**3. New irrigation techniques used in strawberry cultivation**

Water scarcity follows population growth as a result of climate change. For this reason, using agricultural water effectively and safely has now become an unavoidable fact. This is exactly why there is a need for new irrigation methods, irrigation models, and stable water management. For example, low-cost IoT-based sensors and actuators were used to save energy and water, reduce costs, manage irrigation systems properly and effectively, reduce the effects of water-borne diseases and pests, and increase efficiency. Considering the above facts, in a study conducted by Cáceres et al. [10], proposed a control system with an economic and predictive feature that provides an advantage for irrigation periodicity. This system aimed to provide maximum efficiency, sufficient soil moisture for crops, and optimize appropriate water and energy consumption. For this purpose, the predictive controller was developed in this system to minimize damage from water-related problems and prevent energy loss by using soil moisture at different depths. Basic greenhouses, where expensive materials and smart systems are not used, are very common in China, as in many countries in the world. An intelligent planting management platform for strawberries was created based on IoT to intelligently maintain planting activities in these greenhouses. For this purpose, research was conducted in order to improve the intelligent planting system and efficient water use in IoT-based greenhouses with an intelligent planting management platform for strawberries. In order to provide computer-human interaction, a platform was developed that can accurately optimize the climate data required for the strawberry in the greenhouse, which can be controlled manually through the WeChat app on a mobile phone. In this study, the user module was added to the platform, which allows the producer to manually change the climate data in the greenhouse via IoT. This connection was based on narrowband IoT wireless transmission technology at 4G speed. Additionally, the application layer was developed with a design based on

#### *Strawberry Cultivation Techniques DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104611*

water-saving management knowledge about the strawberry. This systematic design included seven features; strawberry variety selection, planting seedlings, flower and fruit thinning, environmental control, disease and pest control, plant nutrition and fertilization, and economic irrigation. Through the deployed human-computer platform, producers reported that they were able to make adjustments to options such as regular information regarding plant cultivation, query information retrieval, cultivation management, evaluations and alternative decision-making. In addition, the outcomes of the application were summarized as follows: in comparison to the management experiences of the producers, the efficiency of water use increased by 128.55%, the production value efficiency increased by 226.31%, chemical fertilization decreased by 40%, pesticide use decreased by 61.67%, and the cost of pesticide decreased by 32.48%. Therefore, there was a significant decrease in both fertilizer and pesticide use [11].

Lozano et al. [12] conducted a study in Doñana National Park in Spain, in which they measured parameters such as evapotranspiration, crop coefficient estimation, irrigation efficiency, crop yield and water efficiency in two common strawberry cultivars using drainage lysimeters. Later, they developed an Android application that facilitated manual irrigation planning in the strawberry sector and enabled water use. A similar study was performed by measuring agro-climatic data and water requirements for evapotranspiration in strawberry plantations in the Chilean San Pedro region. In the correlation analysis, the researchers primarily used the k-means of time in the series of agro-climatic variables and the methodologically convenient evapotranspiration parameters. The periods when plants need water were classified by the researchers in order to use a water balance controller [13]. For the use of the smart strawberry irrigation system in a greenhouse in Greece, a three-step method, which records data in a network in order to verify the plant nutrition solution and plan the application, was followed. First, hardware with a ready-to-use small-scale smart irrigation prototype solution and software that was tested and evaluated on different plant species was developed, giving useful insights into larger-scale applications. Second, a reference network architecture was introduced that specifically targets smart irrigation and edge data distribution for strawberry greenhouses. Third, by adopting the reference architecture proposed in the second step, a full-scale system and a conventional strawberry irrigation system were compared in a strawberry greenhouse environment. According to the results of this study, this system gave a more accurate result when measuring the amount of soil moisture change and determining the water consumption compared to the traditional irrigation system, and also reduced the cost of irrigation [14]. The authors [15] planned a study to develop and implement an autonomous and automatic irrigation system for irrigation in a strawberry field. For this purpose, Arduino, which uses a smart irrigation system, was developed. Software was used that provides daily information to farmers about the cultivation status, solenoid valve status, soil moisture, and water tank level. The data obtained from the sensors were transferred to the microcontroller and analyzed, and the user was allowed to decide whether to water the plant or not depending on the results. Thus, according to need, the microcontroller decides whether the solenoid valves will open or not. At the same time, the water level in the water tank could be monitored through the ultrasonic sensor. It was confirmed that this system information provided real-time information about the amount of water in the tank, soil moisture in three areas, time, and date. As a result of this study, the researcher acknowledged that the functionality of the system, which was operational throughout the season, was verified by different tests.

In parallel with the developments in irrigation methods in strawberry production, plant nutrition and fertilization studies have also started to gain momentum. Due to excessive land use for production, there are significant deteriorations in soil fauna and flora. The decline in soil organic matter (SOM) due to the intensification of agricultural practices has become one of the most important threats to soil quality [16]. The decline in SOM affects a number of issues adversely. It causes a decrease in soil fertility, biodiversity, microbial activity, and aggregate stability, all of which have a negative impact on plant productivity and health. Typically, small areas with no rotation cycles restrict the agriculture of strawberries. As a result, the soil deteriorates over time as a result of constant replanting. In the areas where strawberries are produced, the decline in soil fertility as well as the emergence of soil-borne plant diseases [17], require a sustainable agronomic technique that can enhance the productivity of strawberries in replanting conditions. The use of organic material in the reclamation of land, compost or cow manure seems to be an effective strategy for enhancing soil fertility, developing soil structure, increasing microbial diversity and activities, developing the water-holding capacity of soils [18], and having a positive impact on crop yields. Furthermore, organic additions maintain or improve soil productivity even after the nutrients required by the plants have been absorbed. Composting is one of the best options available to reduce the amount of organic waste [19]. It represents the largest proportion of the total solid waste generated globally at 46% [20]. The use of compost is one of the most promising and cost-effective options for restoring the structure of degraded soils. For example, 46% of total solid waste consists of organic matter [19, 20]. The conversion of organic wastes with high biological value for soil improvement can be considered to be a sustainable soil management strategy that is cheaper than other options and is compatible with the concept of zero waste [21, 22]. In addition, composting is a much more effective application than other soil organic waste removal methods such as landfilling and incineration, and it was reported that it is more environmentally friendly than other applications in terms of restoring the soil life cycle [23]. Previous studies demonstrated that the application of compost to strawberry plants improves plant growth, yield, and fruit quality [24]. It was reported that the increase in biomass and root proliferation in the root zone of strawberries and many plants causes excessive growth in the roots and causes a decrease in yield and quality [25]. It is very interesting to understand how the photosynthetic C (carbon) and biomass of strawberry plants are distributed among the growth organs and how it affects fruit size and quality [26, 27]. Due to global climate change, there have been great changes in the soil and climate structure. For this reason, new breeding studies about drought resistance are continuing for strawberry cultivation. In this regard, iron nanoparticles and salicylic acid media were used in order to determine the optimum combination resistant to arid conditions in the tissue culture of the strawberry (*Fragaria × ananassa* Duch.) plant. According to the results, salicylic acid reduces the negative effect of drought in strawberry plants and positively affects plant growth in vitro conditions. In addition, a better result was obtained in strawberries using iron nanoparticles compared to the control group regarding the drought. The use of iron nanoparticles together with salicylic acid in strawberry tissue culture studies will make strawberry plants more resistant to drought stress before they are transferred to the field [28]. In addition to the tissue culture studies related to drought stress resistance mentioned above, the use of dazzling technologies in irrigation systems along with plant nutrition is increasing day by day. It is important for plant development to plan plant nutrition programs and evaluate the results together with irrigation applications for strawberries. Therefore, sensor networks were used recently to measure

### *Strawberry Cultivation Techniques DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.104611*

soil moisture, electrical conductivity EC (measures the total salts in solution), and climate data in both soil-less cultivation and traditional cultivation. These systems provide fast and reliable information to manufacturers at the right time. This provides the opportunity to intervene immediately in any negative situation in plant breeding, providing significant advantages in plant development and productivity. Wireless sensor networks can offer cost-effective solutions against adverse situations such as water shortage and climate change that strawberry producers may face. In a study conducted in the USA, controlled irrigation systems were installed on two commercial strawberry farms in Maryland using wireless sensor networks. Then, the efficiency of irrigation practices in these two commercial farms and the effects of irrigation practices on plant growth and fruit quality were compared. Sensor-controlled irrigation was based on measuring the volumetric moisture values taken from the sensors placed in the root zone of the plant on the predetermined soil sets. Using a software program (Sensorweb™; Mayim LLC, Pittsburgh, PA), control nodes were enabled to apply irrigation for a specified period of time when the average sensor reading drops below the set point. Real-time root zone humidity, temperature, and electrical conductivity values were recorded at 15-minute intervals by monitoring/control nodes, and information was transmitted to both producers and researchers thanks to the internet using Sensorweb™. Irrigation volumes, plant growth, fruit yield, and fruit quality parameters were evaluated for two commercial production systems on farms. The utility of the wireless sensor networks system for spring frost warning was also tested by researchers by comparing the accuracy of canopy-based temperatures and on-farm weather station data with satellite (e.g., Skybit™) data [29].
