A DIY Precision Nutrient Management System for Elevated Strawberry Culture Beds Made with Open-source Arduino and a Ubiquitous Environment Control System Platform

Abstract

Elevated hydroponic strawberry culture has advantages in saving labor over conventional ground-based soil culture. As the growing beds stand off the ground, inputs and outputs of matter can be measured accurately. I developed a low-cost nutrient management system using a ubiquitous environment control system platform with open-source Arduino hardware for a total cost of about JPY 60,000 per set. The system precisely and continuously measures the volume and electric conductivity of the input and output nutrient solutions. Visualization of water and nutrient uptake by strawberries improves production through precise control of the hydroponic system. Results of practical tests over 2 years improved the management of strawberry culture. The system has been made open source as a smart agricultural tool to support small- to medium-scale greenhouses that grow strawberries in Japan.