Device for Determining Variations in Stem Thickness of Trees

Abstract

Abstract In precision agriculture, obtaining accurate information in real-time is essential when making relevant decisions; for example, to determine the hydric stress of plants, continuous monitoring of different plant variables such as stem thickness is required, since this is a very relevant indicator to define the water need. For this purpose, a low-cost prototype was developed to constantly monitor the fluctuations of the diameter of the trunk of a tree. The device has been designed so that it can acquire information autonomously with the help of a control software,. The sensitivity of the device allows measuring variations of up to 8 mm, which is considered optimal for this type of need. During the development of the prototype, the mechanical and electronic structure was designed using simulation software, considering the technical characteristics and functional requirements of the sensor, a control system and power supply. The prototype was built using a 3D printer, the mathematical model used in the control system was validated in a controlled environment presenting a percentage error of 2%, which is considered acceptable, prior to the implementation of the prototype in the field.

Keywords

• agriculture, water stress, log diameter, 3d model.