A knowledge-based company has developed a portable agricultural meteorological system to meet the country’s needs in the field.
Currently, engineering sciences related to agriculture and food industry are much more sophisticated than in the past, according to the CEO of Yazd Electronics Engineering Company.
“Fields such as the Internet of Things, electronic engineering and data analysis, and satellites play a key role in this industry, and the company has focused on these fields,” Vali Kamali Moghaddam was also quoted as saying by the news portal of Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology.
“One of the products of this company is the production of meteorological stations for agriculture, which provide farmers with the necessary data as per the global standards of agricultural meteorology,” he added.
In general, the agro meteorological system is used to forecast weather and crop yield accurately and control the physical environment as far as possible. The latter consists of predicting frost and drought, growing windbreaks, adopting flood control measures and modifying temperature and humidity in fields and greenhouses.
Moghaddam said the sensors embedded in these portable stations are produced domestically. He added that a platform has also been produced to convert the information of these meteorological stations into understandable and easy data.
For instance, through this platform, the farmer is told what is the best time to harvest or spray pesticide, according to the system’s forecast of weather, humidity and temperature.
“The knowledge-based company has also designed a cheaper product for smaller farms of one or two hectares, which shows basic and essential data such as temperature and humidity, by eliminating more detailed features,” he added.
Moghaddam said the company has also designed a monitoring system used in greenhouses and chicken farms, which measures parameters such as carbon monoxide, ammonia, temperature and humidity.
“This information is very important for the owner of these units, as it helps save resources such as water and fertilizers in greenhouses, and prevents serious losses in poultry farms,” he added.
Currently, several advanced knowledge-based companies are active in the fields of agricultural engineering, such as agricultural satellites and the Internet of Things.
Microalgae Help Boost Agro Output
A knowledge-based company has produced microalgae products used to enrich soils with beneficial organic nutrients for increasing agro production.
“Soil enrichment is necessary for the photosynthesis and supply of nutrients to plants,” a member of the Board of Directors of Parsian Microalgae Production Company said.
“Soil enrichment helps eliminate the imbalance of plant nutrients and is effective in regulating water absorption,” Hamid Donyaei Daraian was also quoted as saying by the news portal of the Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology.
A healthy soil will be rich in nutrients, minerals and organic matter. Soil enrichment leads to a quantitative and qualitative increase in agricultural products that resist pests and diseases.
Some of the products contain minerals and organic materials that help plant growth by boosting photosynthesis as well as plant resistance against dehydration and risk of freezing.
Algae comprise the primary food chain and are the most nutritious food source in the world. They contain the most absorbable plant protein with effective biochemicals, such as beta-carotene.
The beta-carotene obtained from the company’s microalgae products is up to 10 times more effective against cancer and beneficial for the body than normal beta-carotene.
Algae also play an effective role in feeding poultry and aquatic animals, and increasing the quality of meat products.
In addition, algae are used in food supplements, hydrogen production, medicines and cosmetics, as well as for controlling pollution and treating wastewater.
“About 35 jobs have been created in the Parsian Microalgae Production Company and its soil enrichment products are supplied at a much lower price. The company has prevented a significant amount of currency outflow and is exploring export prospects to earn foreign currency,” he said.
Anti-Hail System Developed
A domestic knowledge-based company has designed an anti-hail system that can convert hail into rain to prevent damage to trees and facilities during hailstorms.
The system can liquefy hail through a special process before they reach the ground.
“The anti-hail system turns hail into raindrops by producing special sound waves in the sky,” Alireza Nourian, the CEO of Ervin Hail Industries Company, said.
He added that the most important advantage of the domestic anti-hail system is the ability to prevent any potential damage during a hailstorm.
The system creates a series of acetylene gas explosions in a special reactor, which gives rise to sound waves with a specific frequency. It then directs sound waves into thunderclouds. The waves disturb the formation of hails by creating turbulence in ice crystals, which turn hailstones into raindrops.
The anti-hail system can be used to protect crops, gardens, urban areas, industrial sites, car companies’ parking lots and any open warehouse where goods, products, or equipment need protection during a hailstorm.
The CEO of the knowledge-based company explained that the domestic anti-hail system is 30% more effective and cheaper than its foreign counterparts.
“The system has been designed in two forms: a semi-intelligent system designed for the first time in the Middle East and the first smart system designed in the world,” he said.
The domestic product has met the needs of the country for anti-hail systems and prevented forex outflow. So far, 500 anti-hail systems have been installed in the country.
The system has been exported to Turkey and its quality is considered satisfactory by foreign customers.
Nourian noted that the design and development of the anti-hail system have created a large number of direct jobs and 20 indirect jobs.
