From Tradition to Innovation: IoT-Enabled Precision Farming Strategies for Optimal Resource Use efficiency in Tomato Crop Management

Abstract

Abstract This study investigates the response of two varieties of plants, Sahoo and SVTD8323, to different fertilizer treatments. The Sahoo variety showed a quick response to the fertilizer treatments, with F1 and F2 treatments resulting in a 17% and 26% increase in plant height at 40 DAT, respectively. Both varieties showed an increase in the number of branches, with F2 treatment resulting in a 24% and 26% increase in Sahoo and SVTD8323, respectively. Both the varieties showed an increase in fruit weight, with Sahoo showing a 5.8% and 7.9% increase in fruit weight over the control at F1 and F2 treatment, respectively, while SVTD8323 showed a 2.9% and 5.5% increase in fruit weight over the control at F1 and F2 treatment, respectively. Both varieties followed a parabolic curve in yield per harvest across treatments, with Sahoo showing a 12.5% increase in yield at F1 treatment and a 13.5% increase at F2 treatment over the control treatment. Similarly, SVTD8323 showed a 12.5% increase in yield at F2 treatment over the control treatment. In a nutshell both the varieties consumed 29 to 39% lesser water and 25% lesser fertilizer than respective control treatment. The benefit to cost ratio was highest at F2 treatment in both varieties, with a ratio of 2.14 in Sahoo and 2.27 in SVTD8323, indicating that the IoT enabled precision farming profitable.