IOT AND WEATHER DATA-DRIVEN SMART IRRIGATION FOR WATER-EFFICIENT CROP PRODUCTION
: https://doi.org/10.65725/JCISE/2/3/012
JOURNAL OF COMPUTATIONAL INTELLIGENCE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (JCISE) 
ISSN: 3107-8168
Volume 2 Issue 3, Jul-Sep 2026

Abstract:
Agriculture is one of the major consumers of freshwater, and inefficient irrigation practices can lead to significant water wastage, reduced crop productivity, and increased cultivation costs. Conventional irrigation methods often depend on fixed schedules or manual decisions and may not adequately respond to changing soil and weather conditions. This study proposes an IoT and Weather Data-Driven Smart Irrigation System for Water-Efficient Crop Production that enables intelligent and automated irrigation based on real-time field conditions.

The proposed system integrates Internet of Things (IoT) sensors such as soil-moisture, temperature, humidity, and water-level sensors with external weather information including rainfall probability and temperature forecasts. The collected data are transmitted to a central monitoring platform using an IoT-enabled controller. Based on soil moisture levels and prevailing or predicted weather conditions, the system determines the appropriate timing and duration of irrigation. When adequate soil moisture or sufficient rainfall is expected, irrigation is reduced or postponed, thereby avoiding unnecessary water consumption.

The proposed system was developed and evaluated using selected agricultural crops under controlled field conditions. Its performance was assessed in terms of water consumption, irrigation efficiency, soil moisture management, crop growth, and system reliability. Experimental results demonstrate a water savings of up to 35% compared to conventional schedule-based irrigation, alongside an 18.2% improvement in soil moisture stability. The study demonstrates how the integration of IoT and weather data can support precision agriculture, sustainable water management, and improved agricultural productivity.

Authors: Dr. M. Rathamani

Keywords:  Smart Irrigation, Internet of Things (IoT), Weather Data Forecast, Precision Agriculture, Water Efficiency, ESP32 Microcontroller, Closed-Loop Automation.