Sensors for Agriculture and Environmental Monitoring for Indoor Ag Systems

Think of your backyard garden for a moment. 

In a perfect world, you’d see the ideal balance of sun and rain. Temperatures would never be too hot or too cold. Pests would find other places to … pester. And your garden’s yield would far surpass expectations. 

If you’ve ever tried to grow a fruit- or vegetable-bearing plant, you know this almost never happens. All it takes is one good frost, forgetting to water on a sweltering day, or a small infestation to dash hopes of a bountiful harvest. 

On a much grander scale, the environmental challenges backyard farmers deal with are the same for those managing large-scale and industrial agriculture operations. And the effects of those issues can be far more devastating. 

But the latest iteration of growing fruits and vegetables – and even raising livestock – is meeting these challenges head-on. Controlled environment agriculture (indoor growing operations) is already proving its salt as the answer to many big questions about feeding a growing global population against some pretty big hurdles to overcome. 

Still, this new method of crop production does require one major element: controlling an environment. While this is more possible indoors than it ever will be outdoors, it requires having the right climate control system setup that’s equipped with advanced sensors for agriculture and environmental monitoring. With both elements working seamlessly, indoor farming can be a very fruitful venture. 

In this article, we'll dig into: (click text to jump to section)

• The ongoing evolution of modern agriculture
• Controlling controlled environment agriculture
• IoT agriculture sensors for improved management
• Customizing your indoor agriculture sensors 
• & more! 

How Modern Agriculture Continues to Evolve

Let's go back about 100 years.

In the 1920s, agriculture represented a major part of U.S. life. At that time, there were approximately 6.4 million farms across  955 million acres of land across the country, with about 29 million people (about 38% of the population) living and working on them. Those farms and farmers provided a country of approximately 106 million with the fruits, vegetables, meats, and other agrarian products they consumed.

A century later, things have changed drastically:

• The population has tripled.

• In 2023, there were only 1.89 million farms in the U.S. – less than a third of a 6.8 million-farm peak almost a century earlier. And that number is only  poised to shrink in the coming years. 

• Farmable land is decreasing year over year, and that's not expected to change any time soon.
  
  

But feeding a hungry world that has a growing population and eating habits that are integrating more plant-based options is indeed a challenge. Meeting that demand isn't as simple as opening up a new field and growing more produce – in fact, that option is becoming one that's quickly becoming less of one.

So where do you turn?

The great indoors is proving to be fertile ground.

Whether it's  vertical farming, large-scale hydroponics, or commercial greenhouse growing operations,  indoor controlled environment agriculture is providing the answer to supplementing lost farmland and farms in a sustainable way.

This new(er) and continuously evolving method for growing produce – and even raising livestock – is not without its challenges.

The biggest: How do you recreate ideal outdoor growing conditions indoors efficiently and effectively?

While Mother Nature can't be duplicated, she can be emulated. In other words, though a tall order, it's not impossible to make indoor farming just as fruitful as traditional agriculture. With the right technology, processes, and monitoring systems, indoor farming can thrive.

Controlling Controlled Environments

Sensors for Agriculture and Environmental Monitoring 

Regardless of what growing method you're using at any scale, indoor agricultural environments still have a direct impact on the success of a crop. 

While you'll never deal with a freak hail storm or an unexpected frost, many of the same metrics that affect produce and livestock outdoors are still concerns for the indoors. Among the most critical ambient conditions for healthy plants indoors are temperature, humidity, and CO2. Too much or too little of any of them can spell disaster for a crop. 

Temperature and Humidity Sensors in Agriculture

If there are two advanced sensors for agriculture and environmental monitoring that go hand-in-hand, they're  temperature and humidity sensors.

Why?

On their own, both sensors help keep tabs on two very important elements for growing produce successfully. But those same metrics have a symbiotic relationship of sorts, with one influencing the other. 

A Closer Look at Indoor Agricultural Temperature Sensors

Let's step back outdoors for a moment.

Consider a field of lettuce. Though bountiful and easily grown, lettuce is incredibly reactive to temperatures. In the blazing sun, it wilts easily if not watered properly. In colder temperatures – say those present during a late frost, its cellular structure gets damaged, and it turns into an unusable mush.

The same is true indoors – but because of the very controlled environment plants are in, they're more likely to suffer if temperatures aren't kept within a tight range.

However, indoor agriculture doesn't just deal with one crop's ideal growing temperature. Different types of plants thrive under different conditions. What works for lettuce won't necessarily work for a heartier vegetable, such as beets.

And regardless of the type of vegetable you're growing, there are natural daily temperature cycles to consider when mimicking outdoor conditions – it's colder at midnight than it is at noon.

To monitor and regulate temperatures indoors, those designing environmental control systems turn to two advanced agricultural temperature sensor options: NTC thermistors and RTD temperature sensors

Which is the best option for temperature sensors for agriculture and environmental monitoring? That's easy: NTC thermistors, and for several reasons:

• Cost Efficiency: NTC thermistors are generally less costly than RTDs, making them an economical choice for indoor farming of any size.

• Simplified Installation: NTC thermistors are easier to set up than RTDs due to their small size and versatile packaging, which supports straightforward integration into various segments of an indoor farming system like soil or irrigation setups.

• Temperature Sensitivity: NTC thermistors utilize resistance to measure temperature shifts, offering a sensitive approach ideal for the variable conditions of indoor farming. This sensitivity facilitates exact control over growing environments, crucial for maximizing plant growth and health.

• Adaptive Use and Integration: NTC thermistors are versatile for a range of applications, capable of monitoring air and soil temperatures. Their suitable packaging allows for seamless incorporation into various facets of an indoor farming operation.

A Closer Look at Humidity Sensors for Indoor Farming

"It's not so much the heat as it is the humidity."

Just like temperature, an indoor environment's humidity levels can mean the difference for a bountiful harvest.

Remember that symbiotic relationship we mentioned between temperature and humidity? Humidity is practically a direct byproduct of temperature. For example:

• High temperatures are conducive to high humidity, which can mean too much water in the air for plants to transpire effectively or for root rot to set in. 

• Lower temperatures can mean more arid conditions, leading to wilting, stunted growth, and pest infestations.

And like temperature sensors, those designing climate control systems for indoor agriculture generally choose between two types of advanced humidity sensors: capacitive and resistive.

• Capacitive Sensors detect humidity levels by monitoring changes in electrical capacitance, which occur by moisture absorption.

• Resistive Sensors take measurements based on alterations in the electrical resistance of hygroscopic materials in response to moisture.

Which is best for this application? In most cases, it's capacitive sensors.

CO2 Sensors for Agriculture Indoors

Carbon dioxide is a double-edged sword for agriculture, both indoors and outdoors.

In one respect, it's a necessary element for growing vegetables. As your fourth-grade science teacher would tell you, without CO2 plants can't photosynthesize and grow. But too much CO2 also has its own set of issues for plant growth, such as decreased harvests or outright crop failure.

Ultimately, finding – and more importantly, maintaining – the right balance of CO2 is no different than it is with temperature or humidity: too much or too little has consequences for a crop.

NDIR CO2 Sensors: The Best CO2 Sensors for Smart Greenhouses, Indoor Ag

As with most applications, you always have a choice in the sensor technology you'll use. The case is no different with monitoring CO2 in smart greenhouses and indoor agriculture.

When it comes to monitoring the byproduct of respiration, there is one type of sensor that stands above all others: NDIR (non-dispersive infrared) CO2 sensors.

This type of sensor functions by detecting the amount of infrared light that passes through a gas sample. As CO2 molecules absorb specific wavelengths of infrared light, the sensor can precisely measure the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air by observing changes in light absorption.

But your NDIR sensor selection can get a bit more granular. In fact, in controlling CO2 levels in controlled environment agriculture, it should. 

There are two types of  NDIR CO2 sensors: single-channel and dual-channel.

For indoor agriculture and smart greenhouses, you'll want to use a dual-channel NDIR CO2 sensor.

Put simply: the dual-channel option is designed for applications in which a space is constantly occupied or there are unlikely to be regular CO2 level fluctuations, such as a greenhouse or indoor growing operation. Another way: indoor agriculture is all about keeping conditions under control and consistent, and dual-channel NDIR CO2 sensors are made for environments that don't see much change.

The Next Evolution in Advanced Sensors for Agriculture and Environmental Monitoring

If there's one thing that Mother Nature has taught us after thousands of years of farming, it's that one of the few ways to protect a crop is to constantly monitor it. The sooner you're able to identify an issue, the sooner you're able to intervene. Noticing and disposing of one blighted tomato plant can save an entire field and its harvest.

Just as in traditional farming, monitoring a crop grown indoors doesn't mean hiring extra hands and having a round-the-clock schedule. Thanks to advancements in both sensor technology and process automation – more specifically,  IoT (Internet of things) agriculture sensors, keeping close tabs on your crop and its environment becomes a 24/7 job requiring human intervention only when necessary.

IoT agriculture sensors for agriculture and environmental monitoring constantly track and collect data on parameters such as temperature, humidity, light intensity, soil moisture, and CO2 levels. With this data, they enable automated adjustments to optimize growing conditions, improving crop yield and quality.

And when it comes to data – even in agriculture – more is more. The more actionable data farmers have on the growing environment and crops from things like smart greenhouse sensors, the more they can fine-tune climate control and growing systems with pinpoint accuracy for: 

Adding Customizing Indoor Agriculture Sensors to Your Operation

Even if you’re raising the exact same crops as the farm next door, the simple fact is that your operation is unique. And while advanced sensor solutions come in all shapes and sizes, the best choice(s) for your indoor farm are the ones designed specifically for it. 

Sensors for agriculture and environmental monitoring are nothing new. But the ones made for your operation are. 

To effectively integrate IoT agriculture sensors into your indoor farming climate control systems, the best approach is to partner with an advanced sensor manufacturer.

By collaborating directly with the manufacturer, you can take advantage of:

• Customization: Manufacturers can create bespoke solutions tailored to the specific needs of your indoor farming operation. Custom sensors can be designed to measure specific parameters crucial to plant health and growth.

• Integration: Advanced sensor manufacturers can design your sensor solutions to seamlessly integrate into your existing indoor farming systems. What’s more, they can offer guidance on integrating sensors with other climate control components, such as HVAC units or irrigation systems, ensuring cohesive operation.

• Innovation: Working directly with sensor manufacturers provides access to the latest sensor technologies and innovations. Manufacturers often invest heavily in research and development, allowing clients to benefit from cutting-edge solutions that offer improved accuracy, reliability, and functionality.

• Support: A direct relationship with a sensor manufacturer guarantees ongoing support and advice. This is invaluable for troubleshooting, updates, and scaling the sensor network as your indoor farming operation grows or evolves.

• Cost-effectiveness: Although custom solutions may appear more expensive initially, they can offer greater cost-effectiveness in the long run by optimizing resource use, reducing waste, and enhancing crop yields.
  
  

Precision Farming Indoors: Leveraging Advanced Sensor Technology

There are no two ways about it: just like in the outdoors, growing a bountiful harvest indoors requires a high level of monitoring, care, and management. 

Though indoor growing environments are drastically different from the natural route for growing vegetables or raising livestock, there are commonalities that simply can’t be ignored. With sensors for precision agriculture and environmental monitoring, you can ensure precise control over your indoor farming conditions, leading to healthier plants and more abundant yields.