Kajal Shinde, Ayush Vishwakarma, Shivam Wayal, Shweta Thorat | International Journal of Plant Biotechnology | Vol 12, Issue 01 | pp. 18-24 | ISSN: 2456-0162
Abstract
Crop productivity is strongly affected by soil health, environmental conditions, and the availability of timely and accurate monitoring data. Traditional soil testing and crop assessment methods are labor-intensive and time-consuming. They also lack real-time capabilities, which limits efficient agricultural decision-making. This paper proposes an IoT-enabled smart soil monitoring and crop management system that provides real-time analysis of important soil and environmental parameters to improve agricultural productivity. The proposed system uses a network of sensors to continuously monitor key soil properties, including moisture content, pH level, and macronutrient concentration (NPK). An ESP32 microcontroller processes the collected sensor data and sends it to a cloud-based platform via GSM communication. This ensures reliable data access even in remote agricultural areas. The system runs on solar energy and uses efficient buck and step-up DC–DC converters. This design allows for continuous operation with low power consumption and better energy sustainability. Additionally, an ESP32-CAM module is included to support real-time visual crop monitoring. This feature enables early detection of pests, plant diseases, and growth issues through image analysis. It provides timely alerts, allowing farmers to take preventive measures and minimize potential crop losses. Experimental evaluation shows that the proposed system greatly improves soil health assessment, irrigation scheduling, and nutrient management. The real-time data visualization and analytical insights help farmers make informed decisions, leading to better resource use, increased crop yield, and lower operational costs. The results indicate that IoT-based precision agriculture systems can significantly foster sustainable farming practices and enhance overall agricultural productivity and long-term agricultural sustainability.
Keywords:ESP32, harvesting, IoT, NPK, solar energy, sustainability
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How to cite this article
@article{ShindeK2026,
author = {Kajal Shinde and Ayush Vishwakarma and Shivam Wayal and Shweta Thorat},
title = {A Sensor-Based Soil Monitoring System for Better Crop Harvesting},
journal = {International Journal of Plant Biotechnology},
year = {2026},
volume = {12},
number = {01},
pages = {18--24},
issn = {2456-0162},
url = {https://journalspub.com/publication/ijpb/article=24584}
}