sticks are placed in the trench. It will take around three to four months for the spice vine to reach the top of the supporting stick. Once there, the terminal bud is cut off and the vine is crushed three nodes above the base. Around ten days later, the crushed vine is removed and placed in a poly-bag which contains the rooting mixture. The buds develop within three weeks [15].

A. Cultivation Clove grows well in humid environment, around 16◦ C27◦ C, with loamy soil and red soil which is 0 to 1500 m above mean sea level with an annual rainfall of 150-300 cm. For flowering, the climate should be cool. Cloves are harvested when the bud is fully grown but still unopened. They are generally green in color and dried in the sun till they become the famous dark brown color. Clove buds which are left unpicked, open into an one seeded oval fruit called the Mother of Clove. The fruits are allowed to drop down naturally. These fruits are then picked and sown directly in the nursery or soaked overnight. The beds in the nursery are 15-20 cm deep, 1 m wide and a well-suited length. Germination starts 10-15 days later and is completed within 40 days [17]. VI. E XPORTS

B. Production In the recent years, production in Kerala has reduced and in fact, Kerala might soon be dethroned as the pepper capital of India by Karnataka. Looking at the data available, from the year 2007-08 to 2012-13, the production of Karnataka increased from 3624 to 22032 tonnes whereas production in Kerala halved during the same time period, from 41952 tonnes to 23678 tonnes. There have been many factors that caused this drop such as recurring droughts, diseases and pests along with the farmers personal choice to change from pepper cultivation to production of a different crop [10]. Within Kerala, Idukki stands on top, contributing 51% and in second place is Wayanad [6].

India, being the largest producers of spices also happens to be the largest exporters of spices. The International Organization for Standards has listed 109 different varieties of spices out of which, India produces and exports 75 varieties. Globally, the spice market is worth US$3.67 billion and in 2012, spice export globally stood at US$ 7.3 billion [18].

V. C LOVE Clove is of the Myrtacaea family and is a dried flower bud, which has a strong pungent smell. Clove is the type of plant which can be grown in any part of the country except the coastal area where it is sandy but the best and most suitable area is the red soil in Kerala [16]. In Kerala, Idukki has the highest production among all 14 districts so far, producing 46 tonnes in the year 2013-2014 [6].

Fig. 6: All India Area and Production in 2012-13

January-February, May-June, and September-October. Root grub is another pest which damages the roots and rhizomes, leading to the death of the entire root system at times. The time period of peak population is during April and September. Nematode is another type of pest which causes 32-47% reduction of yield [12]. Efficient irrigation methods need to be adopted during drought periods.

Fig. 7: All India Area and Production in 2013-14 TABLE II: World Export of Spices (in US $ Billion) Spice Cardamom, Nutmeg and Mace Pepper, Peppers and Capsicum Clove

2008 0.4

2009 0.5

2010 0.6

2011 0.8

2012 0.7

2.1

1.9

2.3

3.3

3.4

0.2

0.2

0.2

0.8

0.4

Both the graphs as shown in Figure 6 and Figure 7 illustrate an increase in production and area cultivated within a one year span for all three spices in India.

Black pepper farmers are hit by pollu beetle, top shoot borer, leaf gall thrips to list out a few. Pollu beetle is the most destructive pest. It feeds on tender leaves and spikes. Pest infestation is more prominent in shaded areas in the plant and during the months of June-July and September-October. Top shoot borer is another serious threat to the spice, especially among the young plantations. The new shoots are attacked which leads stunted growth of the vine. Leaf gall thrips attack the younger vines and plants that are at a higher altitude. This pest feeds on leaves causing the leaf margins to curl downward and inward, leading to the formation of marginal leaf galls [14]. Cloves are hit by stem borer and scale insects. Stem borer attacks the main stem of young trees. These infested trees later succumb and wilt because of the infestation. Scale insects infest the seedling of the clove. This pest feeds on tender stems and the lower surface of the leaves [17].

Table II shows the global export of the three spices in terms of US dollars. In these five years, spanning from 2008 to 2012, the prices have, at times fallen but the general trend indicates an increase in the export prices. From Table III, Indian exports of cardamom, black pepper and clove, are also showing the same general trend, increasing with a few drops in between. VII. T HE P ROBLEM The major problems prominent in agriculture nowadays are irrigation and pest related problems. Pests eat the crops around them, damaging the crops, spreading diseases consequently reducing the yield. For cardamom farmers, pests such as cardamom thrips, shoot and capsule borer, root grub, nematodes, to name a few, are a huge problem. Cardamom thrips are the most destructive pest and are at their highest population during the summer season i.e. February to May. The damage caused by this pest is as high as 80% in specific areas. Shoot and capsule borer are prevalent in nurseries as well as plantations. They feed on internal contents leading to the dead heart syndrome. This pest is present throughout the year but population generally increases in the months of TABLE III: Indian Export of Spices Spice Cardamom, Nutmeg and Mace Pepper, Peppers and Capsicum Clove

2008 22.2

2009 42.3

2010 56.6

2011 115.7

2012 103.8

349.9

329.4

426.6

676.9

676.6

0.5

1.8

2.5

19.3

4.6

Fig. 8: e¯ Ko node EN2100 and gateway [19]

VIII. E XPERIMENTAL R ESULTS eKo nodes are an integrated sensor package which can be used as a multi point monitoring system, providing real time data from the surrounding environment; these nodes measure soil moisture, temperature, humidity among other parameters and are used in the fields of precision agriculture, environmental research, irrigation management, pollution detection etc. Figure 8 shows the expermental setup.

The eKo node is powered by rechargeable batteries as well as a solar cell and yet can be operated for 3 months without the need for recharging, with the nodes having an average lifetime of 5 years.

Fig. 9: Sample Soil measurements Each node has a range of 2 miles, so wide areas can be covered by placing sensor nodes 2 miles apart. These eko nodes are pre-programmed so they themselves form a wireless mesh network built with MEMSICs mesh low power networking protocol. Figure 9 shows the plot of measured soil mosture sensor measurements using MEMSIC eKo agriculture WSN devices. IX. C ONCLUSIONS Three different spices and the related cultivation practices have been presented. The application of WSNs among these crop types has been considered. MEMSIC eKo node has been made use of for experimentation. R EFERENCES [1] http://www.fas.usda.gov/data/india-s-agricultural-exports-climb-recordhigh. [2] http://apeda.gov.in/apedawebsite/index.asp. [3] V.A.Parthasarathy, B.Chempakam, and T.J.Zachariah, Chemistry of Spices. [4] http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=119998. [5] http://www.mcxindia.com. [6] D. of Economics and G. o. K. Statistics, Agricultural Statistics 20132014, January. [7] http://www.techopedia.com/definition/25651/wireless-sensor-networkwsn. [8] H.Karl and A.Willing, Protocols and Architecture for Wireless Sensor Networks. Wiley, 2005. [9] R. Kodali, N. Rawat, and L. Boppana, “Wsn sensors for precision agriculture,” in Region 10 Symposium, 2014 IEEE, April 2014, pp. 651– 656. [10] R. Kodali and N. Rawat, “Wireless sensor network in mango farming,” in Engineering (NUiCONE), 2013 Nirma University International Conference on, Nov 2013, pp. 1–6. [11] P. Ravindran and K. Madhusoodanan, Cardamom: The Genus Elettaria, 2003. [12] Ankegowda, Biju, Jayashree, D. P. C. S. Kumar, and V.Srinivasan, Cardamom (Extension Pamphlet). ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, January, 2015. [13] http://www.indianspices.com. [14] S.Devasahayam, J. Z. T, E. S. J, B. Sasikumar, V.Srinivasan, and R. S. Bhai, Black Pepper (Extension Pamphlet). ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, August, 2015. [15] H.Panda, Handbook on Spices and Condiments (Cultivation, Processing and Extraction). Asia Pacific Business Press, 2010. [16] http://agrifarming.in/clove-cultivation-information.

[17] M. Anandaraj, S. Devasahayam, B. Krishnamoorthy, P. Mathew, and J. Rema, Clove (Extension Pamphlet). ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, January, 2005. [18] “Agri export advantage,” Export-Import Bank in India, vol. XVIII, January 2014. [19] R. Kodali and N. Narasimha Sarma, “Experimental wsn setup using xmesh networking protocol,” in Advanced Electronic Systems (ICAES), 2013 International Conference on, Sept 2013, pp. 267–271.