Solar panels, coating systems installed in northern Azerbaijan [PHOTO]
By Akbar Mammadov
Solar panels and coating systems have been installed in the “Smart Garden” in Guba for the first time in Azerbaijan, using state-of-the-art technology, Azerbaijan Agriculture Ministry told local media on March 16.
“Smart Garden” project is run by the Research Institute of Fruit Farming and Tea Growing of the Ministry of Agriculture.
As part of the project, the cultivation of the orchard will be fully automated and computer management will be implemented.,
Automated irrigation and fertilization systems are installed in the “Smart Garden”. One of the biggest innovations is that the subartesian well, drilled for a water source, will be powered by electricity obtained through solar panels.
The expert Emin Mammadov noted that the works on installing 126 units of solar panels have already been completed.
“These panels will generate 30 kWh of electricity per hour. With the help of that energy, the activities of the water pumps will be provided. In the future, it will be possible to use this experience even in farm areas with difficult relief located away from the power supply”, said the expert.
Currently, the Solar, hail and frost coating systems are also created in the “Smart Garden”, which will contribute to preventing crop losses.
Asif Karimov, a researcher at the Institute, said that the mixed fruit orchard will produce different types of fruit trees, including apple, pear, quince, peach and cherry. The planting of saplings has already begun.
The main advantage of these gardens is that productivity will grow by 25%. The number of workers in the garden will drop to a minimum. After the garden built, three persons - a water engineer, a mechanic and an agronomist - will oversee the cultivation process. Agro-technical maintenance of a 15-hectare fruit orchard will be remotely managed by telephone or computer.
A central warning system has been set up at the “Smart Garden”. This system will help to control the growth process of plants in the fruit gardens. Information on the needs of the fruit trees for water, fertilizer, as well as pests and their diseases, will be transmitted to the central system. In addition, the dynamics of fruit size growth will be reflected in the system on a regular basis.
Another novelty is that the "Smart Garden" will be tested on super-intensive breeding of the most popular of apple sorts, the "Golden Ahmadi" and the new "Sadaf" variety created by the Institute.
Complete formation of the "Smart Garden" and integration into the automated cultivation management system will be completed by the end of January.
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Akbar Mammadov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AkbarMammadov97
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