Precision Farming Techniques in Vegetable Crops

a. Protected Cultivation

• Use of greenhouses, shade nets, plastic tunnels, and hydroponics for crops such as tomato, cucumber, capsicum, lettuce, and leafy greens.
• Provides controlled environment for temperature, humidity, and light.
• Enhances off-season and export-oriented production.

b. Precision Irrigation and Fertigation

• Drip irrigation combined with fertigation units for site-specific nutrient delivery.
• Soil moisture sensors used for real-time irrigation scheduling.
• Reduces water use by 40–60% and fertilizer use by 20–30%.

c. Soil and Crop Monitoring

• GIS and GPS mapping to identify variability in soil fertility.
• Use of chlorophyll meters, SPAD meters, and leaf color charts to monitor crop nutrition.
• Disease and pest hotspots identified using drones and imaging systems.

d. Hydroponics and Soilless Cultivation

• Crops like tomato, lettuce, spinach, strawberry grown in nutrient solutions or substrates (cocopeat, perlite).
• Allows production in areas with poor soils and limited water.

e. Mechanization and Automation

• Use of transplanters, sensor-based sprayers, robotic weeders, and harvesting aids in vegetable production.
• Precision seeders ensure uniform spacing and depth.

f. Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM)

• Use of yellow sticky traps, pheromone traps, biocontrol agents and drone-based pesticide application.
• Minimizes chemical use and maintains produce quality.