Automated plant growth optimizer

Obour STEM school Grade 11, semester 2 (2022/2023) Group number : 21204
Basel Nabil - Islam Bassem - Mohamed Ehab – Omar Abd El-Azeem
Keywords: Arduino UNO – Light Sensor – Temperature Sensor - Basil plant – Sustainable system

Abstract
The agriculture sector in Egypt is facing significant challenges due to climate change,
which is affecting the economy and food security of the country. As a response to this issue,
our project aims to develop a smart sustainable agriculture feedback system that optimizes the
growth environment of the plant using cost-effective techniques. The system is designed to
reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the agriculture sector, which contribute
significantly to global emissions. Our proposed solution utilizes an LDR light intensity sensor
and temperature system with LED lights and linoleum to optimize the light intensity and PTC
heat supply and computer fan to maintain the temperature range. Our system was tested on
basil plants, which require a light intensity of 10,000-15,000 lux and a temperature range of
21-24°C. The results showed a significant improvement in the plant’s growth rate from the
average ratio with 0.1 % (0.5 % instead of 0.4%). These results demonstrate that our
system's performance is remarkable, and it can be considered a smart sustainable solution
powered by green energy resources require power 126 watt/day. Our proposed solution
addresses the challenges faced by the agriculture sector in Egypt by reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and enhancing plant growth and productivity. The system's cost-effectiveness and
ease of replication, using off-the-shelf components and simple programming, make it a
practical solution for optimizing plant growth with minimal resource consumption.
• Fabrication of the prototype’s body:
First, we manufactured a system to ensure a healthy environment for the plant’s growth
through by using an acrylic container (25 cm x 25 cm x 40 cm) with a movable roof .
• Automated feedback system:
Second, the feedback system has been optimized by connecting the VCC and GND pins of
Arduino UNO to the breadboard red(+) rail and negative(-)rail respectively.
• Temperature feedback process:
2 DC fans and PTC heater have been connected to the relay module then connected to the
bread board, while the LM35DZ temperature sensor has been connected to the analog pins
to allow the temperature sensor to read the changing in the temperature range and take the
required action by operating the 2 fans or the PTC heater.
• Light intensity feedback process:
The LED lamp which provides the additional light intensity, with a blue shaded roof to
decrease the intensity of the sunlight attached with 2 servo motors to control the door’s
opening and closing due to the variation in light intensity, which have been connected to the
digital pins on the Arduino UNO, while the LDR Light sensor has been connected to the
analog pin rail.
• Coding:
Analysis
Developing an efficient solution to ensure a healthier plant growth environment that aligns with
Egypt's grand challenges was a complex undertaking. After research, we identified temperature
and light intensity as the two most critical variables influencing plant growth. We selected LDR
light sensors, temperature sensors, PTC heat supply, and fans to regulate the temperature range
between 21-24°C and LED lights with light shade to regulate the light intensity level between
10,000-15,000 Lux. Our testing using a basil plant, which showed that this mechanism optimizes
plant growth and met our design requirements. We used a scientific approach, testing for positive
and negative outcomes, to validate our findings. Our results suggest that this smart feedback
system is an efficient and cost-effective way to create a healthy plant growth environment that
aligns with Egypt's vision for 2030. This solution has the potential to increase the agriculture
bases, but during its test we discovered some positives and negative points:
• Positives:
We could ensure a two processes feedback system which helps in making a healthier environment
to any plant species with low cost and available materials by a 0.1 day/cm increase from
standard rate significantly enhances plant growth rate with 33 cm final height, and our
project’s cost is effective as the total cost 1750 L.E.
• Negatives:
Conclusion
Our project involved constructing smart feedback system to provide care for plant growth.
Through our testing and data analysis, we arrived at several key conclusions. Firstly, we
were able to achieve significant improvements in plant growth using our system. In just 10
days, we achieved a growth rate of 0.5 day/cm for a basil plant with an initial height of 28
cm, which represents a 10% increase in efficiency compared to the normal growth rate.
Additionally, we observed noticeable improvements in the size and shape of the basil
leaves, which increased from an initial value of 4± 0.02 to a final value of 8 ± 0.02 cm.
Our system has more potential to the alternative solutions as our system offers a cost-
efficient solution in terms of the features it provides as it offers an automated care for
plant growth without the need for human intervention with a cost of 1750 L.E. In contrast,
other solutions such as the Farmigo platform offer plant care with a subscription fee of
150 dollars per month (GrubMarket , 2021).These findings demonstrate the applicability
and sustainability of our system on a larger scale. The cost efficiency of our system,
combined with its ability to provide complete automated care, makes it a viable option for
use in large-scale agricultural settings. Further research and testing are needed to optimize
the performance of our system for broader application and impact.

Recommendations
After the system’s components have been connected properly as The 20 day test period are not continuous due to many external factors, also our project has a
show in table 1, the codes were required to activate the feedback

Introduction
Climate change is a global challenge that has profound implications for all countries, and
developing countries like Egypt are particularly vulnerable. Recent reports have indicated that
Egypt is one of the countries most affected by climate change, with rising temperatures, increased
water scarcity, and extreme weather events posing significant challenges to its agricultural sector
and economy (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2020). Moreover, Egypt is the fifth-largest
emitter of greenhouse gases globally, contributing to the worldwide problem of climate change
(World Bank Organization, 2022). Therefore, it is crucial to address critical challenges such as
improving the scientific and technological environment for all, reducing and adapting to the
effects of climate change, and increasing the industrial and agricultural bases of the country.
In this context, the agricultural sector plays a vital role in enhancing production rates, quality, and
environmental sustainability in Egypt, also it represent a critical problem by sharing with 11% of
the GHGs emissions globally . Developing modern technological applications that combine
efficiency, eco-friendliness, testability, and scalability is critical to overcoming these challenges
and advancing development in Egypt. Several prior solutions have been proposed to address the
challenges of food production and agriculture, but it is essential to analyze their advantages and
disadvantages to avoid repeating past mistakes.
One such solution is the Farmigo platform, which utilizes satellite technology and direct user
feedback loops, along with image processing algorithms, to generate customized field-specific
reports on soil moisture content, pest and disease incidence, and yield forecasts. While the
Farmigo platform has been successful in enhancing food security, it is susceptible to
environmental factors such as storms and sudden temperature changes that can lead to delays in
the feedback process (GrubMarket , 2021).
Another prior solution is the production of paper using a smart feedback system that regulates the
paper production process without human intervention. This solution has resulted in a reduction of
environmental pollution as the waste produced can be recycled in the industry. However, the
excessive electricity required to operate the system makes it unsustainable on a large scale.
To address these challenges, we propose the construction of a feedback system that automatically
regulates the temperature and light intensity affecting agricultural crops represented in Basil
plants. The system employs a light sensor to maintain the desired light intensity using a light bulb
and a heat and fan supply to optimize the temperature automatically. Our proposed solution
focuses on three design requirements: the optimum level of light intensity (10,000 -15,000 Lux),
the temperature level (21-24C°), and power efficiency to create a sustainable energy system.
power consumption rate of 126.6 Watt/day, which is a critical parameter in determining its
system the codes were written, they were uploaded to the Arduino feasibility using equation 1 to find the power of each device then added them together:
Uno using the Arduino (IDE);as a result, our final prototype is ready Power of device (W) = Voltage (V) x Current intensity(Ampere) Eq.1 Based on the promising findings presented in this project, work is continuing to make
as proved in figure 1. • Test plan additional improvements to attain better outcomes than what was able to be achieved
• Test Plan: As part of our efforts to develop a prototype, we implemented testing process to ensure that our
due to hardware restrictions. The following steps are being taken to accomplish this:
First, we ensured that there is no errors in the uploaded, then solution is effective and does not harm the plant or the environment.
the solar panel has been connected to the relay module to charge Figure (1) The final prototype First, we took the necessary safety precautions. We then attached the solar panels, which were • Finding a more manageable way to close and open the adjusting light intensity door to
the 3 batteries (3V) to ensure the sustainability of the system, then a 23 cm basil plant has designed to provide a sustainable source of energy to power our system. Next, we tested the light
ensure a well automated prototype’s version.
been conducted to 20 day period approximately test to compare the growth rate before and • Attaching an air conditioner instead of PTC heater and computer fan to ensure an
sensor to ensure that it accurately measures light intensity. This involved using a flashlight with
after using our system to provide the most healthier growth environment.
an intensity of more than 1500 lux to trigger the light shades to close. We then made a dam on the optimized temperature and reduce the prototype’s weight.
Table (1) The System’ s components connections light sensor, which caused the LED to power up. We also tested the temperature sensor to ensure • Controlling the wave length of the LED to be the optimum value needed for each plant to
Component Breadboard Pins that it accurately measures temperature levels. When the temperature was less than 21°C, the ensure the suitable growth environment.
Arduino UNO VCC and GND pins  PTC heater was activated, while temperatures above 24°C triggered the activation of two • Adding a manageable way to control the humidity of the plant and feedback its behavior
Temperature sensor VCC to + side, GND to - side, OUT to analog pin of Arduino UNO fans ,and observed the sensor’s reading. by a soil humidity sensor.
Light sensor VCC to + side, GND to - side, OUT to analog pin of Arduino UNO Overall, The results of our tests indicate that our solution safe for use in a variety of • The scalability of the system could be considered to ensure that it can be implemented on a
Servo motors VCC to + side, GND to - side, SIGNAL to digital pin of Arduino UNO environments. larger scale. This could involve exploring different designs or materials to reduce the cost
Relay module VCC to + side, GND to - side, SIGNAL to digital pin of Arduino UNO • Test project of production, or developing a system that can be easily replicated and installed in
In order to ensure the effectiveness of our prototype, we conducted a series of tests to evaluate its different agricultural settings.
Light bulb + to NO pin of relay module, - to Ground
ability to meet the design requirements. The tests were carried out over a 10-day period and
Computer fans + to NO pin of relay module, - to Ground aimed to determine whether the system was capable of creating a healthy environment for plant
PTC heater 1 to NO pin of relay module, 2 to Ground growth. To measure the impact of our system on plant growth, we tracked the height of the plant
before and after using the prototype. Our results show a significant increase in growth rate after Literature cited
Results
• Despite all the challenges we encountered, we were able to observe the basil plant
using our system, with the plant growing at a rate of 0.5 day/cm as compared to 0.4 day/cm
before using our system, as demonstrated in figures (4) and (5) and Table 2. By improving the
growth rate of the plant, our system has the potential to enhance the efficiency of agricultural
[1] Food and Agriculture Organization . (2020, April 21). Climate change. Retrieved from
Food and Agriculture Organization : https://www.fao.org/climate-change/en/
growing in our system for 10 days with the following steps: practices and contribute to sustainable food production. Further research and testing are needed to
1. Ensure the power source of the system by 12 V Solar panel and calculating the required validate these results and optimize the design of the prototype for wider application. [2] GrubMarket . (2021, Septemeber 14). Cision PR Newswire. Retrieved from GrubMarket
power to operate the system for 10 days. Acquires Farmigo to Expand Software Offerings to American Farms:
2. Observe the plant growth and make a health environment for it. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/grubmarket-acquires-farmigo-to-expand-software
-offerings-to-american-farms-301376111.html
3. Recording the changing in the plant’s height and plant’s leave size.
• Plant’s Growth height Test
Advantages:
[3] Li-Feng Huang, L.-X. S.-J.-H.-H.-Q. (2013, February 06). Plant-Soil Feedbacks and Soil
The growth rate of a basil plant was observed over a period of 10 days and the data was
Sickness: From Mechanisms to Application in Agriculture. Retrieved from Springer link:
recorded daily in Figure 2. The initial height of the plant was measured as 28 ± 0.02 cm and it
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10886-013-0244-9
grew to a final height of approximately 33 ± 0.02 cm. These findings provide evidence of the
system's efficiency in promoting the growth of basil plants.
[4] Ma, Y., & Ding, W. (2018, December 16). Design of Intelligent Monitoring System for
Disadvantages:
Aquaculture Water Dissolved Oxygen. Retrieved from IEEE:
The experiment also measured the power consumption of the system, which was recorded as
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8577649

Materials and Methods

approximately 1266 Watt-hours for the 10-Day period. Figure (4) The plant’s height before using our system(28cm) Figure (5) The plant’s height after using
• Plant’s Growth leaves Test our system(33cm)
Table (2) Plant’s growth height in the first 10 days before using our system [5] Morecroft, J. D. (n.d.). A ctritical review of diagraming tools for conceptualizing feedback
Also, the growth rate of a basil plant's leaves was effectively observed over the same period of Days 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 system modelling. Retrieved from Springer link.
10 days, as recorded in Figure 3.
2 Servo motors 2 DC fans Temperature Sensor Light Sensor Advantages: Plant’s 23.5 23.9 24 24.4 25 26.3 26.8 27 27.6 28 [6] World bank organization. (2022, April 19). Egypt: Acting Against Climate Change for A
The initial leaf size was measured at 4± 0.02 and it grew to a size of approximately 8 ± 0.02 .
45 EGP height(cm) Healthier, More Prosperous Future. Retrieved from World Bank:
200 EGP 120 EGP 20 EGP Additionally, the total number of leaves increased from its initial value to a final value, which
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/opinion/2022/04/19/-egypt-acting-against-climate-chang
effectively increased the total surface area of the plant exposed to sunlight and improved its • Ecofriendly test
In developing our prototype for an ecofriendly solution to create a healthy plant growth e-for-a-healthier-more-prosperous-future
photosynthesis efficiency; as a result, These findings provide valuable information to ensure
environment, we used materials that would not harm the environment. We selected the

Acknowledgement
that our proposed project is a real step towards Egypt’s vision for 2030, and may have
implications for improving agricultural bases. components that were known to be safe to use. We also made sure that our prototype operated
Disadvantages: using a 12V Photovoltaic cell, a renewable energy source that produces clean energy. To validate
It was not feasible to maintain strict control over all factors that may influence plant growth our solution, we measured the leaves’ size in the plants we tested to ensure that our solution could
efficiently support photosynthesis. Additionally, we conducted a thorough analysis of all the We thank God for helping us finish the capstone this semester then we want to thank our
Arduino UNO during the 10-day experimental period, thus potentially affecting the results.
3 V Batteries PTC heater 12V Solar Panel electronics and materials used in our prototype to ensure that they were ecofriendly and met safety capstone leader, who helped us a lot. We also thank our general capstone leader who helped
Plant’s height in 10 Days Plant’s Leaves Area in 10 Days standards. Our approach to designing and testing our ecofriendly solution was grounded in us find our idea. And we appreciate the significant role of our capstone teachers in the class
375 EGP 50 EGP 100 EGP 215 EGP who helped us finish and edit our work. And with all our hearts, we appreciate our families’
34 scientific principles and a commitment to environmental sustainability. renewable energy sources,
33
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we hope to make a positive impact and support the development of a greener planet. financial and emotional support. Finally, we want to say thanks to our principal, who helped
8
Learning outcome Connection and inspired us.
Plant’s Leave area (cm^2)

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Plant’s height (cm)

7
BI.2.08 This LO demonstrates a solid awareness of linking structure to function, which was useful in comprehending each component of

For Further information

31 the prototype and how their functions interrelate. 
6
30 CH.2.08 We learnt about the cells (Galvanic or Electrolytic) in this LO we applied to power and control the different components of the
5 plant growth system. Galvanic cells can be used to store and generate electrical energy, while the concept of an external
29 electrical current can be applied to control the servo motor, PTC heater plate, and fan. By applying this knowledge, you can
Rely module 28
4

3
ensure that your system operates safely and efficiently.

45 EGP 27 2
MA.2.07  It was helped us to calculate the rate of change of temperature, to determine when to activate the PTC heater plate or fan. By
taking the derivative of the temperature with respect to time, you can obtain the rate of change. This information can then be Name E-mail
used to determine whether to activate the PTC heater plate to increase the temperature or the fan to cool it down
26 1 Basel Nabil Abd-El Ghaffar Basel.2121010@stemkalubya.moe.edu.eg
ME.2.01  It was used to calculate the power consumption of the plant growth system. This information can help to optimize the system's
25
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
energy usage. Additionally, our knowledge of capacitors can be applied in designing the electrical circuit of the system, for Islam Bassem Kamal Islam.2121004@stemkalubya.moe.edu.eg
example, in smoothing out voltage fluctuations and reducing noise. By applying our knowledge of power calculation, power
efficiency, and capacitors, operating the plant growth system in a more energy-efficient and reliable manner.
Mohamed Ehab Ahmed Mohamed.2121030@stemkalubya.moe.edu.eg
Time elapsed (Days) Time elapsed (Days) English cycle (1) It can help effectively to communicate the project through various means such as poster, portfolio, and presentation. By applying

Figure (2) The growth of the plant’s height Figure (3) The growth of the leaves’s surface area
this knowledge of academic writing, we organized our ideas and presented them in a clear and concise manner. Additionally, our Omar Abd-El Azzeem Omar.2121019@stemkalubya.moe.edu.eg
ability to write well can help us to prepare a portfolio that effectively showcases our work.